Telecommunications engineering impacts nearly every aspect of our daily lives, from the video calls that keep us connected to loved ones, to the internet that connects us to the world, and the mobile networks that ensure we can communicate anytime, anywhere. This field is the backbone of modern society, enabling the rapid exchange of information that powers communication, commerce, entertainment, and so much more. The importance of telecommunications engineering cannot be overstated, especially as we move into 2025, a year that marks a significant leap forward in fiber engineering.
Every February during National Engineers Week, we take a moment to reflect on the critical contributions of our own Engineering team. This year’s theme, “Design Your Future,” reflects the work our engineers do every day—building the infrastructure for fiber and wireless networks. With over 150 professional engineers, drafters, and GIS specialists at Tilson, their expertise is essential in meeting the demand for reliable connectivity and ensuring we can connect communities across the country.
We sat down with three members of Tilson’s Engineering team to get a closer look at their roles, the inspiration behind their work, and their advice for future engineers.
Grant is an Engineering Manager with over 20 years of experience in the telecom industry. He first joined Tilson two years ago and says he has “been blessed with some of the best team members I have ever had the privilege of working with.” Grant, like many on Tilson’s Engineering team, has prior field experience which Grant says helps us build better network designs. “Physically experiencing what you engineer helps you have a deeper understanding of how things work.”
This deeper understanding leads to real-world impacts. In 2024, Tilson designed and permitted networks that reached over 200,000 homes and engineered over 3,400 miles of fiber. For Grant, seeing how the Engineering team’s designs directly benefit communities and connects people to each other is the most rewarding part of his job. A well-designed network also has safety implications, as engineers must map and account for all utilities and right of way infrastructure. A team that better understands this infrastructure from field experience means they are better equipped to create a plan that protects the public and our teams.
Grant’s advice for future engineers: “Try not to come up short with a cable. Round up on your measures – it’s better to have a little extra than not enough. Also, don’t forget that everyone makes mistakes. You can always fix it.”
Chris is an Engineering Project Manager and has been with Tison since 2020. He studied to be a mechanical drafter and says he first “fell into the telecommunication industry” when recruited by an engineering company and never looked back. Now a seasoned engineering professional, Chris says the most rewarding part of designing fiber networks is that it is a “form of art.” While certain aspects such as mapping utility easements, right of ways, and service locations are static, each engineer will have a different approach to how they go about creating the design. It’s this creative side of engineering that Chris loves.
For aspiring engineers, his advice is to remember to keep open lines of communication between all stakeholders. At Tilson, our teams work closely with our clients and municipalities to understand their goals and requirements before we dive into the design phase. As a design-build telecom company, Tilson has the benefit of in-house engineers, project managers, and construction teams, which means we are in constant communication with each other throughout a project. This improves our ability to collaborate between divisions and better deliver on our clients’ timelines and objectives.
Chris’s advice for future engineers: “Don’t be afraid to fail and learn from your mistakes. They’ll make you wiser moving forward.”
Kelsey is a Project Engineer with a unique entry into the world of engineering. She originally studied zoology in school before entering the workforce. When a telecom company put out a call for people to learn the fiber design process, Kelsey made a bold career move, learning she has both a natural talent and an interest in engineering. For those looking to enter the engineering world, she recommends “always be willing to learn something new and adapt to ever-changing situations.”
Like her colleague Chris, Kelsey appreciates the diverse approaches engineers take in their work. “I see fiber networks as a puzzle with several solutions and my job is to find the best one,” she said. “The challenge, which I love, is finding the best design based on client standards, pathways, and placement – we always want to submit our best work.”
Given the unique nature of each client and project, Kelsey and the Engineering group also need to know the best tool for each job. They leverage software like 3GIS, QGIS, IQGeo, AutoCAD, and an assortment of city and client websites and databases to create their winning network designs.
Kelsey’s advice for future engineers: “Communication is key; talk to your coworkers and managers. There are a lot of moving parts when designing networks and you need to work together to make everything run smoothly.”
With professional engineering services in all 50 states, Tilson’s Engineering team is at the core of our mission to build America’s information infrastructure. Every day they create the blueprints to world-class fiber and wireless networks, enabling us to bring fastest, reliable connections to homes, businesses, schools, and public services. This Engineers Week, we extend our gratitude to our team for all their incredible contributions to keeping our communities connected.