On Veterans Day 2019, we decided to interview one of our very own Veterans at SCS! Wesley Pate joined SCS Engineers in August 2018, as a Senior Technician in our Field Services OM&M Business Unit. Wesley graduated from Auburn University where he studied Agriculture and Soils, which is what sparked his interested in getting into environmental services. He joined the Army National Guard in 2013, as a Platoon Leader where he was deployed to Afghanistan and Kuwait. As a Platoon Leader, he was responsible for the rating and professional development of 38 soldiers. He returned home safely in July 2018, and started his search for a career in Environmental services and found his home at SCS Engineers! As a Senior Technician, he supports our Landfill Gas Collection Systems by conducting monthly well field monitoring on 5 of our landfills in Alabama where he performs maintenance and repairs on the blower and skid as well as troubleshooting the systems.
What is it that attracted you to SCS?
The position was close to what I did before I was deployed. Just the comfort of coming in and already knowing people working here was great. I was familiar with SCS from my prior experience with my previous employer, and it just seemed like a better environment. I liked the way things run at SCS – they did things the way I wanted to do them. Before, if I had a problem, I would have to call someone else to fix it instead of doing it myself. Now I have the freedom to do the monitoring, the troubleshooting, and the repairs all myself as needed. And if I need help, they have the resources to assist. I appreciate the structure in landfill gas with SCS because it’s very professional. And I like that!
What is your favorite part of working at SCS?
The flexibility! Every day it seems like I’m learning something new! When I work with guys from another region, I always learn something from them. I’m constantly learning something new! It never gets boring. There’s always something new coming up, always a new challenge. It tests my brain to figure things out. It’s very rewarding once you do fix something, and it works out. It’s a feeling like “Hey! This actually works, and we found the issue to fix it.” If the clients are happy, then I’m happy with myself.
What would you say is your biggest contribution to SCS?
That’s a tough one! I guess anytime I feel I’m helping the team. If someone needs help, and I’m able to assist them, and I’m contributing to the team rather than being a burden or a headache. If my project manager needs something and I’m able to help him out and take a load off of him, that makes me feel better about my place on the team. If the boss is happy, then everyone’s happy!
Why do you think you’ve been so successful at SCS?
I’ve been set up for success! We have good management and work with great clients. I like that SCS is more of a team environment, and everyone makes an effort, rather than any one company or contractor carrying the weight of the work. Everyone approaches it as a team, and we brainstorm and determine the best way to come up with the solution.
What advice would you give a prospective employee at SCS?
For someone coming into OM&M, stay open-minded, as in, don’t be set in your ways. Be willing to work hard and keep your head down and push through it. The work will get easier as you go on. You will learn every day, and the more you learn, the easier it gets! You will get to spend time with the more experienced SCS employees and learn from them that tasks you thought were challenging, don’t have to be. You will observe an employee who has to do the same thing 100 times, and they will teach you the easiest way to do it!
What do you like to do outside of SCS? Any favorite hobbies?
I love to go bow hunting for whitetail deer in Alabama. I also love doing anything on the water! I have a Bloodhound dog named Reggie, and I love spending time with him.
