Civil Engineering & Construction deals with designing, building and maintaining the infrastructure we rely on daily: buildings, roads, bridges, water and energy systems, waste networks, and many more. People who work in Civil Engineering & Construction need to adapt plans and structures and find solutions to complex problems such as the increase of human population or natural disasters.
In order to practice as a civil engineer you will need to know a lot about the properties of construction materials, such as concrete or steel, and how construction machinery functions. With their extensive knowledge, engineers can design structures that meet requirements for cost, safety, reliability, durability and energy efficiency. You will be involved in all stages of a construction project, from the selection of the building site, writing specifications for processes and materials, hiring subcontractors, ensuring safety compliance with building codes, and supervising all phases of construction. Civil engineers rely on computer-aided design (CAD) systems. CAD systems make it easy to modify designs and generate blueprints for construction projects.
Some of the specialisations included by Civil Engineering are Transport Engineering, Environmental Engineering, and Geotechnical Engineering.
During a Civil Engineering degree, you will learn how to follow construction safety standards as well as building regulations. You will learn how to manage building projects, do all the calculations and make adjustments where necessary. Other important construction aspects you’ll have to keep in mind are: environmental impact, durability, and using the right construction materials for the projects you will be working on.
Courses provided by Civil Engineering degrees will challenge your problem-solving abilities. You’ll have to tackle problems such as completing your construction project with a limited amount of resources. If you want to become a successful civil engineer, you will also need creativity and the ability to adapt to unpredicted changes in your planning.
You will be able to choose between two general career paths. You’ll either work in an office, dealing with design projects, requests and meeting with clients, or be more hands-on and work directly in construction projects. If working on a construction site sounds appealing to you, you’ll have the chance to be a valuable member of a team that takes a plan on a piece of paper and transforms it into reality.
Students who graduate with degrees in Civil Engineering & Construction can work in the public or private sector. Here are some popular careers people go for: construction engineer, structural engineer, water resource engineer, and building control surveyor.
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