Construction engineering is a professional discipline that
deals with the designing, planning, construction, and management of
infrastructures such as highways, bridges, airports, railroads, buildings,
dams, and utilities. These Engineers are unique such that they are a cross
between civil engineers and construction managers. Construction engineers learn
the designing aspect much like civil engineers and construction site management
functions much like construction managers.
The primary difference between a construction engineer and a
construction manager is that the construction engineer has the ability to sit
for the Professional Engineer license (PE) whereas a construction manager
cannot. At the educational level, construction managers are not as focused on
design work as they are on construction procedures, methods, and people
management. Their primary concern is to deliver a project on time, within
budget, and of the desired quality.
The difference between a construction engineer and civil
engineer is only at the educational level as both disciplines are able to sit
for the PE exam giving them the same title of engineer. Civil engineering
students concentrate more on the design work, gearing them toward a career as a
design professional. This essentially requires them to take a multitude of
design courses. Construction engineering students take design courses as well
as construction management courses. This allows them to understand both the
design functions as well as the building requirements needed to design and
build today's infrastructures.
Work activities
Depending on which career the construction engineer has
chosen to follow, an entry-level design engineer normally provides support to
project managers and assist with creating conceptual designs, scopes, and cost
estimates for the planning and construction of approved projects. It should be
noted that a career in design work does require a professional engineer license
(PE). Individuals who pursue this career path are strongly advised to sit for
the Engineer In Training exam (EIT) while in college as it takes five years (4
years in USA) post graduate to obtain the PE license.
Entry-level construction manager positions are typically
called project engineers or assistant project engineers. They are responsible
for preparing purchasing requisitions, processing change orders, preparing
monthly budgeting reports, and handling meeting minutes. The construction
management position does not necessarily require a PE license; however
possessing one does make the individual more marketable, as the PE license
allows the individual to sign off on temporary structure designs.
Abilities
Construction engineers are problem solvers. They contribute
to the creation of infrastructure that best meets the unique demands of its
environment. They must be able to understand infrastructure life cycles. When
compared and contrasted to design engineers, construction engineers bring to
the table their own unique perspectives for solving technical challenges with
clarity and imagination. While individuals considering this career path should
certainly have a strong understanding of mathematics and science, many other
skills are also highly desirable, including critical and analytical thinking,
time management, people management, and good communication skills.
Educational requirements
Individuals looking to obtain a construction engineering
degree must first ensure that the program is accredited by EAC or Technology
Accreditation Commission (TAC) of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology (ABET). ABET accreditation is assurance that a college or university
program meets the quality standards established by the profession for which it
prepares its students. In the US there are currently twenty-five programs that
exist in the entire country so careful college consideration is advised.
If you are in Nigeria, NIA for architects, NIQS for Quantity
Surveyors, NIOB for builders, Engineers in the house, remind me the one for you
guys……..
You have to belong to a professional body to be well
recognized and respected in the society.
A typical construction engineering curriculum is a mixture
of engineering mechanics, engineering design, construction management and
general science and mathematics. This usually leads to a Bachelor of Science
degree. The B.Sc. degree along with some design or construction experience is
sufficient for most entry level positions. Graduate schools may be an option
for those who want to go further in depth of the construction and engineering
subjects taught at the undergraduate level. In most cases construction
engineering graduates look to either civil engineering, engineering management,
or business administration as a possible graduate degree.
Job prospects
Job prospects for construction engineers generally have a
strong cyclical variation. For example, starting in 2008 - continuing until at
least 2011 - job prospects have been poor due to the collapse of housing
bubbles in many parts of the world. This sharply reduced demand for
construction, forced construction professionals towards infrastructure
construction and therefore increased the competition faced by established and
new construction engineers. This increased competition, and a core reduction in
quantity demand is in parallel with a possible shift in the demand for construction
engineers due to the automation of many engineering tasks, overall resulting in
reduced prospects for construction engineers. In early 2010 the United States
construction industry had a 27% unemployment rate, this is nearly three times
higher than the 9.7% national average unemployment rate. The construction
unemployment rate (including tradesmen) is comparable to the United States 1933
unemployment rate - the lowest point of the Great Depression - of 25%.
In Nigeria the year 2016 is a good year for some in the
construction industry and a drastic year for others. Some have made their
biggest gain this year.
Remuneration
The average salary for a Quantity Surveyor in Nigeria
depends on your years of experience and how good you are at private practice
ranging from N720,000-6,000,000 Annually or even more. For a civil engineer in the UK depends on the
sector, and more specifically the level of experience of the individual. A 2010
survey of the remuneration and benefits of those occupying jobs in construction
and the built environment industry showed that the average salary of a civil
engineer in the UK is £29,582. In the United States, as of May 2013, the
average was $85,640.[5] The average salary varies depending on experience, for
example the average annual salary for a civil engineer with between 3 and 6
years experience is £23,813. For those with between 14 and 20 years experience
the average is £38,214.[6]
