Running Head: Building Blocks: Civil Engineering as a Career

Building Blocks: Civil Engineering as a Career

Oscar Rivas
Eng 2100
December 7, 2016

Building Blocks: Civil Engineering as a Career 2

Abstract

The career of a civil engineer is a career that holds many different characteristics
that are vital in the success of everyday tasks. Team work and proper training are
crucial. Civil engineering has the ability to carry time through generations.
Meaning, humans have built buildings, bridges, and have acquired certain
techniques that have made building this a lot more effective and shows how far
weve come as humans.
Keywords: Civil Engineering, Progress, Techniques

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Table of Contents

Title Page..1

Abstract.2

Table of Contents..3

Introduction4

Methodology.5

Results...5-6

Discussion of Results6-8

Conclusions and Recommendations.8-9

References10

Introduction
Throughout human history people have always longed for a way to
construct monuments that were visible from many miles away and a way to show
art in a different manner. Instead of a drawing or painting. In the modern day we
still long for the construction of monuments and buildings. Civil engineering is
the construction of roads, dams, building, parks and also making sure soil in an
area is strong enough to withhold the weight of a certain building being built.
Civil engineering is a very interesting job but like most careers it all
comes with a price. These kinds of engineers have to achieve a certain level of
education in mathematics. After their training they come in to their career
working in a stressful environment due to constant pressure but all of this pressure
comes with its own benefits. With all of this pressure comes pleasure in building
something and making the transition from an idea to a reality.

Methodology
In order to write this research paper I had to do research in the field that I
chose. The first thing I did in this process was to google civil engineering and
what the career demands. After searching the web I found the most creditable
sources by filtering the results that were given to me.
Another creditable source to me was David Mitchell, who was the
individual I chose to interview, Mitchell provided me with information that I
researched to see if other civil engineers would have similarities in their career.

Results
David Mitchell, a civil engineer in Washington D.C. explained what it is
like to be a civil engineer and what the process is like and also what it is like day
to day. He stated that in order to become a civil engineer you need to be a team
player. This is due to working with architects, lawyers, and other engineers. Also
explaining the stress level he has to endure. This stress comes from different areas
of his career which involve dealing with clients and having to move projects
around in order to meet their deadlines. Clients can get demanding in wanting
their project to become a reality but it is not just their project a civil engineer has
to deal with which is only part of a collection of projects that need to be done.
He also explained what it needed to become a civil engineer in the first
place. To be become a civil engineer it is required to take different courses in
mathematics which can be difficult. Also knowing what you want out of your
schooling. What I mean by that is that you have to understand what your strengths
are as well as what it is that you are interested in. There are different branches

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within civil engineering; there is structural engineering, water resources,
Geotechnical, environmental, transportation, and also land development. So it is
needed to understand which of these branches it is you want to get in to.
To get a better understanding of what Mitchell was talking about I
researched what others had to say about the career path that was chosen. On
asce.org a website specifically designed for a community of civil engineers or for
those who aspire to be a civil engineer it shows the different branches of civil
engineering that can be pursued proving what Mitchell stated as he said that there
are different branches to civil engineering.

Discussion of Results
In order to get to this level as a civil engineer, you first have to go through
training and achieve a certain level of education. Reaching this level of education
and at least getting your bachelors degree can be difficult because in mathematics
alone it is very difficult. You will need to be proficient in Calculus, Algebra, and
in Mathematical Statistics. Also have to be proficient it computer-aided design or
AutoCAD which is a program that designs certain layouts which can be made into
blueprints to design a project. In the modern day we are constantly making
technological improvements, with that being said the way of planning out a
project and drawing blueprints for that project is coming to end. The need for the
education in AutoCAD has become very important to the modern day civil
engineer making things easier to coordinate different projects and actually seeing
their blueprints in a three dimensional form. This allows an engineer to see an
exact replica of roads, buildings, bridges, and dams.

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Working with AutoCAD is skill that is key for a civil engineer to progress
in his day to day job. Other skills that are required to becoming civil engineers are
skills that arent necessarily taught in a university. Leadership skills and decision
making are also important. This is because you are constantly working as a team
but there are often times where a certain task needs to be done and there are times
where not everyone agrees with another individuals idea. But overall working as
a team and trying to find common ground is more important. As it was mentioned
earlier that a civil engineer has to work with others like lawyers, architect and
other engineers. For example, if a Wal-Mart grocery store was going to be built
civil engineers would work with lawyers to have them oversee the making of this
project and making sure whatever is being done to make this project become a
reality is legal. Making sure the building is safe and meets certain requirements
and regulations. Working with architects is important as well so the designs of the
building can be fit to what the client demands. Decision making is also a very
important skill because of what the job consists of. This job deals with a lot of
pressure not just because of the timeline in which the project has to be done but
because of the scale of the project. Designing buildings, freeways and other
projects in which people are going to be around calls for a lot of pressure. If
something were to go wrong or a design of a freeway or bridge causes people to
get injured it calls for certain consequences not only to the civil engineers but to
their employers.
As said, working as a civil engineer can be a very exciting career for those
who are interested in working with others who are also working on the same tasks

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as you are. Working together as a team to find common ground and to overcome
whatever task is at hand. A civil engineers daily life consists of managing
designers and addressing the requirement of whatever project is being made.
But with all of this even those who enjoy this type of work environment have to
also know that it is also a career that deals with pressure. This pressure comes
from due dates that are set by clients or contractors. A customer who wants their
building ready for their business by October fourth not only wants their building
ready but demands that it be ready in order to get their own business running.

Conclusion
To conclude, choosing civil engineering as a career deals with
pressure to meet deadlines from other businesses and clients which come
to you for the construction of their building or roadway or whatever it may
be they need done. Engineers have certain deadlines which need to be met
which can be stressful but with all of the pressure that is expected, it can
also be a very fun and exciting career for those who enjoy the concept of
being able to build something and see the process of it being built as well
not going through the same routine every day. As a civil engineer there are
constant changes in plans. For example there are days in which you do get
stuck doing the same repetitive routine but more often than is a new
experience daily. David Mitchell answer to what his favorite part of his
job was being able to see the transition of a clients dream and make in to
a reality. Also being able get ones own pleasure of seeing what they
have created as well as those who they have worked with to make a certain

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project a reality as well as working with those who have the aspirations in
creating something out of nothing. Seeing the building start out as an idea
to a blueprint then to finally see the production of the project and seeing it
grow more and more and then to finally see it standing on its own,
watching it be what you originally imagined it to be.

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References
The result was confirmed by David Mitchell (personal
communication, October 2, 2016). In APA style a personal correspondence
is not included in the reference list. Instead, the source of the information
should appear in the in-text citation.)
About Civil Engineering. Retrieved from
http://www.asce.org/about_civil_engineering/
What Civil Engineers Do. (Thursday, December 17,2015).
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/civilengineers.htm#tab-2
Civil Engineer Salary, Retrieved from
http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Civil_Engineer/Salary