Career prospects are good for civil engineers and civil engineering technicians, with job opportunities set to grow between now and 2022. Find out more about this fascinating job and how to get into it.

Civil engineering technicians

Civil engineering technicians work across a range of projects, including structural projects like bridges, buildings and pipelines; transportation projects, such as roads, railways and tunnels; environmental projects including irrigation and water supply, and maritime projects such as ports and harbours.

As well as providing support for civil engineers, the role of a civil engineering technician includes assisting in surveys, organising materials and soil lab analysis, inspecting and reporting and getting involved with the design and planning documentation process, including CAD design.

Work as a civil engineering technician can be interesting and varied and involves liaising with lots of different people, such as the quantity surveyor, your client, your foreperson and groups of construction operatives which means having appropriate work skills like being able to work in a team and communicate effectively at all levels is really important.

What skills and qualifications do you need?

If you are under 16 and thinking about GCSE options, it goes without saying that you will be studying maths and science, but for careers in civil engineering, it would be a good idea to study for triple or at least double award science. If you think that you might like to find engineering jobs abroad, then you could also consider studying a language and if your school offers Design Technology GCSE you could opt to take this too.

Post-16, options for those wanting to go into civil engineering include A-levels and maths and physics are important. Alternatively, there is an extended diploma in Construction and the Built Environment, which is a Level 3, full time vocational course. Alternatively, you could investigate doing a Construction Civil Engineering apprenticeship where you will gain nationally recognised qualifications whilst working. An apprenticeship of this kind is likely to last for three years.

To get into civil engineering, in addition to maths and science skills, you’ll have to be able to understand and produce technical drawings and be familiar with software such as CAD or Civil 3D and attention to detail, creativity and problem-solving skills are also very important.

Civil engineering technicians use their maths and science skills to help civil engineers to find engineering-specific solutions to problems which need to be overcome in an engineering or structural project. In an engineering career you’ll be dealing with issues such as minimising noise levels, reducing environmental pollution, sustainability and energy efficiency also have to be taken into consideration, as do the structural demands which need to be met where the environment dictates, such as building in unstable earthquake zones.