What Can You Do with Civil Engineering Degree: Career & Scope?

What is Civil Engineering All about?

Civil Engineering is that branch of engineering which is responsible for the planning, designing, construction, maintenance, and supervision of modern-day essential infrastructures. These include bridges, highways, schools, hospitals, airports, sewage systems, water treatment facilities, etc. Civil Engineering also focuses on improving the existing infrastructure and protecting environmental and public health.

Civil Engineering is the oldest engineering field. It is also reckoned as the broadest since it houses several disciplines.

The importance of Civil Engineering is immense. The obvious benefits are the built environment and the modern-day existing infrastructure. Civil Engineering goes beyond the obvious, it touches us in all aspects of our lives. Civil Engineering goes beyond just designing of buildings and building bridges.

It is present in almost every industry, right from aerospace to automotive to power industry, to the shipbuilding industry and many more.  Civil Engineering is an important field since the foundation of our modern society is designed, built, and maintained by Civil Engineers.

After you have finished reading this blog you will be well equipped to understand what the field of Civil Engineering entails for an aspiring candidate. You will be able to take an informed decision based on whether it is a good career and the various jobs that are available after acquiring a Civil Engineering degree.

You will also have adequate information on the duties and skills of a Civil Engineer with a brief introduction of the various career opportunities available along with the indicative salary packages.

Is Civil Engineering a Good Career?

Civil Engineering is a very important field and its functions touch every aspect of modern-day living, hence it is a very good career that offers numerous job opportunities. Some of the key reasons why this career is good is because –

  • It offers a varied scope. It covers diverse job roles, skills and sectors. It also involves the enrichment of dealing with a cross section of people.
  • It is a creative career.  A Civil Engineer designs infrastructure and has to think out of the box. They have to come up with innovative solutions to meet challenges. They have to maintain the existing infrastructure as well as come up with creative designs for the future infrastructure.
  • It is more of a field job and team effort. It needs great team coordination and collaboration. The excitement of dealing and working with people is inherent in this profession.
  • It offers you a chance to seek employment overseas too.
  • This career gives an immense satisfaction since you can impact the lives of people in many ways. You can make a difference to their daily living by ensuring the functionality of the essential infrastructure and even working towards enhancing their lifestyle. It even impacts the lifestyles of the future generations since structures built today last for many years to come.

What Kind of Jobs Can You Get With A Civil Engineering Degree?

A Civil Engineering degree can get you the following job opportunities –
  • CAD technician
  • Building control surveyor
  • Consulting Civil Engineer
  • Structural Engineer
  • Design Engineer
  • Site Engineer
The Civil Engineering degree is also useful in other fields and some of the job roles are –
  • Construction manager
  • Fire risk assessor
  • Urban designer
  • Patent attorney
  • Geotechnical engineer
  • Building services engineer
  • Engineering geologist
  • Quantity surveyor
  • Sustainability consultant
Civil Engineering jobs are available both in the Private and Public/ Government sector. You can find employment in
  • Municipal Public Works Departments
  • Jal Boards
  • Metro Rail
  • National Hydro-electric Power Corporation
  • National Thermal Power Corporation,
  • Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited,
  • Defence Research and Development Organisation,
  • RITES, DRDO,
  • National Highway Authority of India
  • Indian Oil Corporation
  • Federal government agencies.
  • Central Public Works Department
  • Border Roads Organization
  • Pollution Control Boards,
  • Building and Construction department of organizations
  • Military Engineering Services
  • Airport Authority of India,
  • Indian Air Force, Railways
  • Irrigation & Flood control department
  • Public Health Engineering department and many more.

The Civil Engineering jobs in the Government sector have a steady income with perks and come with comparatively greater job stability and job security.   The benefits for Civil Engineers are almost at par with Civil Servants and IAS officers. The starting salary could be anywhere between 45000-50,000 INR per month.

In the private sector, you can seek employment in local firms and even Fortune 500 companies, globally. The salaries here depend on the type of company and job role. A starting salary could be 3.5 lacs per annum and above.

After gaining adequate experience you can even branch off as an entrepreneur and start your own consulting agency.

What are the duties of a Civil Engineer?

