Education and Certification Requirements
The minimum requirement is a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. It is possible for engineers trained in another branch, such as mechanical engineering to switch to civil engineering. Subspecialties, such as environmental engineers, transportation and geotechnical engineering easily transfer to construction engineering. Moreover, construction engineers may switch to other fields if they choose to switch emphasis.
Most educational programs in engineering stress mathematics, the physical and life sciences, as well as engineering classes. Design classes using computer-assisted design (CAD) is usually required in all programs.
A bachelors degree is sufficient for most entry level construction engineer jobs. As construction engineers continue to work, they usually earn a master’s degree or a Ph.D. to keep up with the latest skills.
All 50 states require engineers to be licensed if they offer their services to the public. Licensed engineers are referred to as professional engineers (PE). Most licensing boards require that the candidate hold a degree from an ABET accredited engineering program, at least four years of work experience in engineering, and successfully passing the State exam.
The exam is offered in two parts. New graduates are allowed to take the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) portion. They earn the title of engineer interns or engineers in training. After gaining the work experience, the engineer then is allowed to take the Principles and Practice of Engineering exam. Depending on the state, the engineer may need to gather continuing education credits to keep their PE license. There are also subspecialty certification programs conducted by professional organizations.
Job Responsibilities
Job responsibilities vary depending on the type of construction project the construction engineer manages. Some responsibilities are more prevalent across all construction engineer jobs.
The construction engineer is responsible for ensuring contractor compliance with the specifications of the project, as well as monitor contractor work for quality and quantity.
Project management skills are critical, especially understanding the scope of the project, project initiation, project execution, control and closure of the project. During the project, the construction engineer is responsible to document progress, as well as draft daily reports on progress. The construction engineer is also responsible for approving the final costs of the project.
Because safety and ensuring that the project complies with requirements is the responsibility of the construction engineer, he or she needs to witness, inspect, and approve all materials testing. The construction engineer also must approve all changes to the construction plan.
Skills
As well as having excellent mathematical and analytical ability, construction engineers should be inquisitive, detail oriented and creative. While this is a challenging mix of traits, the best construction engineers push the boundaries to ensure that the architect and client’s vision for the construction are met, as well as bringing the project in on budget.
Because construction engineers are the coordinators of teams, being able to work well on a team is crucial. Construction engineers also need to have excellent written and verbal communication skills. The engineer needs to be able to communicate with non-technical people as well as technical people in order to manage the project to a successful conclusion.
Knowing a computer aided design (CAD) program is almost a requirement. Being able to visualize how a construction project will look from the plans, as well as be able to describe the engineering challenges to the team is another important skill for a construction engineer to possess.
Job Outlook
Civil engineers, of whom construction engineering is a subspecialty, comprise the largest engineering specialty, holding 256,000 positions. The growth of engineering positions in general will match the rest of the industry at 11% from 2006 to 2016.
Civil engineers are expected to grow 18% between 2006 and 2016 driven by the need to replace and improve the United State’s infrastructure. Bridges, sewers, water supplies and transportation systems will need to be replaced, repaired or upgraded.
Employment opportunities will vary by geographical location, as construction engineers often work closely with architectural and construction firms. Outsourcing of this specialty will be more difficult, as onsite inspections, as well as project management requirements to construct buildings and roads require an engineer to be available onsite.
Construction engineering jobs are negatively impacted by economic or construction slowdowns when projects are either slowed, stopped, or not started.
Career Path
Upon graduation, a construction engineer usually works closely with and is supervised by an experienced engineer. Some firms also provide formal classroom training on engineering techniques.
With experience, construction engineers are assigned to assignments that are more difficult as well as earn more independence to solve problems, develop designs, and make decisions.
Successful construction engineers generally follow one of two paths; they become technical experts, or they begin to move into management roles. They may start by supervising a staff of junior engineers and technicians. Later, they may move into other engineering or business management roles.
Construction engineers have a large number of certifications that may be beneficial in career advancement.
Salary Range
The average salary for a civil engineer is slightly over $65,000 for a junior engineer. For construction engineers with supervisory responsibility, salaries average slightly under $100,000.
The type of construction engineering undertaken, as well as what part of the country the position is located also influences salaries.
Conclusion
Civil engineering and construction engineering will be a rapidly growing field through 2016, with lower potential of outsourcing of the positions to overseas operations. With the aging infrastructure in the United States needing to be replaced, repaired or built, the future drivers for demand are present. Economic forces that may slow down the economy and reduce construction spending will also influence the demand for construction engineers from time to time.
