Civil Engineer Career

A lot of planning goes into the design and construction of buildings and other structures. This is based on the fact that they are expected to last for a long period of time and also be able to withstand several adverse conditions. As such the planning and design must incorporate the anticipation of these conditions and implement the safety measures in the construction of the structures.

What is a Civil Engineer?

A civil engineer is a professional engineer trained in the planning, design and construction of buildings, roads, tunnels, airports, seaports, flyovers, bridges and any other type of structure. As such a civil engineer is involved in and also supervises all aspects of a construction project starting from conception, designing, implementation and finally to the completion of the edifice.

Civil Engineer Job Duties

A civil engineer career involves the discharge of certain duties and tasks. Civil engineers are expected to be the overall supervisor of any construction or building project. As such, a civil engineer designs the structures and also makes projections about all aspects of the construction such as cost, lifetime of the project, potential hazards and the effects they are likely to have on the structure.

Civil Engineer Skills

Certain skills are required in order to excel in a civil engineer career. The engineer must be able to think in a multidimensional manner, possess astute analytical powers, be attentive to details and also have excellent communication skills. Since a civil engineer usually supervises a large number of people, he or she must have leadership capabilities and also be a team player.

Civil Engineer Education

In order to qualify as a civil engineer, the individual must obtain a bachelor’s degree in engineering from an accredited institution. This is the minimum requirement for all entry level civil engineering positions. Graduate engineering degrees are also beneficial especially for faculty positions. Each state also awards licenses to qualified civil engineers.

Civil Engineer Salary

The median annual salary of civil engineers was $76,590 in a May 2009 survey by the BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics). The lowest 10% earned a little less than $49,620, and the highest 10% earned a little more than $118,320. The middle 50% of civil engineers earned between $60,650 and $96,800 annually.

Civil Engineer Job Outlook

According to a survey by the BLS, civil engineer careers are expected to increase by 24% between 2008 and 2018. This is higher than the average growth rate for all other occupations. This increase and outlook is due to the anticipated increase in population and associated need for new structures in addition to the need to carry out repairs of existing infrastructures.

The anticipated population growth will result in an increased demand for infrastructures such as bridges, roads, water supplies, sewage systems and other public structures. This, coupled with the need for constant maintenance of existing structures present a favorable employment outlook for professional and well trained civil engineers.