Getting a civil engineer job.

How did you get your start doing civil engineer work, and what career moves did you make to get to your current position?

Do you need a particular educational background?

You need at least a bachelor's degree to be a civil engineer, as this is the minimum educational requirement to qualify to take the examination to be professionally registered.

In contrast to the other engineering disciplines, in civil engineering it is imperative that one become registered as a professional engineer to advance. Essentially all the work that civil engineers do has to be signed and sealed by a registered professional engineer before governmental regulatory agencies will permit the work to be built. The rationale offered is that the work of civil engineers has the potential to impact the lives of thousands if fails catastrophically, so it is in the public interest for the government to regulate the profession im the same way it regulates the practice of medicine and law.

Civil engineering is a very broad field - many civil engineers work supervising construction to make sure that roads, bridges, and etc are built according to the plans and specifications. At the other end of the continuum are engineers who spend their days in front of computers doing complex simulations of civil works.

I graduated during a recession and couldn't find a job as an engineer, so I took as a construction inspector with the government. A few months later I was promoted and was managing major road and bridge projects.

I found being a construction supervisor boring and tedious though, so I took another job in geotechnial engineering designing and testing bridge foundations. Now I spend my time about equally between going out to construction sites, and working in the office.

I'd recommend that to young engineers that they not overlook the construction aspect of their professional development. Without an understanding of how things get built in the field, and the practical limitations this imposes on design, it's hard to be a good designer.

John said:
I'd recommend that to young engineers that they not overlook the construction aspect of their professional development. Without an understanding of how things get built in the field, and the practical limitations this imposes on design, it's hard to be a good designer.

I am currently midway through my sophomore year of civil engineering classes. I have been loking for an internship for the summer and have a couple of decent leads, but nothing is certain yet. If I don't secure an internship with an engineering firm, would experience in a summer construction job be helpful to me when I look for work after I graduate? (I already have a little unoffical construction experience - I remodeled my own house, built a two-story school building with my father, grew up on a farm with outbuildings in need of constant maintenance and modifications.)

Adam Price in Seattle, Washington said: I.... If I don't secure an internship with an engineering firm, would experience in a summer construction job be helpful to me when I look for work after I graduate? (I already have a little unoffical construction experience - I remodeled my own house, built a two-story school building with my father, grew up on a farm with outbuildings in need of constant maintenance and modifications.)

Yes, but derive maximum advantage from your summer construction work experience it should be as closely related to the field you plan to work in when you graduate. Example: You want to be a bridge designer, you go work as a laborer, or better yet a concrete technician, or office engineer on a bridge construction project. (office engineers, in spite of their titles are just non-degreeed bean counters who keep track of the material used on the job. This, by the way, is a fairly significant aspect of the construction of any large project), or you want to be a highway designer. You get a job for the summer with a survey crew laying out centelines and offsets for highway projects. You get the idea.

You already have a lot more construction experience than the average graduate I see. I once had one point to a crane on a construction site and ask me what that piece of equipment was.
If you like construction, and want to be in that field you'll find there are lots of opportunities.

But, and this is part of the reason for recommending the experience this summer, working with a bunch of contractors on a multimillion dollar project is not like working with your father to build a two story school building.

Contractors are businessmen and graduates of the college of hard knocks. They can be challenging to work with at times if you haven't interned for a little while there yourself. You summer experience should give you enough of an introduction to significantly advance your practical education.

I totally agree. Employers today want interns who have had exposure to some form of engineering. My managers would rather hire someone who has worked in a civil engineering role than hire someone with fast food or totally unrelated experience. It shows dedication to the field and the initiative to learn by doing. Hope that helps. Howie

DEAR ENGINEER,

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The Government of Abia State new leadership of Governor THEODORE AHAMEFULA
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If you are interested to handle this project, kindly forward some information about your company and your CV / RESUME skill for our contract as well, more information’s
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Best regards
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Hon Dr Osman Johnson in United Kingdom said: The Government of Abia State new leadership of Governor THEODORE AHAMEFULA
ORJI, is out with another exciting project in BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION on a river this is included in his 2008 budget raising a new BRIDGE in abia state giving the name as ABIA BRIDGE AUTHORITY meanwhile, Creating an opportunity
for Engineers which are interested in which my company as an Agent to Abia State Government was left with this opportunity to get professional engineers for the CONSTRUCTION of the BRIDGE on a river side here base on contract

If you are interested to handle this project, kindly forward some information about your company and your CV / RESUME skill for our contract as well, more information’s
Toll free to call ­+2348064334059
Best regards
Hon Dr Osman Johnson

PLEASE BEWARE OF THIS AD COMING OUT OF NIGERIA. DO NOT SEND/WIRE/TRANSFER ANY MONEY TO THE COUNTRY IN OTHER TO GET THE CONTRACT
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Greetings, Everyone!

I am a registered civil Engineer in Ethiopia. I have been working in a consulting company for the last two years as a Highway Engineer.

Fortunately, I was issued a visa that I am going to the United States of America in the first week of November. I will have a living and working permit when I get there.