A Civil Engineer executes the following duties:

  • Analyzing long term plans, survey reports and data related to the planning and designing of projects.
  • Considering the construction costs, complying with government regulations, evaluating environmental hazards while the project is being planned and risks being analyzed.
  • Compiling and submitting permit applications to the various agencies. Responsible for verifying project compliances.
  • Analyzing the results of soil testing and certifying the strength of foundations.
  • Analyzing the efficacy of building materials such as wood, steel, asphalt concrete for use in projects.
  • Preparing cost estimates for the various materials used in projects to ascertain its’ economic feasibility
  • Using design software as per the government and industry standards.
  • Surveying operations for building locations, elevations, site layouts etc.
  • Managing the maintenance and repair and replacement of private and public infrastructure.
  • Presenting findings on bid proposals, property descriptions, statements on environmental impact etc. to the public.
  •  They also hold administrative or supervisory positions.
  • Some Civil Engineers are a part of research, design, teaching and construction.
  • Civil Engineers also work on complex projects depending on their specialization.  Whether they are Construction, Geotechnical, Structural, or Transporational Engineers.

What are the important skills for Civil Engineers?

 Civil Engineers interact with a lot of people, so they need a combination of technical skills and soft skills. The key skills needed are –

  • Team player skills.
  • Excellent communication (both written and verbal.)
  • Leadership, negotiating and supervisory skills.
  • Good scientific, mathematical, IT and scientific skills.
  • Methodical thinking and ability to manage projects.
  • Problem solving skills.
  • Adhering to timelines and managing budgets.
  • Maintaining an overview of projects and attending to minute details and technicalities.
  • A thorough knowledge of the applicable legislation.

What are the career & job Opportunities After Civil Engineering Degree?

Civil Engineers have bright career prospects in India and other developing countries. The number of ongoing and new Government or Private projects guarantees their requirement and employment. The salaries offered are also good and competitive. Some of the key positions in this field are –

  • Structure Analyst
  • Construction Manager
  • Infrastructural Consultant
  • Structure Designer
  • CAD Designer
  • Construction Engineer

The salary packages depending on the companies, the candidates’ designations, experience etc vary. Salary of a civil engineer can range from Rs. 3.5 lakhs per annum to Rs. 20 lakh per annum.

A few job profiles along with their responsibilities and indicative salaries are mentioned below-

  • Building control surveyor-

They are also referred to as Building Control Officers or BCOs, approved inspectors or building inspectors. Their job is to ensure that new buildings, installations, extensions and alterations are in accordance with the regulatory standards of design, sustainability, safety and accessibility.

  • CAD technician

The CAD or Computer-Aided Design technicians are responsible for creating electronic design plans for machinery and buildings with the help of computer software. CAD Technicians have to interact and work with professional draftsmen and building architects to convert technical drawings and blueprints into computer models that are 2D and 3D.

  • Consulting civil engineer

They assist the clients by helping them select contractors and purchase materials. They obtain receipts and competitive quotes form material suppliers then based on competitive pricing and negotiations they finalize the procurement.

  • Contracting civil engineer

They are responsible for designing and supervising the construction of important public works comprising airports, bridges, dams, highways, buildings, and others. They can be employed in either private industry or government organizations and compete for government contracts.

  • Design engineer

They are in charge of studying, researching and developing ideas for new systems and products. The existing products are looked into and modified by them. This helps increase their performance and efficiency. They use CAD or computer-aided design or CAE or computer-assisted design software in order to create the prototypes.

  • Estimator

There are several names they are known by. They are cost planners who collect and assess the costs, labor needed, resources in the production of a product. Their duties include performing research, gathering quotations, preparing reports, and monitoring forecast plans.

They conduct research, gather quotations, prepare reports and look into and supervise the forecast plans.

  • Site engineer

They are responsible for managing different aspects of the construction project, lay down timelines, look after the hygiene, health and safety standards, compiling reports for various stakeholders, looking after the quality assurance etc.

  • Structural engineer

This branch of Civil Engineering is a very broad field and deals with the designing of structures such as tunnels, bridges, buildings, etc. Structural Engineers mostly work as consultants to architects or to design-build contractors.

  • Water engineer

Water engineers are responsible for the supply, management and maintenance of clean water and sewerage/waste water services and they also help in preventing flood damage. Good knowledge of the water industry and various environmental rules are important and Water Engineers must keep that in mind.

Conclusion:

Do you wish to combine creativity and magnificence in the career you pursue? Are you filled with awe whenever you look at a tall structure, or whenever you commute in a metro?   Do you marvel at the manmade creations in the modern world today?

If the answer is a vehement yes to all the above, then Civil Engineering is the field for you! 

If you are keen to pursue a career in Civil Engineering, then secure your stamp of educational excellence with – MIT ADT University!

MITSOE – MIT School of Engineering, one of the top engineering colleges in Pune, India has successfully been transforming the Civil Engineering course entrants into corporate leaders. With an excellent track record, it offers the best in terms of academic excellence, infrastructure, and placements.

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