What Are Your Civil Engineering Job Options?
Benefits of Studying Civil Engineering
Why Study Civil Engineering?
There are many reasons why you should consider studying Civil Engineering. Firstly, there are a huge array of career paths that can come from getting qualified. Secondly, the potential salaries that can arise in this sector are highly rewarding. Moreover, the chance for career development is high. All of these reasons, and more, could be the answer you are looking for. However, let’s dive deeper into everything you need to know about studying Civil Engineering.
Firstly, here is a brief overview of what civil engineering is.
What is Civil Engineering?
Civil engineering is a broad term for many of the processes that go into the built environment. It started with building bridges and houses. However, it has developed throughout its age to a point where roads, railways, water systems, airports and more have all been created by civil engineers. So you see, civil engineering is a huge professional area. There are many different subcategories, and therefore, a huge amount of career choice if you choose to study the area.
Civil engineers usually plan and design construction projects. They are most commonly employed to work for large scale projects such as tunnels or airport designing and planning. Other relevant projects they may work on include water systems or sewage. Of course, not all civil engineers plan and design the infrastructure. Many will work on the construction processes itself or other construction work such as demolition.
If you want a clear list of the job titles for civil engineers, here you go:
- Transportation Engineer
- Structural Engineer
- Project Managers
- Civil Engineering Drafter
- Architect
- Civil Engineering Technician
This is not by any means a conclusive list, just some insight into the kind of positions in the area.
Which Courses Can You Take?
There are many different options when it comes to studying.
Degree
One of the most popular ways to enter the profession is to take a Bachelor’s degree such as a BEng in Civil Engineering. Many also progress to Master’s level (MEng) and start full time working shortly after.
In terms of which university you should choose, consider location, course contents, career prospects and more. In the UK, try and look for universities high in the charts.
Online Courses
A further option for taking civil engineering courses in online courses. The College of Contract Management offers a variety of courses you can take that will improve your skills. Moreover, these can help you to specialise in a particular area of engineering.
Below are some of the courses that we offer:
Advanced Diploma in Structural Engineering
The Structural Engineering diploma is fully accredited by the JBM comprising of:
- Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)
- Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE)
- Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT)
- Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE)
This is a level 5 qualification which is ideal for those who are new to the area of structural engineering or would like to add to their specialities after a degree. Within this course, you will learn about structural fundamentals, structural analysis and lots more.
Advanced Diploma in Cost Engineering
The Cost Engineering course helps individuals go on to become Cost Controllers, Estimators or Engineers. Although some of the basic understanding will be similar to the above course, this is for those who wish to specialise in the cost area. Therefore, you will learn topics such as Project Cost Control, Pricing and Tendering Strategies, Construction Economics and more. Again, this course is a fantastic choice for those who have not done a degree or those who have done a degree and wish to specialise their skills.
Professional Diploma in CAD
Furthermore, the Professional Diploma in CAD is a highly popular course. CAD or Computer-Aided Design will have a place in your career, some way or another. If you would like to be more involved in the designing aspects of civil engineering then this course would be perfect for you. Of course, this course is not only for those interested in civil engineering but also for plenty of other construction professionals. Within the CAD course, you will learn how to create digital 2D and 3D designs which are essential for civil engineering projects.
Professional Diploma in BIM
The final course to mention that the College of Contract Management offers in the way of civil engineering courses is the BIM course. This is a highly popular course that we have recently added to our course options. For those who are interested in civil engineering, BIM has become one of the most effective ways to navigate a construction project from start to finish.
Not only will you be able to use Building Information Modeling for designing, but also for the planning stages of a project. Therefore, multiple roles within a project will make use of this software. Moreover, if you wish to go into the area of engineering, this would be a perfect course to add to your experience.
What Are Your Civil Engineering Job Options?
Due to civil engineering being such a broad area of professional practice, choosing to study it is a smart choice. Moreover, you will not be limited in your career opportunities by studying the subject at University or taking some online courses. Here are a few ideas if you are unsure about which career route you would like to take.
Consulting Civil Engineer
One option is becoming a Consulting Civil Engineer. These professionals work on the first stages of a project. In this role, you plan and design the construction. This could be a project in rail, tunnelling, transportation, waste management and more. As a consulting civil engineer, you will use your expertise to advise on the construction process.
Contracting Civil Engineer
In contrast to Consultants, Contracting Civil Engineers will work on the ground supervising and advising with the construction. In this role, you will often be asked to solve problems and have an excellent understanding of health and safety to ensure the continual safety of the project during construction and after completion.
Structural or Water Supply Engineer
In addition, there are various positions in different areas of construction. For example, you could specialise in the structural elements of a project. Your main role would be to use your understanding of structures to ensure the safety of structures, design structures and more. On the other hand, we have specialised areas such as water supply engineering. This job role will involve ensuring there is a supply of clean water, proper functioning of sewage systems and potentially working with flood reduction methods.
Site Engineer
Another popular career choice is being a Site Engineer. These individuals have the task of overseeing the site, levelling the site and giving advice. They may also ensure that all designs are accurate and safe. They have a large responsibility to ensure that a project will be accurate and safe.
Benefits of Studying Civil Engineering
There are a variety of different benefits when it comes to studying this area.
You Will Receive a Good Salary
Firstly, one of the best things about studying Civil Engineering as it can lead you to high salary jobs. The average Civil Engineer salary in the UK is £30k a year, but there are positions at a much higher rate, especially if you progress to be a Senior Civil Engineer. In this position, you can earn £40k – £50k a year. A profession in this area will be enough to keep you financially stable.
You Can Have Career Variety
In addition, taking a Civil Engineering course can lead you to many different jobs. As said previously, this is a very broad area of work and a qualification in this area will allow you to find opportunities in many different roles. There are many different types of civil engineering such as rail, marine, transport, tunnels, sewage and more. Therefore, if you wish to change your career pathway then you can easily do this with a civil engineering qualification.
There Is Always a High Demand
Furthermore, another benefit of studying civil engineering is that the area of work is in demand. All of the infrastructure we see around us has been created with the help of civil engineers. As long as we need transport, buildings, water and sewage, we will need civil engineers. This means that it is always in demand and the demand will not decrease. Therefore, this is a great career choice for those who need stability. Moreover, if you want to feel as if you have a valued job, this career is for you.
A Mix of Indoor and Outdoor Work
Another great thing about this area of work is that you get the chance to work both indoors and outdoors. One day you may be in the office doing mainly planning work and other days you could be outdoors soaking up the sunshine on a construction site. This is really good for your mental health. Additionally, you won’t feel trapped in an office all day, and be able to keep active. For some people, this variety is essential.
Variety in Day to Day Activities
The final benefit I want to mention in this article is the variety of work. As a civil engineer, you work on separate projects. Therefore, you will not be doing the same thing for a long time. Moreover, there will be endings to projects which give you time to reflect on the great work you have achieved. This can be both rewarding and allow you to keep motivated. Moreover, this career choice is rather different from an office job where your work is mainly routine orientated. Therefore if you like variety to keep the job interesting, this is the perfect career choice for you.
Final Thoughts
From the above-mentioned points, it is clear that studying this area is a fantastic choice. Whether that be at degree level or by taking an online course. If you are interested in any of the courses that we offer, then please contact us.
Hopefully, this article has given you a clear understanding of what civil engineering is, the different job areas and the benefits of working in the area. As a final point, civil engineering is a very important industry. The infrastructure all around us allows our day to day runnings that we take for granted. For example, without civil engineers, we would not have railways, roads or water systems. Therefore, anyone who chooses to study this subject area is contributing to global needs and is helping to fill the demand.