When we think of famous civil engineers from the past, we think of Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Joseph Bazalgette, the great engineer of the Victorian age who saved London from cholera by constructing new sewers.
Nowadays, we associate civil engineering with the world's most jaw-dropping structures, such as Sydney Opera House, the Shard and China's Jiaozhou Bay bridge.
But civil engineering is also about maintaining and adapting the infrastructure that we depend on every day – our roads, railways and bridges; energy and water supply; waste networks and flood defences. Civil engineers have to keep this infrastructure running effectively and adapt it to meet challenges, such as population growth, climate change and natural disasters.
They must also find ways to deliver the infrastructure needed when there's little money in the pot to pay for it. Put simply, civil engineers have to come up with solutions to complex problems and implement them; they literally shape the world we live in.
There are many different specialisms within civil engineering, including environmental, structural, municipal, transport and geotechnical.
There are two types of civil engineering roles within the various specialisms: consultants who focus on design work and generally spend more time in the office or working with clients, and contractors who are more involved with keeping an eye on the physical construction and are usually based on-site. Both challenging environments, and all civil engineers are required to be innovative and logical individuals. Other essential attributes civil engineers need include: creativity, versatility, a problem-solving mind, and the ability to understand the bigger picture and to collaborate with a number of other professionals.
Enjoying and understanding maths and science at GCSE level is a great way to get you on the right path to becoming a civil engineer. After GCSEs there are several paths; the most common is to study for A-levels (or Scottish highers), with maths and physics as the core subjects. The third and/or fourth A-level is more flexible, with typical choices being further maths, design technology, chemistry, geography or a modern foreign language. The next stage would be applying to university to get onto an accredited civil engineering course, which is recognised by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE).
After university, most graduates join a graduate programme – at a small or large firm – and work their way up the ladder. The application process varies from company to company, but it generally pays to apply early. Many courses offer the opportunity to spend a year in industry, and this may lead to the offer of a graduate role. If not, it's possible to find a summer placement or a work-shadowing opportunity.
Some students decide to follow vocational courses after GCSEs. BTec qualifications in civil engineering are a tried and tested route to becoming a civil engineer, and can be taken either as part of an apprenticeship scheme or as a full-time college course. From BTec level 3, you can progress to a higher national diploma, a foundation degree in civil engineering or a university degree.
Students interested in an apprenticeship can train as a civil engineering technician; usually on an advanced technical apprenticeship. From here, there's also progression to a level 5 higher apprenticeship and then a degree.
After gaining a qualification, the next step is to become professionally qualified as a chartered engineer (CEng), incorporated engineer (IEng) or engineering technician (EngTech). This will involve a period working in the industry to build experience, followed by a professional review.
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