How Camp AKS Builds Connection, Recognition, and Growth Opportunities
AKS Engineering & Forestry brings employees from all nine offices in Oregon and Washington together each spring for our annual company retreat, Camp AKS. But this isn’t your average team-building event—it’s a full-day experience dedicated to strengthening connections, learning from one another, and celebrating what makes our multidisciplinary engineering firm truly unique.
This year, we reflected on our unique culture and embraced the theme “Leading the Pack,” a bold look at the confidence, integrity, and initiative our people bring to every project and partnership.
A Space to Come Together
Camp AKS, held at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds & Expo Center in Redmond, Oregon, brought together 296 employees, many of whom met face-to-face for the first time outside of virtual calls or job sites.
The day started with a State of the Company address highlighting 2024’s wins, followed by a drone-captured group photo and a lunch where employees mixed across departments and offices.
Events like Camp AKS are part of our long-term approach to employee retention in the AEC industry. They create a sense of belonging and shared purpose across roles, locations, and career levels.
Breakout Sessions: Knowledge from Within
One of the most potent parts of Camp AKS is learning directly from peers. After lunch, employees could choose from 23 breakout sessions—all led by AKS staff—covering various technical skills, soft skills, and business knowledge.
2025 Breakout Sessions Included:
- Leading the Pack to Consistent Project Excellence
- Building a Reputation
- Lifecycle of a Meeting
- Leading with Precision: Utilizing the Right Survey Technology for the Job
- Politics of Development
- Success at AKS – Choose Your Own Adventure
- What Developers Want: Quick & Dirty Subdivision Feasibility Evaluations
- Building Relationships
- Project Management: Expectations, Responsibilities, & Core Competencies
- Over Communicate, Over Organize, Over Achieve – A Survey Time Management Story
- Business Basics
- Active Listening & Notetaking
- Public Works at AKS
- Earning Clients’ Trust
- The Project Management Trifecta: Scope, Schedule, and Budget
- Leading the Pack – Survey Crew Edition
- Technology at Work
- Less Grind, More Shine: Essential Time Management Strategies
- Construction Management Services for Public Works
- ArcGIS StoryMaps
- Funding Utilities: Comparing Sources & Environmental Requirements
- FEMA Policy Changes in Oregon
- Designing Infrastructure Around Trees
- Accounting & Finance Breakout
For anyone exploring civil engineering careers in Oregon and Washington, these peer-led sessions reflect the real-world knowledge shared daily in our offices—grounded, practical, and designed to help you grow.
Celebrating the Pack
After the sessions wrapped up and a quick break, employees enjoyed an evening of celebration and connection.
The evening included:
- Happy hour and dinner with coworkers and plus-ones
- Annual employee awards recognizing standout team members, including the new Keith Jehnke Founder’s Award
- Introductions of our newest Members
- Mini-casino night, bingo, and raffle games
- A lively photo booth, music, and open lounge spaces for casual networking
As one employee put it:
“Camp AKS makes you feel like you’re part of something bigger. It’s motivating to see the people and passion behind our work.”
Another noted:
“It’s the only time all year I get to talk face-to-face with people I collaborate with weekly. That kind of connection is rare in our industry.”
Events like this reinforce our culture of employee appreciation in engineering firms, where contributions are noticed, and people feel proud to be part of the team.
Why It Matters
Camp AKS is more than an event—it’s an investment in our people. We believe in creating space to learn, grow, and celebrate each other. It’s one of the many ways we build a company where people feel seen, heard, and empowered to lead, no matter their role.
If you’re searching for surveying and engineering jobs in Oregon and Washington with growth opportunities and a workplace where culture is just as important as credentials, explore our career opportunities and find your place at AKS.
