Civil engineers turn complex ideas into reality. They help make some of the most innovative structures in the UK and abroad.

What do they do?

Civil engineers are involved in the design and construction of bridges, tunnels, roads, railway, dams, pipelines and major buildings. The infrastructure for transport, energy, industry and commerce is the result of civil engineering. Our society would not function without civil engineering products.

Civil engineers are usually found in one of the following organisations:

• Contractors - who traditionally manage the construction work on site, develop and design construction processes and techniques and supervise a professional team
• Consultants - who are concerned with the design and planning of projects and their effect on the environment
• Public service organisation and utilities - who investigate the need for roads, bridges, tunnels, etc and then maintain and manage the structures once they are there.

'THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR TRANSPORT, ENERGY, INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE IS THE RESULT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING'

As new ways of working evolve, the lines between these types of organisation are blurring. For example, all three types of organisation might pool their expertise to raise the money to design, build and maintain a really large project.

Generally speaking, civil engineers do different work from structural engineers who are involved primarily in the design of structures - that is, the shape and form of buildings, oil rigs, power stations, ports, airport. For this reason structural engineers work less on transport projects like roads and pipelines.

There are three kinds of civil engineer:

• Engineering technician, who has basic knowledge of engineering principles and vital technical skills.
• Incorporated engineer, who uses technical knowledge and good management skills to lead project teams
• Chartered engineer, who is an innovator at the forefront of design solutions.

Civil engineering: highways
Highways civil engineering is concerned with improving, designing and maintaining roads of all sizes (from motorways to B-roads), in all sorts of location. Work can include:

• Planning and supervising a wide range of projects
• Presenting detailed designs
• Taking into account the effect on the environment
• Communicating and negotiating with clients and other professionals
• Ensuring safety and efficiency of existing road networks
• Preparing contract documentation
• Site supervision.

Currently there is a high demand for highways engineers.

Civil engineering: transport
Chartered engineers specialising in the transport sector focus on the design, construction and maintenance of structures, supporting transport networks, such as bridges, tunnels and railway tracks. Their responsibilities include:

• Using specialist knowledge of the ground or soil conditions to design tunnels, bridges, etc
• Planning how to improve passenger comfort
• Providing a transport system which will be safe, efficient and good value for money
• Finding new solutions to transport problems
• Overseeing the laying and alignment of railway tracks
• Analysing the effects on the environment
• Liaising with clients and other construction professionals.
  There is also a high demand for transport engineers.

Civil engineering: water and marine
This area of civil engineering encompasses all kinds of coastline developments including jetties, piers, harbour work, docks and flood protection, plus any other structures used for carrying, storing or distributing water and wastewater. The work can include:

• Co-ordinating a large team of engineers
• Designing engineering solutions which work and which meet the client's budget
• Using sophisticated equipment to carry out complex work on the water
• Doing detailed calculations to make sure that everything goes exactly where it should
• Carrying out safety inspections on site
• Sorting environmental issues
• Consulting closely with other organisations and professionals - even divers!

What are they good at?

Civil engineers need a good grasp of mathematics and design, and the ability to manage and liaise with a wide variety of people. They need to be able to think in 3D and communicate ideas effectively. This kind of engineering is suited to people who are practical with a creative streak.

How do I get there?

There are so many different aspects to civil and structural engineering that courses at different levels will cover a wide range of subjects and develop many important skills. If you are fascinated by structures and how they are built, then a course or degree in civil engineering is for you.

Age 16+

Although you won't have studied civil engineering in school, you will have studied some relevant subjects like maths, design & technology, IT and physics. Geography, geology and economics might also come in handy. You can apply Knowledge of these subjects to new ones you will learn about in a HND, such as:

• Materials
• Measurement
• Structural mechanics
• Civil engineering construction
• Civil engineering administration
• Investigation and inspection
• Environment science
• Soils and water
• Surveying
• Highway design.

Most courses are very practical and offer the opportunity to try out academic theories on field trips. You'll be amazed at how quickly you apply the theory of civil engineering and structures to real-life examples.

'COURSES AT DIFFERENT LEVELS WILL COVER A WIDE RANGE OF SUBJECTS…'

Age 18+

In the first year of a degree you will probably cover the core subjects of structural, geotechnical and fluid engineering. The main elements will include:

• Theory of structures
• Structural mechanics
• Structural design
• Soil mechanics
• Geology
• Construction management
• Computer methods
• Field studies

In your later years you will broaden and deepen your knowledge in these areas and have the option of specialising in others, such as:

• Highway construction and maintenance
• Traffic and transportation
• Structural engineering
• Environmental issues
• Costal engineering.

Because of the number of people now entering higher education, Engineering Council regulations have recently changed to help universities provide engineering courses of different types and levels to suit people with a wide range of abilities and ambitions. Entry qualifications for courses are strict and choosing an accredited course is very important if you want to take the most direct route to professional qualifications. There are now three specific pathways students can take to become a civil of structural engineer:

• Becoming a chartered engineer, by taking an accredited four-year MEng degree and completing carefully controlled training in the workplace
• Become an incorporated engineer, through an accredited IEng degree (many new ones are being developed) or an accredited HND/HNC course plus a further year's learning, also called a matching section
• Becoming an engineering technician, through an advance GNVQ, NC or ND course.

Remember that academic study is just the start of the process towards professional qualifications.

To find our more about routes to qualification and what they mean for you, try to get hold of some university prospectuses or contact relevant professional organisations such as the Institution of Civil Engineers.

Why Civil Engineering?