Services As Employees

Definition and Nature of Work

Civil engineers plan and design bridges and tunnels, as well as highways, airfields,
harbors, water and sewage systems, and buildings. They also supervise the
construction of such projects to ensure that they are built according to carefully
drafted plans. Civil engineers are employed by all levels of government, by
construction companies, and by engineering and architectural firms. Some civil
engineers do independent consulting work. Others work for public utility companies
or in the iron and steel industry. Still other civil engineers teach at colleges and
universities.

Civil engineering is such a broad and varied field that most engineers specialize in
one area. Some of the main specializations include structural, construction,
hydraulics, sanitary, environmental, transportation, and soil mechanics engineering.

Structural engineers are experts in building structures safely and efficiently. They
work with architects to design large buildings, bridges, and tunnels. Construction
engineers supervise the actual construction of projects once they are designed.
They decide on the best materials and methods to use in building such structures as
skyscrapers. Civil engineers who work in hydraulics design canals, flood-control
systems, and irrigation systems. They study water sources and try to develop ways
of using water that will benefit the community. For example, a hydraulic engineer
might design a dam in a river to create a reservoir to safeguard the water supply of
an area.

Sanitary engineers design systems to purify water and treat wastes to provide a safe
and economical supply of water. They work with environmental engineers to control
water and air pollution. Transportation engineers plan highways, subways, airports,
and railroads. Those who specialize in soil mechanics develop ways to use soil so
that building foundations can be improved.

Civil engineers work with architects, other engineers, and construction personnel.
These professionals often bring their specialized talents together to work on urban
planning projects. Civil engineers must be accurate and consider the safety of the
thousands of people who will use the structures they design and build.
Education and Training Requirements

Civil engineers work in an intellectually demanding field that requires a strong

aptitude for mathematics and the physical sciences. They need the ability to think
logically and creatively to be successful. They must be able to communicate well,
both verbally and in writing.

A bachelor's degree in civil engineering from an accredited school is essential to

enter the field. Many colleges offer four- or five-year engineering programs that
include courses in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, circuitry, stress analysis, and
structural design. Social sciences and humanities classes are usually required as
well. Some colleges offer cooperative programs in which students divide their time
between classes and work experience. Those who want careers in research,
development, or teaching will need a graduate degree. Some companies help pay
students' tuition.

After getting a degree, graduates must get field training. A state license is also
needed before they can be professional engineers in private practice. Most states
require about four years of work experience before engineers can take the licensing
examination. After licensing, civil engineers must continue their educations to keep
up with advances in the field.

Getting the Job

Many civil engineers work for the government on the state, federal, or municipal
level. A good way to start looking for a job is to take the civil service examination,
which is required for government work, and then check the specific openings listed
at state employment offices.

Some engineers work for consulting architectural and engineering firms and in the
major manufacturing industries. College placement services may know of job
openings. Construction and engineering companies can be contacted directly.
Professional journals, newspapers classified ads, and job banks on the Internet may
also provide leads.

Advancement Possibilities and Employment Outlook

There are many opportunities for advancement. Civil engineers who work in civil
service can advance from junior engineer to assistant engineer to associate
engineer, and then become the head of a department.

Promotion of this type also occurs in large firms. Engineers can advance from
project management to an administrative position as a consulting engineer,
department head, or chief engineer of a large construction firm. In smaller
companies advancement takes the form of specialization. Self-employment or
partnership in a company is possible for those with exceptional ability and capital.

Employment for engineers will grow about as fast as the average for all jobs through
2014. Approximately 237,000 civil engineers are employed in the United States.
Urban renewal, growth in rapid transit and industry, and regulations to control air
and water pollution will create an increasing demand for civil engineers.
Geographic location and the overall health of the economy will also be factors in
employment.

Working Conditions

Civil engineers work in many different places, depending on their specialization and
their employers. They can work in offices as well as at construction sites. Civil
engineers doing research may work in laboratories.

