Occupational Outlook for Civil Engineers

There are a number of technical specialties within the realm of Civil Engineering, these include:

Structural engineering – creating the structural elements of design, whether for bridges, or skyscrapers. Probably the oldest single specialty in civil engineering, going all the way back to Pharaoh’s pyramids.

Geotechnical engineering – concerned with the rock and soil which supports the structures that other civil engineers design.

Environmental engineering – designing systems for the treatment of chemical, biological and thermal wastes.

Materials engineering – these are the experts on the various materials which other civil engineers use for their projects.

Water resource engineering – concerned with the collection and management of water. Some of the earliest known civil engineers were the Roman engineers who created the aqueducts.

Earthquake engineering – a specialty dealing with creating buildings and other structures which can withstand the stresses of earthquakes without falling.

Coastal engineering – managing the coastal areas of our country, including marshlands. Coastal engineers create defenses against flooding and erosion.

Engineering knowledge has increased through the years to where each of these specialties needs its own training. Although all of these are considered part of civil engineering, each of these specialties is its own vast area of knowledge, requiring dedicated, talented individuals who want to learn and grow.

Being a civil engineering is satisfying, yet challenging work. It requires mixing creativity and science; something that not everyone can do. Yet, for those who can, it provides incredible satisfaction, as they see the results of their labors.