Civil Engineering Courses in the UK

Constructing the right route

Civil engineering courses lead to a career that covers a huge variety of work. As custodians of the built and natural environment you could be involved with designing and constructing a structure such as the London Eye or alternatively you could be working on proposals to save York from flooding again when heavy rains come. Typical careers include, design, construction, project management, surveying, consulting, planning, finance, risk management to name a few, with plenty of opportunities to work abroad.

An important step in a career in civil engineering is the achievement of a PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATION. This is recognised as a benchmark of quality and defines you as a professional capable of practising in most countries of the world. Companies within the Industry will support, encourage and offer rewards for you to become qualified. Key to all professional engineers is their responsibility to society with regard to safety and the ethical and environmental impact of their work.

What professional qualifications are available?

There are various institutions which offer civil engineering courses that allow you to become professionally qualified and each represents a specific field within this huge industry. In addition, there are also a variety of levels you can attain - Chartered Engineer, Incorporated Engineer and Engineering Technician that depend on your educational background and the type of work you do. Each level is vital and the civil engineering industry could not function without these professionals.

• Engineering Technicians ~ EngTech. The roles of Engineering Technicians involve them in the application of proven techniques and procedures to the solution of practical problems. They carry a measure of supervisory and technical responsibility and are competent to exercise creative aptitudes and skills within defined fields of technology, often under the guidance of Incorporated Engineers. Educational requirement ~ HND/C or equivalent.
• Incorporated Engineers ~ IEng. Incorporated Engineers play a key role in the civil engineering team. The IEng will typically have a high level of working experience and knowledge of a particular field, backed by a general understanding of engineering principle and techniques. They provide independently and as leaders, a significant influence on the overall effectiveness of the organisation in which they work, often in key operational roles. Educational requirement ~ BEng or equivalent.
• Chartered Engineers ~ CEng. Chartered Engineers are expected to be creative, innovative, to set standards, to manage independent teams and to be the Industry leaders. They will be given high levels of responsibility at an early age and will be expected to work well either on their own or in multidisciplinary teams. Above all they should be able to exercise professional judgement and act with integrity. Once chartered you not only feel more confident but you will find opportunities abound ~ whether in the Industry or out. Educational requirement ~ MEng or equivalent.
  

How to become professionally qualified?
The route to become qualified is slightly different for each institution and level but they all follow a common theme. Each requires an accredited qualification (although you can become qualified without one) and then a period of supervised training and responsible experience (approximately 3-4 years) that allows you to develop into a professional person. To finally achieve professional status you must pass a Professional Review (PR). The PR is not an examination in the traditional sense, but instead it is a review of what you have become and what your potential is. It focuses on reports you have written and an interview session where you may be required to give a short presentation and complete a written assignment. Typical ages of newly qualified professionals are between 22 - 30.

How to become professionally qualified ~ the other way.
If you did not obtain a suitable qualification you still can become qualified. The two main ways are: a) complete some additional structured learning and, b) use your experience to compensate for the shortfall (usually 12 years). These compensate for your non-accredited academic achievement and you still have to pass the normal Review to achieve professional status.

To become professionally qualified takes determination and hard work. However, you will find that once qualified the rewards are worth it, be they in monetary terms or extra responsibility. The message is clear; in the construction industry it's only the limits of your ability and determination that will restrict your ambitions.