Most engineers are steadily employed, but engineers working in construction may
experience periodic layoffs. Those who work for government agencies enjoy job
security not found in other types of engineering. Regardless of where they work,
civil engineers must face the strain of deadlines and tight schedules. Their work is
exacting. They must be very accurate because their work involves costly projects.
They must be able to work as part of a team and communicate their ideas to the
other specialists on the project. Problem solving requires innovation and the ability
to make decisions. Civil engineers report that the personal satisfaction of this work
usually outweighs the pressures.

What does a Civil Engineering Actually Do?

A civil engineering company can specialize in one kind of engineering or offer

several different aspects of various engineering fields, usually ones that tie up with
each other in some way or other.

So if you are looking at a career as a civil engineer, what sort of engineering

work/projects could you possibly be involved with if you work for a typical
company?

1) Commercial

This includes buildings:

• Banks
• Office buildings and blocks of office buildings
• Parking lots and garages
• Restaurants and cafes
• Shopping centres, both the closed and open air structures

2) Institutes

You could be involved in building the following institutes:

• Schools and universities

• Corporate buildings and big business buildings
• Clinics and hospitals, private or government run
• Retirement villages and old age homes, whether subsidized or not

3) Industry

Civil engineers have a say in the design and building of the following industrial
buildings:

• Manufacturing facilities and factories

• Utilities
• Industrial parks and business parks
• Warehouses and factory storage areas
• Communication towers

4) Residential

No matter how small or large a house/apartment block you build, a civil engineer
has to ensure that the

• Individual homes on small or large acres of land.

• High rise apartment blocks
• Housing estates, whether funded through big corporations, or not.

5) Water management
A civil engineering company is involved in the design and development of the
following water management works:

• Drinking water supply, storage and distribution

• Storm water and watershed management
• Wastewater treatment and collection

6) Environmental and Geotechnical Services

There is a lot to a modern civil company and many extra services are provided,
some of which are:

• Subsurface exploration reporting

• Geology and Hydrogeology
• Soil treatment and recommendations
• Foundation recommendations
• Site evaluation and feasibility studies
• Retaining wall design and recommendations
• Slope stability analysis
• Excavation recommendations
• Pavement recommendations (flexible or rigid)
• Settling analysis and monitoring
• Seismic response and documentation

7) Environmental Services

In our environmentally conscious society, a civil engineering company that does not
take heed of environmental issues is in for a rough ride; however, most companies
take cognizance of the need to ensure that the projects they are involved in are
environmentally friendly. Some of the services that the civil engineering company
provides are:

• Phase I and II environmental assessments

• Excavation supervision and contaminated soil removal
• Monitoring the installation of wells and the maintenance thereof
• Environmental sampling and testing
• Environmental consulting and compliance
• Wetland determination and confirmation
• Jurisdictional stream evaluation
• Permits and mitigation
• Lead and Asbestos identification and safe removal
• Corp of engineers and EPA permitting
• Evaluate sites based on the new Risk Based Corrective Action Evaluation
Requirements
• Sampling and oversight for UST closures

Elements of a civil engineering project

There are many components to civil engineering projects that a civil engineer might
be involved in.

Some of these elements are:

• Land surveying
• Development plans
• Utilities evaluation and design
• Site selection and planning
• Property and right of way acquisitions
• Construction layout and staking
• Drainage and grading
• Storm water management
• Parking lot design
• Pavement management
• Signage
• Shopping centre site engineering

Final Words

A civil engineers job is quite a lot more involved than one would initially
imagine.The good news is that civil engineers are highly trained and experienced
professionals and technicians who are able to deliver an important and exacting
service to a wide and diverse client base.Thus a civil engineering company is
involved in every aspect of a construction project, right down to the last drop of
cement.
Salary/Compensation

Locally, a Civil Engineer receives a monthly salary ranging from P17,000-P25,000

depending on the type of employer. In the U.S., a Civil Engineer receives a monthly
salary of $4,300 to $6,400, again depending on the type of employer. In other foreign
countries, pay and benefits are definitely higher than local rates.