All About Civil Engineering

A career in civil engineering is not only exciting, it’s also rewarding. As a civil engineer you work in the field. You can also work in the office doing design. If you like multitasking, you can work both in the office and field.

What You Will Be Doing As A Civil Engineer

Your work involves designing, building and maintaining public works. You will be concentrating on structures and facilities such as features, transportation routes, hubs, government buildings, and water treatment plants. In other countries, you may be involved in military engineering.

Formal Civil Engineering Training

There are many universities offering both diploma and degree programs in civil engineering. The diploma option is available for you if you didn’t attain the required grade to pursue a degree program. Although, a diploma program goes for three years, you pursue the same courses pursued by those undertaking a degree program.

While in college, you will be required to study higher forms of mathematics. The calculations are aimed at helping you to solve problems.

Since you will be working with materials, you will be required to pursue a course in material science where you will learn the different types and compositions of materials.

Technology has become an important part of life thus you should expect to undertake a course in computer science. The knowledge will help you in undertaking design simulations where you will be able to test different designs and determine how they react under different situations.

To put the learnt theories into practice, you will be required to get out of the classroom and work in the lab. Here you will have an opportunity of working with different materials and designs.

You should note that you will spend the first one or two years studying general engineering courses which will help you in advancing your engineering career. The later part of the education will be focused on your specialty.

Opportunities Available For You As A Civil Engineer

Once you graduate you have many opportunities available for you. For example, you can work in the public sector where you can be employed by the government. There are also many private firms where you can work. If you don’t want to be employed you can start your own engineering firm and work as a consultant.

You should note that if you want to work as a project manager or team leader you need to have a professional engineer’s license (PE).

To be competitive in the job market and also gain more skills it’s wise that you consider furthering your education.