Many areas of the country are constantly undergoing this type of construction, so that these types of civil construction jobs are always in demand. With the help of technicians and engineers who do these types of civil construction jobs, growth of cities is allowed to continue.
If you're interested in civil construction jobs, you may think it interesting to work as a technician, offering assistance to engineers as necessary. You'll work with a team of experts to figure out budgets, and you'll work with consider systems, especially CAD systems, to virtually "build" structures before you actually make them a reality.
Technicians work with CAD software and have to become proficient in its utilization, as well as any modifications that occur with the software as new technologies emerge.
Along with civil engineers, technicians work with other team members as well to determine the construct of a particular project, including the particular stressors that building or other structural have to withstand. For example, bridges not only have to withstand the weight of the traffic they bear, but will also have to withstand weather changes that will continually freeze and thaw the structure, so that it must be able to withstand temperature fluctuations and remain structurally sound. CAD software and other technologies help engineers and technicians try a nearly endless number of scenarios to determine what the best materials are for a particular structure, and how that particular structure should be built so that it's going to be the most stable and safe as possible.
Skills needed for civil construction jobs
Of course, it's necessary to be able to work with sophisticated software and other tools, and have the math and other capabilities necessary to make the complex calculations inherent in these types of jobs. However, it's also important to communicate clearly with other team members, and that's true of technicians just as much as it is of others on the team. The ability to work well with others is also important, because team members must collaborate together to make a project a success.
Education for technicians' civil construction jobs
If you're going to become an engineer, of course, you'll need to pursue an engineering degree, but if you want to become a technician, it generally takes two years to complete a course at a technical school or college focusing on structural engineering. You'll learn things like traffic engineering, different structure materials and their uses for various applications, construction methods, the design of reinforced concrete, and so on.
Pay and job outlook
Technicians' pay is quite good, averaging about $35,000 a year. Outlook for these types of civil construction jobs is quite good as well, since new technologies and competition continually change how product designs emerge. In addition, as the population continues to grow, so, too, will more airports, highways, and water treatment facilities, as well as other structures, be required.