How Does one Become a Civil Engineer?

Before answering this tedious question let us first understand what Civil Engineering actually is. Civil Engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, Maintainance of the physical and naturally built environment that includes public works, roads, bridges, canals, airports, etc. A Civil Engineer is someone who is responsible for designing major transportation projects, the job is a highly stressful job but is equally rewarding in its own ways. There are multiple types of civil engineers such as structural engineers, environmental engineers, transportation engineers, water resource engineers, etc. to achieve a civil engineer’s degree one must stay consistent with their goals and commit to their studies for 4 years, the civil engineer’s degree takes 4 years to complete and requires great focus and determination. Designing, constructing, and supervising are the main three jobs of a civil engineer however there is one more thing that a civil engineer has to keep in mind which is to design his/her projects in such a way that there is the least amount of pollution and least amount of wastage of resources, it is not about how well the project has been executed it is about how well the resources have been used and how well the environment has been preserved. There are multiple factors that a civil engineer has to keep in his/her mind during the construction of a project. 

To become a Civil Engineer you must first pass your 12th class exam with great scores, or equivalent examination from a recognized board with a minimum of 75%, the minimum marks vary from category to category. candidates must go through a valid engineering entrance exam like JEE/ BITSAT/ VITEEE and other state-level entrance exams. After clearing the eligibility criteria and clearing the exam let us now shift focus to the types of job roles are there starting off with-

1. Construction engineers: These are individuals who are responsible for managing construction projects and ensuring that the construction is completed within time, construction engineers are also responsible for designing and safety of temporary structures during the construction. 
2. Transportation engineers: These individuals are responsible for planning, designing, operating, and maintaining everyday systems such as airports, highways, harbors, etc.
3. Geotechnical engineers: These individuals are responsible to ensure that the foundations of buildings, streets, runways, etc. are sound. These individuals focus on how structures built by civil engineers interact with the earth’s soil and rock such as buildings, tunnels, etc. 
4. Structural engineers: These individuals are responsible for designing and assessing major projects such as buildings, bridges, dams, and ensuring that the strength and durability is up to the mark. 
5. Civil engineers: These individuals are responsible for dealing with critical problems such as disaster mitigation, and management. 
6. Highway engineers: These individuals are responsible for planning and designing road networks, one-way systems, parking spaces, etc. 
7. Water Management engineers: These individuals are responsible for water supply and sewerage systems. 

All in all, there are 7 types of civil engineers and they all have major roles in helping improve the infrastructure of the country and ensuring that all disasters are avoided at all costs. There are various pros and cons to becoming a civil engineer however the sense of achievement is way above all cons and although the job is fairly high risk the rewards that you get are great. 

What are some pros and cons of becoming a Civil Engineer?

The Civil Engineer job is highly risky although the amount of accomplishment that you get after finishing a project with zero hiccups is greater than any other pleasure in this world, in this article though we will discuss some of the pros and cons of being a Civil Engineer and will discuss how can a student who aspires to become a civil engineer start his/her journey. 

Upsides of becoming a Civil Engineer:

• A person who has just finished his/her civil engineer’s exam and has scored great results will get equally high-paying jobs as well, being skilled and qualified is the name of the game civil engineers make great money and are offered great salary packages, the college from which one pursues the course plays an important role here in determining the salary package, it is advisable to choose an institute that is highly-reputed and is considered to be a premium college in the city where you live. 
• Being a core branch of engineering the civil engineers offer better job options and opportunities as compared to other jobs since most core branches offer better jobs and have great options. 
• With a wide variety of job posts in various departments of the government such as Armed forces, Indian Railways, PWDs, NHAI, etc. Civil Engineering opens multiple doors to great opportunities and allows individuals to find their own path of success. 
• Civil Engineering will allow you multiple jobs where you can express your creativity, problem-solving skills, technical expertise, etc. these types of opportunities are rarely provided in any other job sectors and these are welcome changes that every other sector should include. 
• Unlike cubical jobs, civil engineering puts you out in the field and will provide you with access to site and fieldwork. This will help you gain a lot of experience in a fairly quick time and will help you get knowledge. 

Downsides of becoming a Civil Engineer

Like every other domain when there are upsides to something there are always some downsides that follow suit, in Civil Engineering it is the same as any other sector there are upsides and downsides to becoming a Civil Engineer let us discuss some of them now-

• The Civil Engineering jobs will have you working for long hours, unlike most jobs civil engineering requires you to work harder work longer since you are responsible for the safety and responsible for big projects that have millions and billions of money invested in them, at times you can feel demotivated due to the time deadlines and other factors but the reward that you get at the end is unlike any other feeling in this world. 
• Projects can be extremely challenging and new problems find their way to keep emerging from all directions, civil engineers are required to be patient and vigilant at all times to avoid any big disasters, the problem-solving skills of an individual can be a great strength however meeting the deadlines of a project while also maintaining safety, and finishing project, and juggling multiple other factors all at the same time and very cumbersome and daunting. 
• Civil Engineers often work away from cities in some remote location, there are upsides to it such as you will be outdoors at most of the times however the downsides are far more than the upside, you will miss important events in your life and civil engineers often stay away from their families and friends for long times which can be the sole cause of stress and health-related problems. 
• Some with breathing problems can face great issues since project sites have big machinery that causes way too much pollution and breathing air that is filled with particles and dust is one way to ruin your lungs, a civil engineer has to endure all this every day and still keep going on and on and working as nothing has happened. 
• Civil Engineers are under constant stress, the high-paying job has its own upsides and downside and one of the major downsides is that every civil engineer goes through a great deal of stress on a daily basis, between keeping the project site working flawlessly and maintaining own health and keeping a sharp eye on the safety of others all together is a lot although the job pays great the stress that it causes is immense and if you are someone who works better under stress than the civil engineering is for you as for the majority of people who break in great stress the civil engineering will have you doubting yourself in no time, an individual must be able to carry himself/herself and their team and finish the project before the deadline this may cause you a great deal of stress or losing family time but the reward is special and the joy of finishing a project under the set time limit is amazing. 

Should you choose Civil Engineering as your career?

For someone who is an outdoorsy person, has zero issues with pollution, can work great under a lot of pressure and stress, and is detached from the world and like to live in solitary, civil engineering is for you, whereas for people who can’t work efficiently under stress or have health-related issues should avoid civil engineering it is for the best for them to steer clear from civil engineering and focus on other career options. The Civil Engineering job is difficult and will have you questioning why you chose it as a career option but remember the reward that you get after completing a project is far better than any other reward and is in itself a great gift.