Introduction
Different careers have different requirements or levels of experiences that a prospective candidate has to fulfill. Even the simplest jobs require one to have the necessary experience. For example, washing cars might seem like a very simple job but not everybody can do it. A certain level of experience is required before one becomes competent. The field of engineering is very wide, with such individual disciplines as Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electric Engineering, and Mechanical engineering, among others. In addition, each of the disciplines has its unique requirements such as the type of degree to pursue, experience, and skills. In addition, each of these individual disciplines is defined differently. For example, according to the article, “Outlook For Top 6 Engineering Careers” that has been authored by Black Collegian, a Civil Engineer is involved in designing and supervising “the construction of roads, buildings, airports, tunnels, dams, bridges, and water supply and sewage systems”(1). In order to become a professional in supervising those structures, civil Engineers require the right kind of education, skills, and experiences.
Requirements and Education
To qualify as a Civil Engineer, one must possess at least a degree in Civil engineering. In an article titled, “Civil Engineer” written by Nankin, Jesse explains that in Civil Engineering, “A bachelor’s degree in engineering is usually the minimum requirement to gain the necessary mathematics and science background”(2). The position of a Civil Engineer requires a minimum of a degree in engineering since it is not a simple job that everyone can do. Also, any mistake made by a Civil Engineer could lead to the loss of human lives, such as in the case of a collapsed building due to negligence. Therefore, a Civil Engineer should be well qualified and competent he/she would be held responsible for any accident that might occur due to negligence.
At the California State University, it takes a minimum of four years to complete a degree in Civil Engineering. However, this could be extended to six years. In addition, the university requires a Civil Engineering student to undertake126 units, including mathematics and science classes. Although a degree in Civil Engineer is enough to enable a Civil Engineer find a job, some of the big companies also require certification or license to work as a Civil Engineer. In an interview with Engineer Mohammed Alkhudher, a Civil Engineer based in Kuwait, it emerged that the above requirements for a Civil Engineer are also applicable in Kuwait. He also added the cultural view of “Instrumentality” as another requirement. He defined “Instrumentality” as “To ask for help and assistance in the completion of something from an influential person in his decision to help achieve the desired person.”
Experiences
There are many ways to gain experience in the field of engineering, but the most popular ones are either in college or in the workplace. A good advice for engineering students would be to have a plan before graduating from engineering school so that you are well connected by the time you leave college. For example, one can join the engineering club or association at the university in order to benefit from the network of fellow engineering students. However, the best way to gain experience is by interviewing professors. The other way to gain experience after college is to work as an intern or assistant to a Civil Engineer in order to get first-hand experience. There is a big difference between theory and practice when it comes to the field of Civil Engineering. At the university, the professor teaches the theoretical aspect of civil engineering but in the field, students get to learn how to lead workers give instructions, and the steps to use in order to ensure that the structures that have been put in place are followed. This safeguards the safety and security of workers. In addition, attending seminars, practical and theoretical training courses can give you additional experience and knowledge. Furthermore, most big companies require the engineer to have at least one or two years of experience.
Demand
The demand for Civil Engineers is really high, and more so in countries with a robust economy. Based on my interview with engineer Mohammed Alkhudher, it emerged that “Dubai is one of the high demand cities in the world on civil engineers, because Dubai nowadays is well known for its development.” In addition, the demand for Civil Engineers depends on years of experience in the field.
Responsibilities and Obligations
In every job, one has to be responsible for his/her work. Although different jobs have different responsibilities, to be successful at your job, you have to be careful and apprehensive. In the field of Civil Engineering, the range of responsibilities is much more advanced because while projects are under construction, Civil Engineers are responsible for workers’ safety and health. In addition, they are also responsible for any work that collapses on people and this is the worst situation that can ever happen to a Civil Engineer. The German Martínez wrote an Article titled, “Obligations And Responsibilities Of Civil Engineers For The Prevention Of Labor Risks: References To European Regulations” in which he has discussed the most important responsibilities and obligations that all Civil Engineers should be aware of and has listed them as, “
- Considerations during the project preparation stage.
