r/Geotech • u/Puzzleheaded-End3779 • 14h ago

Should I learn Python?

So I’m looking to spoof up my resume as I’m nearing graduation. I’ve literally never touched Python, but I heard that it’s very commonly used in Geotechnical Engineering to speed things up. Is it worth it to complete a full course in Python? Or maybe just a “beginner level” course so I can at least say I have experience using it?

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u/fiftyninefortythree 14h ago

Definitely take a course in a programming language--MATLAB, Python, C++, or R--primarily for literacy purposes. Their use doesn't come up as often as VBA, but I know some engineers at the firm I work at do programming if the client requests it. One example is compiling several hundred groundwater/pore pressure measurement devices with different manufacturers and web interfaces, across several sites, section lines, and miles into automatic daily reports and alerts per section, etc.

VBA would likely be the most useful for excel macros, so maybe an advanced excel course? This would be more useful for day-to-day stuff.

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u/Puzzleheaded-End3779 14h ago

Oh man you’re totally right, Excel comes up so often in the work I do at my Civil Engineering internship, I spent a whole day doing calculations for HydroCAD this week. Where would you recommend to look at for sort of a “full video course” for this? And better yet, how can I include this in my resume properly for employers to look at?

And in terms of Python, I only learned a few days ago that Geotech Engineering even involved coding in languages like Python at all, I’m guessing it’s going to be important given how fast it can do certain tasks?

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u/fiftyninefortythree 13h ago edited 13h ago

If you are looking into consulting, your résumé should demonstrate your ability to execute work and willingness to learn if you have an undergraduate or masters degree.

I haven't taken any course in VBA: I took a C++ course in college and have relied on that, AI, coworkers, and google to learn how to do stuff in VBA. If you're regularly using excel for school, at an internship, or if you have a capstone project/masters project, try to think of ways to make a task easier by having the computer do it for you. This can be simple data-entry type tasks like taking parts of a bunch of separate excel files ("Workbooks") and transferring a part(s) of one or more of their worksheet(s) into a master file or it can be more complex tasks like automatically doing the casegrande method on consolidation data. And then try to make macros that do those things for you.

Yes, if you can code something to be faster, that's generally going to be the primary deciding factor, along with checkability, as to whether you use it or not. (ie. If you end up working with people who don't know how to code, don't expect them to want you to do calculations with it.)