What brought you to SJS, and what made you interested in transitioning from the field to VDC?

Taha El-Gremi (VDC Project Leader) had joined SJS and felt like I would be a good fit.

I was a Forman in the field and the superintendent asked if I would be interested in learning how to do BIM as the office had a need for it and he felt like I would be a good fit.

What has been the most challenging project you've worked on at SJS, and why?

Live Theater Venue - was the first theater that I have worked on and there was a large amount of conduit and short ceiling spaces to work in.

How has your field experience helped you succeed as a VDC Project Lead?

I have built something similar to most of the projects I have worked on and a lot of times I can see constructability issues quickly or can suggest changes to conduit routing from experience.

What advantages does an electrical license bring to the coordination process?

When you have earned an electrical license you have worked in the field installing work for 4 years and you learn the hard way what will and will not work for install and that experience translates directly coordination

Can you share an example where your field knowledge helped prevent a potential issue before construction?

Recently on a project a MV transformer submittal showed a location that the team took the controls that location is where I know the coils to be and not accessible and we were able to get the conduits relocated.

How do electricians in the field respond when they know they’re working with someone who has hands-on experience?

They are happy as we speak the same language. There are a lot of trade terms that we have that a modeler would not know.

What common coordination mistakes can be avoided by having field experience in VDC leadership?

Using the pockets where the I beams are to get past crowded areas a lot of time it is easier to go over obstacles than under them.

What advice would you give electricians who are interested in moving into VDC or BIM roles?

It takes a some time to learn how to use Revit and the other software but at the end of the day it is a great feeling to know you helped set a project on a positive path before construction even starts!