re: How can I get into commercial/civil/industrial construction estimating?

Not disputing you because some companies vary in their qualification preferences. The only one I listed that has a regional office in Atlanta that might have an engineering requirement is Archer Westen. They mainly do Government projects like WTPs and WRFs and DOT in this market.

I could walk into any of the others this morning and chat with at least 8 estimators who have been out of school for only 2 years or less and a couple of interns. Now, they may be a placeholder but that goes in line with what I said about structure and the position they are expected to move into eventually. Many of my other clients (Winter, Batson-Cook, JE Dunn, Skanska, Turner, etc.) are modeled the same way.

At none of these companies does one work their way "up" to estimator unless you mean to career estimator with a Senior title.