- Considerations during the project execution stage.
- Responsibilities of clients and project supervisors.
- Obligations of contractors and subcontractors” (71, 72).
Furthermore, these responsibilities are very important to any Civil Engineer and if he/she does not take them into account, he/she is likely to expose him/herself to the question of legality, and the Civil Engineer is likely to be faced with severe penalties for negligence. For example, the court may slap a heavy fine on the company that employs the faulty engineer in case the damage was significant and has had an impact on human lives.
Salary
The salaries of engineers are depended on the type of engineering and the specific field. For example, engineers working with the government earn less that their fellow engineers in the private sector. Furthermore, salaries can be increased by working overtime while taking a few days off will result in a decrease in your earnings. The salary of any type of engineer ranges between 35,000 to 120,000 dollars per year. As an example, Landers, Jay wrote an article titled, “Civil Engineering Degree Confers Median Earnings Of $78,000, Report Says.” In which he reports that “As a group, engineering majors in general had the highest concentration of men, 84 percent, the same percent- age as in the narrower category of civil engineering. Within all groups, median earnings differed significantly according to gender, the report found. For example, female median earnings within the engineering group were $62,000, nearly 22 percent less than the male median earnings of $79,000” (26). In addition, the following graph illustrates the exact difference between different majors.
Benefits
Most companies treat the various disciplines in the field of engineering the same. The only benefit that differs from one engineer to another is the salary because some of the rare engineering disciplines require high salaries to attract the attention of Engineer who have specialized in the discipline. For instance, an online advertisement by Houston Engineers company expressed the benefits that can be given to an engineer in their company thus: “A summary of compensation and benefits offered to full-time employees of Houston Engineering* Pension – Profit Sharing * 401 K Safe Harbor * Performance Bonus * Medical Insurance * Dental Insurance * Vision Insurance * Flexible Benefits Plan * Life Insurance * Short-Term Disability * Long-Term Disability * Professional and Technical Societies * Paid Holidays”. Furthermore, those benefits can apply to all engineers, but I think that those engineers who have higher degree like an Msc or PhD will undoubtedly get more benefits and features than any other engineer. In addition, “Outlook For Top 6 Engineering Careers: 2004-2012” explains that the differences in salaries between the degrees “Salary — $37,430 to $55,740 to $86,000+; entry-level offers in 2003 for BS — $49,794; MS — $47,245; Ph.D. — $69,079” (Black Collegian 70).
Drawbacks
Different occupations have different advantages and disadvantages. The more risky a job is the more advantages and benefits. The job of a Civil Engineer has both advantages and disadvantages, although there are more advantages than disadvantages. Nevertheless, Civil Engineers are still faced with various forms of risks as they go about their work. In other worlds, although the job of a Civil Engineer is more fulfilling and has many benefits, there are a few disadvantages that could prove risky to the professional. One of the drawbacks of the job of a Civil Engineer is that it can either be an indoor site or outdoor site kind of job. It could also be a high point site or a water site kind of job. Each of these sites could hinder the work of a Civil Engineer. Another drawback to the job of a Civil Engineer is the weather. It is important to note that weather changes can affect the work of a Civil Engineer adversely.
Moreover, there is no room for mistakes in Civil Engineering as this would put the lives of thousands of innocent people at risk. If this happens, a Civil Engineer would have to be answerable for negligence. In some other professionals, if any mistake occurs, it can be fixed, but in Civil Engineering, in case a mistake occurs while building a structure such as a bridge, the Civil Engineer would have to rebuild the bridge; otherwise, the mistake committed could lead to the collapse of such a structure. These drawbacks can easily be eliminated if an engineer focuses on his project and puts in enough time to supervisor the project.
Conclusion
In short, all the different types of engineering are useful, but I especially chose Civil Engineering because I find it intriguing. In addition, Civil Engineering would be of interest to me because most of the work would be done outdoors. Moreover, as I explained above, the job of a Civil Engineer has many benefits and features. Also, working as a Civil Engineer will help me to gain leadership skills, improve and develop my experience in the field of Civil Engineering.