Deep Dive: Civil Engineering
Civil engineers typically work on projects relating to construction and infrastructure, often in team settings as depicted in the image above. from the Florida Institute of Technology.
Civil engineering is essential to modern infrastructure, with its use of engineering principles for societal problems. In this career insight article, we’ll dive deep into the full educational pathway of career engineering, potential career opportunities, and how we at FInE support you on this journey.
When it comes to education, civil engineering is fairly broad, covering engineering topics, math, and natural science in order to cover both theoretical and practical topics. Based on degree requirements at UT Austin and Texas A&M, for mathematics, students must take calculus I, II, multivariable calculus, linear algebra, and differential equations. The natural sciences required are general chemistry and physics, both mechanics and electricity & magnetism. The engineering core classes are statics, dynamics, material mechanics, fluid mechanics, and geotechnical engineering. Finally, when it comes to design, some classes may be structural analysis, transportation engineering, environmental engineering, and capstone design.
Next, career prospects. This degree confers a lot of valuable, transferable skills so it makes many careers accessible. The careers present are structural engineers, who ensure safety and stability in buildings, bridges, and construction; transportation engineers, who plan and develop transportation systems; geotechnical engineers, who study the behavior of earth materials; environmental engineers, who work on projects like water treatment facilities and pollution control to improve environmental quality, and construction managers, who of course oversee construction projects. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for civil engineers is projected to grow by 6% from 2023 to 2033, which makes it a great field to get a career as there are going to be many opportunities.
Considering the diverse prospects yet difficulty of this major and career paths, it’s important to have assistance along the way, and we at FInE are here to help. Through our civil engineering event, competitors get to work either by themselves or in groups creating a project addressing the year’s task, allowing members to gain field experience and teamwork skills while having an activity that looks fantastic on resumes. If projects and presentations aren’t appealing, FInE offers multiple tests that work well with this major, including our math tests (Precalculus, Calculus I and II), chemistry, physics, and environmental science. To develop soft skills, FInE offers the argumentative essay and preparing speaking. FInE-ally, for stronger career experience, competitors can do the career display event to learn more about the career, the CADThinkers design challenge to develop design skills, or the research poster to get recognized for research work–even if it wasn’t done in a lab setting. To start a FInE chapter at your secondary institution, go to the home page and click on the button saying “Start a FInE Chapter” to create a chapter at your school and join the organization, as the more people that join, the more significant these opportunities become. Our talented executive team will connect directly to chapter leaders, thus reducing workload for chapter leaders and helping those who need membership attain it easily.
Bibliography
Civil Engineers: Occupational Outlook Handbook." U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/civil-engineers.htm.
"Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering." The University of Texas at Austin, https://catalog.utexas.edu/undergraduate/engineering/degrees-and-programs/bs-civil-engineering/.
"BS, General Civil Engineering Track." Texas A&M University Catalogs, https://catalog.tamu.edu/undergraduate/engineering/civil-environmental/bs-general-civil-engineering-track/.
"Career Paths." American Society of Civil Engineers, https://www.asce.org/career-growth/career-paths.
"What Can I Do with a Civil Engineering Degree?" Prospects.ac.uk, https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/what-can-i-do-with-my-degree/civil-engineering.
“7 Reasons to Pursue a Civil Engineering Degree.” Florida Institute of Technology, https://news.fit.edu/academics-research/7-reasons-civil-engineering-degree/
