Civil Engineering is the study of constructing structures such as roads, airports, bridges, canals, tunnels, wastewater systems, etc. To become a civil engineer, one must acquire a degree in the same. It is one of the oldest main branches of engineering. The main goal of this field of study is to design structures that are functional, efficient, and durable. This field also has a lot of subdisciplines that range from structural, environmental, water resources, geotechnical, transportation, and construction.
The main objective of this essay is to learn about a few entry level civil engineering jobs, that might help future engineers to choose this career path. Before learning about entry level civil engineering jobs, let us get to know about what is the work of a civil engineer.
A civil engineer is a person who has expertise in infrastructure construction and operation. They mostly work on the technical aspect of structure design, whether it’s designing roadways or airports. Now, that we know about what a civil engineer does, we must also know about the places where one works at. Some civil engineers work for government-led agencies, while others work for private organizations.
During the planning phase of a project, one would mostly find civil engineers working in office settings. However, once the implementation of the said project begins, they are mostly on construction sites making sure all the plans and structural details are made accurately on site. Civil engineers also work with the military services, as structures are constantly being made when the troops are going from place to place. Architects and Civil Engineers usually work together, even though both areas require different fields of study and expertise. Surveying is also a skill that is used by civil engineers, but one has to get a separate license for that as well.
Most civil engineers take up practice immediately after graduating since this field requires quite a lot of practical work experience. But some engineers develop a specialty based on their interests and customer requirements. There are a variety of job titles associated with civil engineering, which include project management, urban engineer, permitting and licensing engineer, civil design engineering, etc.
Getting a degree in civil engineering is just a small step towards becoming one, as one has to have a lot of good workplace skills to establish as a civil engineer. Some of those key skills include:
Communication skills
To become a good engineer, one must know how to talk to people linked with the construction industry. Managing people, vendor interactions, and client relatability are a few areas where one needs to have really good speaking skills.
Critical Thinking
To design complex structures, one must also know how to think beyond the box. A good civil engineer has to think through complex issues and come up with several ways to tackle structural problems.
Teamwork
The main job of the civil engineer is supervision of the site. However, knowing how to work with a team is a hard skill that a good civil engineer must definitely possess.
Accountability
The entire site accountability falls into the lap of the civil engineer once construction begins. It is important for the engineer to know how to follow building permission rules and also stick strictly to budgets.
Entry-level civil engineering jobs
An entry-level civil engineer has to mostly work with senior engineers and help them as a trainee to complete a project. They mostly oversee safety procedures, help with quality control, help make budget estimates and assist in the development of the projects.
At a senior level, however, the role of the civil engineer becomes more like a managerial role. They mostly deal with clients, maintain a good relationship with them, and pursue contracting and project management.
