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Civil engineer
Civil engineers plan, design and manage building projects such as roads, bridges, railways, airports, sports stadia, power stations and much more.
Also known as:
- Building engineer
- Construction engineer
Work activities
Civil engineers plan, design and manage large building projects. These include roads, water and waste management systems, bridges, railways, airports and power stations. Civil engineers work in an office and on-site. Office duties include producing designs for projects, making detailed drawings for use on-site, calculating and checking specifications for projects, planning work and keeping records of progress, plant stock and finance. When a construction project is under way, civil engineers on-site are responsible for making sure that the work is being carried out according to the designs, plans and estimated timescale. Many safety regulations apply to the construction industry.
Personal qualities and skills
To do this job well, you’ll need:
- To be able to analyse and solve problems.
- The confidence to supervise others.
- To be a good teamworker.
- Strong organisational skills to cope with the many different stages of a construction project.
- An interest in buildings and how they are built.
- Maths skills.
- An interest in physics.
- Good IT skills and some experience of using computer aided design (CAD) software.
Pay and opportunities
Salaries vary depending on the company and level of responsibility. Civil engineers start on around £28,000, rising with experience to as much as £60,000.
Most civil engineers work around 40-42 hours, Monday to Friday. However, you may have early starts and late finishes, and you may need to work some weekends, especially as deadlines approach.
Employers are firms of engineering consultants, building and civil engineering contractors, local authorities, and gas, water and electricity companies. Other employers include the Civil Service, manufacturing industry and the armed forces. Opportunities for civil engineers occur with employers in towns and cities throughout the UK. Opportunities occur for civil engineers to work on projects in other countries, in Europe and the rest of the world.
Self-employment opportunities occur for civil engineers to work independently, as consultants.
Where are vacancies advertised?
Vacancies are advertised on all the major job boards, and on the Government’s Find a Job service.
Entry routes and training
You need an accredited Master of Engineering (MEng) degree or Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) honours degree in civil engineering to become a chartered engineer. You could do a foundation degree, HNC or HND in civil engineering before moving on to a full degree course. The qualifications above may allow you entry to this career, but you will need to take further approved training to become fully qualified. The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) can provide lists of accredited courses.
A level 6 degree apprenticeship is a new entry route into this career path. This is based around on-the-job training, although you will also work towards a degree to support your work. Your degree will be paid for by your employer.
After getting your degree, you will need to undertake further study to achieve chartership.
Experienced civil engineers can progress to chief engineer positions. Some civil engineers become self-employed.
Qualifications
To enter a degree course in civil engineering, you will usually need:
- Two to three A-levels, including maths and/or physics.
- GCSEs at grades 9-4 in your A-level subjects.
- A further two to three GCSEs at grades 9-4, including English, maths and a science subject.
Other qualifications are often acceptable as alternatives to A-levels, for example:
- Edexcel (BTEC) level 3 National qualifications.
- International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma.
To enter a degree apprenticeship programme, you will need two relevant A-levels plus GCSEs in English and maths.
Adult opportunities
Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.
People without relevant qualifications or skills gained in the construction industry or as an engineering technician, will find it difficult to gain employment. Applicants at engineering technician level have a good chance of advancement.
If you don’t have the qualifications needed to enter your chosen degree or HND course, a college or university Access course (e.g. Access to Engineering) could be the way in. These courses are designed for people who have not followed the usual routes into higher education. No formal qualifications are usually needed, but you should check this with individual colleges.
People without the usual academic qualifications may be able to achieve membership of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE); see the ICE website for guidance on entry requirements. Numerous institutions offer relevant postgraduate courses via distance learning.
