Two years ago, I wrote an article for STRUCTURE called “It Is OK to Struggle,” (May 2024) where I opened up about burnout, stress, and the silent pressure many of us in structural engineering feel to constantly perform. The response I received, messages from peers, early‑career engineers, and even senior leaders, made me realize how many people had been shouldering similar weight in silence. Since then, my life and mindset have changed in meaningful ways, and I felt compelled to continue the conversation.
My local structural engineering community has been invaluable in helping continue this conversation. Our local NCSEA SE3 committee has participated in several mental health presentations and panel discussions, both locally and nationally, often alongside mental health professionals (because, honestly, I’m no expert). Through this work, we even developed a workshop for our structural engineering association aimed at opening discussions with firm leaders and HR professionals about how to build and sustain a mentally healthy workplace.
One of the most significant changes for me was finally committing to therapy. For years, I convinced myself I could manage stress on my own. Therapy helped me realize that resilience isn’t about pushing through, it’s about understanding myself more deeply, including my neurodiversity. It taught me to recognize the early signs of overwhelm and gave me tools to navigate them. Most importantly, it gave me permission to speak up when I’m struggling instead of just gritting my teeth and powering forward. Those conversations have allowed me to show up more honestly and more effectively.
It’s still a continuous journey, and I’m far from finished. Even though I’ve talked about mental health with hundreds of structural engineers, I still find it difficult to open up about my own mental health with the people I love and to let them know I’m here to support them through theirs.
Another major turning point was leaving a job after nine months. Engineers are wired to finish what we start, so admitting something isn’t the right fit is difficult. Finding myself in a role that was an amazing opportunity but didn’t align with my strengths or abilities only amplified my stress. Walking away felt like failure at first, but it was growth. Recognizing misalignment early, and acting on it, is far healthier than forcing yourself into a role that does not work for either party and only dims your passion for the profession.
While my personal journey has evolved, so has the landscape of structural engineering. Our industry is facing compounding pressures: shrinking workforce capacity, increasing retirements, and higher project demands. Younger engineers want to contribute meaningfully but often find themselves overloaded with production work and little mentorship. Senior engineers want to train the next generation but are pulled in too many directions to do it effectively. Retention suffers, workloads grow, and the cycle repeats. We can’t keep operating like this.
One emerging tool that gives me hope is artificial intelligence. Not as a replacement for engineers, but as a partner that can free us from the mundane tasks that steal our time and energy. AI can help draft letters, summarize code provisions, assist with checking calculations, organize training materials, and yes—even help outline or refine a STRUCTURE Magazine article. These are small tasks individually, but together they consume hours per week that could instead be spent mentoring younger engineers, diving deeper into complex design challenges, or simply maintaining a healthier workload.
For early‑career engineers, AI can serve as a supplemental teacher. Though never a substitute for human guidance (AI does have a long way to go), it can be developed into a tool that helps new engineers understand concepts through quick examples, alternative explanations, or visualizations. Imagine a new engineer experimenting with lateral load paths or connection detailing and instantly generating conceptual sketches or code references for comparison. That kind of support accelerates learning without burdening senior staff.
But to unlock that potential, we must be intentional. Firms need to create cultures where asking for help is normal, where workloads are realistic, and where people—not just projects—are prioritized. We must encourage engineers to speak up when they’re overwhelmed, to explore career paths within our profession that align with their strengths, and to recognize when change is necessary for their well‑being. At the same time, we must embrace tools like AI not as threats but as opportunities to reclaim time for high‑value work and human connection.
My hope is that by sharing these experiences, therapy, change, vulnerability, and optimism for the tools ahead, we can continue shaping a healthier, more sustainable profession. Structural engineering will always require precision, creativity, and responsibility, but it should not require sacrificing our mental health or losing ourselves in the process. If we commit to supporting one another, investing in development, and using technology wisely (keeping the humanity in our profession), we can leave this industry better than we found it, for the next generation and for ourselves. ■
About the Author
Chad S. Mitchell is senior structural engineer at SmithGroup. He also serves on the NCSEA Board of Directors.