Now I am looking forward to be a professionally registered Engineer in the States. I guess there will be an exam I must take to do so. I have a Bachelor Degree but I don't know how to apply for this exam. Can any body hep me, please?

im a civil engineer and i worked with a company as a structural engineer for buildings and villas and I got well with my work but after working there about 10 years i have stopped work for about 7 years and now i want to start new work at Doha,Qatar but just i need to make revision for my knowlege becouse i forgot everything so dont know how can I make a quickly revision

Please can someone help with the amount for the fees and also comong from outside if USA, do I need my course credit obtained from my university evaluated?

layem2001 in Houston, Texas said: Please can someone help with the amount for the fees and also comong from outside if USA, do I need my course credit obtained from my university evaluated?

If you are planning to take the FE, you will need to have your course work evaluated by one of the acceptable evaluating companies by the Texas board of professional engineers. You will get all the information from the Board's website. The procedure, fees and everything is out there. But the exam is conducted twice in a year, October and April. You are probably late for the October exam.

thanks for the response. how long do I need to take the exam?

By the way, you will need to get your documents evaluated only if you studied your undergrad somewhere overseas. As far as the time it takes to get ready for the exam, it depends on your situation. If you've been out of school for a while it may take a bit longer but if u just got out of college a month or so will be enough. All you have to do is buy a book published by NCEES and study it. Its pretty easy .. but it include biology, chemistry, physics and some other Discipline specific questions. You can find the details from the website below.

www.ncees.org/Exams/FE_exam.php

Good luck.

Hi, I am early fifty and a civil engineer with several years of foreign countries work experience in general civil engineering. What is the possibility of getting civil engineer job in US?

Hi, I'll be graduating from AUB (American University of Beirut) next summer. What will I have to do to be applicable to work in US as I used to live there but have been out of the country for about 5 years now? Also, is it true that if I work a few years outside the US (in the gulf) that I will be considered having zero experience when I apply for work (in the US)??? Thanks

how 2 get job in civil with higher salary

Kaam-Chaina in San Francisco, California said: Hi, I am early fifty and a civil engineer with several years of foreign countries work experience in general civil engineering. What is the possibility of getting civil engineer job in US?

Come to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
It's a beautiful city to live and work in! And we are looking for engineers.
Everyone here has a job so there are no unemployed people to hire from!!!
That's how good it is. Saskatchewan is rich in natural resources and we are experiencing growth.

Check out our web-site: www.marchconsulting.com
Check out our city at: www.tourismsaskatoon.com

contact me at: hr@marchconsulting.com

Hope to hear from any of you looking for work!

I like to undergo any comment for the civil engineering jobs

Am an engineer for many year nd i like to join one of this company. Am always good in jobs concernin campany

I am a civil engineer from Jimma university.I am graduated in 2007 GC.

hi i was doing n5 this year for my civil engineering studies, subjects quantity surveying, building and structural surveying, building and structural construction and building administration so i am looking for any company that could help me doing the practical work with because i am in a private institution so we dont do practical work so any company that feels free to work with a young talented engineer feel free email me at tmanmodiba@ovi.com. thank you! NOTE: i am free to work at any area or place.

Kaam-Chaina in San Francisco, California said: Hi, I am early fifty and a civil engineer with several years of foreign countries work experience in general civil engineering. What is the possibility of getting civil engineer job in US?

almost non-existant. local civil engineers are having a really hard time already.

Hi dear sir/madam
Hope you're doing well, would someone with 14 years experience in all ranges of civil engineering and is ready to grow for the long term with your company, be a positive asset to your organization. plz contact me at: mehdi_majmooeh@yahoo.com
Best Regards

I'm an American General Contractor/Project Manager based in Bali, Indonesia. I have experience with new construction and renovations (mostly residential and some commercial) and want to study Civil Engineering. My goal is to take the P.E. exam.

I already have a bachelors degree in Philosophy and school has always been easy for me, but I am dreading the 4 years required for the Civil Engineering degree as I'm already 36.

Is it possible to take achieve the title of Civil Engineer (either in the US or Australia) without the 4 year degree? If not, would a university allow me to fast-track my degree by taking only the engineering courses as I already have a bachelors in philosophy etc.?

Any insights anyone could offer would be greatly appreciated.

Lisa from March Consulting Assoc. in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan said: Come to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
It's a beautiful city to live and work in! And we are looking for engineers.
Everyone here has a job so there are no unemployed people to hire from!!!
That's how good it is. Saskatchewan is rich in natural resources and we are experiencing growth.

Check out our web-site: www.marchconsulting.com
Check out our city at: www.tourismsaskatoon.com

contact me at: hr @marchconsulting.com

Hope to hear from any of you looking for work!

Hi Lisa,

I am looking for work. I am a recent electrical engineering graduate from BC. I have sent my resume at your email. Looking forward to hear from you.

Spencer in Jakarta, Indonesia said: I'm an American General Contractor/Project Manager based in Bali, Indonesia. I have experience with new construction and renovations (mostly residential and some commercial) and want to study Civil Engineering . My goal is to take the P.E. exam.

I already have a bachelors degree in Philosophy and school has always been easy for me, but I am dreading the 4 years required for the Civil Engineering degree as I'm already 36.

Is it possible to take achieve the title of Civil Engineer (either in the US or Australia) without the 4 year degree? If not, would a university allow me to fast-track my degree by taking only the engineering courses as I already have a bachelors in philosophy etc.?

Any insights anyone could offer would be greatly appreciated.

If you do get a response to this question or learn the answer to this from a different source; please, let me know. I am interested in a career transition and while my career has been in different sectors; I believe my dream career would be in civil engineering. I have basically the SAME questions as you. Please let me know what you find out.