Caltrans Landscape Associate reviews

4.4

99% would recommend to a friend

(7 total reviews)

Malcolm Dougherty

100% approve of CEO

99% positive business outlook

Reviews by job title

7 reviews
4.0
Oct 9, 2021
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

If you are a hard worker, consistent, try to do your best and have a solid work ethic you will have lots of opportunities here.

Cons

bureaucracy, time required for some of the most menial office tasks (4 months for a new chair). If you've worked in the private sector some of the approval requirements for the most basic office supplies or software will be surprisingly awful. It's important for your mental health to have the maximum amount of patience when working through this. It amazes me that Caltrans doesn't realize time is worth something as well. They would rather pay for a day of my time at $73/hr (plus the time of other staff) to navigate adding $60 software to my work computer than just loading $60 worth or software or having a simple process.

4.0
Aug 16, 2019
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Decent pay, flexible hours, great work/life balance, never take work home, interesting design challenges, influence on projects can last a lifetime. One of the last agencies to still offer a pension.

Cons

The entire design process takes too many years to come to fruition. It's true: too much bureaucracy here. Landscape architects are not respected by many engineers. Management wants everyone to "think outside the box" but too many "chiefs" hamper the creative design process. Too many people afraid of taking risks because either they do not know how, are too lazy, or too risk adverse. Many lazy people who do not perform their jobs. Some of these people are in Senior positions and refuse to allow "thinking outside the box." Zero-low accountability for failed work. Communication and organizational breakdowns from PID, to design, to construction, to maintenance. Promotions are far and few in between, and don't happen for people who actually can do the work, but rather happen to those who are good test takers. Also, many people who just don't care about their jobs and sit around collecting a paycheck - but this is par for the course with a State Agency.

1.0
Apr 2, 2017
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

That you have a job..and the coworkers are good people

Cons

That Management is terrible...caltrans has to much...racism, nepotism, and favoritism...if they don't like you they make up lies to get you fired...

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