Civil Engineer Career Description
Civil engineering involves the constant recreation, improvement and conservation of the environment, as well as the establishment of facilities such as buildings, roads, bridges, airports and dams that are required for the effective functioning of a community. Civil engineers aim to harness the forces of nature and the qualities of materials to provide physical facilities for the effective functioning of communities.
What am I going to do in this occupation?
Civil engineers and technologists are involved in the provision of a physical facility from the initial study to determine whether it is needed and worthwhile, through conceptual planning and detail design, through the supervision of and actual construction, and then ensuring that it is operated correctly and maintained properly.
After their initial training civil engineering tend to specialize in one of the following:
» Geotechnical engineers design and construct foundations for structures and buildings, earth embankments, tunnels and earth dams.
» Transportation engineers plan, design and construct airports, railway lines and roads.
» Marine engineers design and construct quays, jetties, breakwaters and dry docks.
» Municipal engineers provide and maintain services (water, drainage and sewage facilities and networks as well as roads) in towns and cities. They also design and construct sewage, waste water treatment and purification plants.
» Construction engineers plan, control and execute construction projects. They are specialists in construction, the use of machinery, materials and human resources.
» Project managers are responsible for the management of a specific project.
» Structural engineers design and construct structures such as bridges, towers, frames or skeletons of skyscrapers, factories and power plant buildings. These engineers use concrete, steel and other building materials to construct stable, safe structures and buildings.
» Hydraulic engineers deal with flowing water, its storage, control and distribution. They are responsible for the planning, design and construction of dams, water supply systems and the sizing of bridge openings, drainage canals and flood control structures. The design and construction of harbours, deep-sea platforms, quays, jetties and dry docks are also the responsibility of the hydraulic engineer.
Civil engineers must visit the construction site and supervise proceedings. The working conditions depend on the civil engineer's field of specialisation.
Requirements
What kind of personality do I need?
Civil engineers should be proficient in Mathematics and Physical Science. They should be able to work well with other people and to communicate clearly. The ability to speak more than one language is an advantage. There is room in civil engineering for many different types of people: the scientific-minded designer and researcher; the public-minded planner of services which will affect the quality of life of entire communities; the outgoing leader of construction teams and the creator of complex organisations and systems.
Where can I work?
There are several options open to the civil engineering professional, namely:
» With national, provincial and local government bodies. Here the emphasis is on the planning, construction, operation and maintenance of engineering facilities.
» Consultancies, where the emphasis is on planning, design and supervision of construction. A recent trend is to design and supervise the implementation of maintenance strategies.
» Construction companies, where the emphasis is the management of people and material resources to implement projects according to the design, specifications and contract conditions, agreed to with the client.
» Non-civil engineering companies employ professionals to ensure that the company is appropriately served in respect of their civil engineering needs.
» Some are employed in teaching and research at.
Can I work for myself in this occupation?
Qualified civil engineers with the necessary experience can work on contract basis for different companies. Civil engineers can practice on their own, or in partnership with other engineers.
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