Expert: Arshad Khan - 9/7/2007

Question
1.   Do you have any high school courses to recommend   before going to college for engineering?
2.   Were you in any advance classes like today there’s honors and AP classes?
3.   Did you take any engineering classes in high school
4.   How many years did you go to college for?
5.   How long did it take for you to find a job after college?
6.   What’s the work attire?
7.   Do you work out in the field and if you do how often and how long?
8.   Does your job require a lot of traveling?
9.   Are there many hazards and if there are some can you give me an example of one?
10.   What is the usually pay for a beginner in your profession?
11.   Are there many benefits from the company you work with?
12.   Do you always have to be up to date with technology and other advancements for your job?
13.   How many hours does your job require a week?
14.   What types of projects do you usually work on?
15.   What’s the longest project you ever worked on?
16.   Do you work more on CAD or do you use hand drafting instead?
17.   Have any of your projects gone really wrong before?
18.   Does this job cause a lot of stress
19.   Do you enjoy what you do?
20.   What is a typical day for you?
21.   Before you went to college did you know what you wanted to do and if you did, did you change your major any?


Answer
Hi Nathan,

These are far too many questions for me, but:

Well, it's a very exciting and fullfilling career, but not as highly-paid as other professions such as doctors, lawyers and accountants. (but who'd want to be that, eh?).

I have been asked similar questions before, so if you do not mind I will cut-and-paste the Q & A:

*****************
What skills are required to become a successful civil engineer?
>
> What courses did you take in high school in preparation for civil
engineer
> training in University?
>

The main subjects at school are maths, physics and chemistry. At
University the student will learn many different subjects depending on
which field of civil engineering one follows. Drawing and 3-dimensional
visual skills also are very important, especially for structural
engineering. Try visiting the following 3 websites for more info:


http://www.nceplus.co.uk/careers/?ChannelID=69

http://www.eng.ucalgary.ca/csce-students/civil1.htm

www.ice.org

These should help you with further info.



> Why do you think you need a good fundamental knowledge from High School
> and University to become successful in civil engineer?

Because without that you will not be able to do all the calculations and
have an appreciation of the tasks.
>
> Why did you choose this field of study?

I had an interest in models, drawing and woodwork- all very useful for
this career.
>
> What inspired you into this field and what do you like most about the
> subject?

The fact that you help to make life better for humans and that whatever
you design or build will be there for all to see and use for anything
between 50-150 years.
>
> Would you like to achieve or learn more in this field of civil engineer?
> If so, what would you like to learn?

More on the environmental protection aspects and also in sustainable
engineering.
>
> What are the challenges to your career and does it affect your
occupation?

Many projects require innovative and lateral thinking- not all projects
are routine. Sometimes one is working at the edge of technology, and hence
there are risks and worries- can be a stressful job!! Also, one is
constantly aware that any mistakes can lead to large scale injury or death
to users.
>
> Other than civil engineer, what other fields of studies did you want to
go
> into as a kid to now?

Architecture and Aeronautical engineering.
>
> How much do you enjoy your occupational career and did you ever regret
of
> selecting such a path?

Very much, and no. I have designed buildings of up to 40-stories which I
can proudly show my children.
>
> What do you value most about you and your occupation?

The fact that I have contributed to a nation's development and that people
daily use facilities I have designed.

>
> What is a typical day for your occupation?

This varies depending on whether you are on site (construction), or in the
office (design). The former involves long hours supervising construction
in sometimes harsh environments. The latter involves more calculations,
meetings, liaison, presentations, brief site inspections, etc.
>
> Do you have anything that you find bothersome or disturbing in your
> occupation?

Yes- the pay is not commensurate with the responsibilities (c.f. lawyers,
doctors, accountants, etc)
>
> Can you describe what is generally happening in this industry?

There are ups and downs, but these vary country by country depending on
the eceonomy. After a war
(e.g. Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, etc), there is lots of work!!
>
> What do you think the needs of civil engineer in the future would be?

The needs will continue in pace with population growth and development of
under-developed countries, especially in Africa and Central/East Europe.

>
> Is there any personal advice that you can give to an interested student
in
> this field?
>

Do not choose a field that you do not have an interest in or talents to
suit (e.g. for structural engineering, if you cannot visualise in 3-D,
forget it!- go for water or sewerage or roads). Also you need to be good
at maths and drawing, and have excellent communication and inter-personal
skills.

************************

I hope all this is of help!

Kind regards,

Arshad.