Civil Engineering Technicians apply theories and principles of civil engineering in planning, designing, and overseeing the construction and maintenance of structures and facilities under the direction of members of the engineering staff and physical scientists.

JOB DUTIES

Civil Engineering Technicians may:

Calculate dimensions, square footage, profile and component specifications

Tabulate data and prepare sketches, diagrams, and graphs for evaluation by engineering staff

Test construction materials and soil samples and examine foundations

Serve as surveyor helpers; operate transits, levels, and other instruments; or even perform manual labor in clearing brush or weeds

Summarize and/or make written reports from maps, reports, field investigations, land surveys, plans, and specifications

Review plans, prints, and specifications for details concerning the construction, maintenance, and repair of structures and facilities

Expedite work on production orders, assist in the preparation of work schedules, and develop cost estimates of work to be completed

Set up and maintain monitoring equipment to obtain samples, measurements, and other data

Conduct preliminary inspection of existing systems and those under construction, while in progress and after completion, to ensure that standards and other requirements are met

Perform various other duties, such as file plans, prints, and other documents; answer inquiries; and help to direct the work of equipment operators, laborers, and other workers

To see Civil Engineering Technicians at work click here.

Tools, equipment, and work aids used may include:

OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES

005.261-014 CIVIL ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN conduct surveys and studies and inspect existing water and wastewater treatment systems, plus those under construction, to ensure that pollution control requirements are met. Civil Engineering Technicians may work in a single field involving structures, transportation or the environment or they may work in specialized areas such as research, design, or inspection. Civil Engineering Technicians may work under a variety of titles such as highway engineering technician, pollution control technician, and engineering aide or assistant.

In addition to learning about these specialties, you may also find it helpful to explore the following Career Exploration Scripts:

WORKING CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Civil Engineering Technicians usually work with other employees at all levels, including Engineers, surveyors, supervisors, managers, and skilled trade workers. They generally are supervised by experienced civil engineers. Technicians may instruct and supervise other workers. Working conditions for Civil Engineering Technicians vary. They may work outdoors at construction or survey sites, or indoors in well-lighted and well ventilated offices and/or in testing labs. Working outdoors may expose Technicians to extreme types of weather and to such hazards as snakes, poison ivy, heat exhaustion, sunburn, and frostbite. Those working near busy highways and construction sites may risk a variety of injuries. Technicians can offset most hazards with safety precautions and appropriate dress.

Most Technicians work a 5-day, 40-hour week. They might work longer hours when completing seasonal projects and when important projects must be finished. Technicians might have to travel to collect samples, make inspections, or conduct surveys and other studies.

Civil Engineering Technicians might have to furnish some or all of their drafting equipment.

Civil Engineering Technicians may be members of labor unions which represent employees in the industry in which they work. They may join professional associations, such as the American Society of Certified Engineering Technicians. Members of associations pay periodic membership fees.

You Should Prefer:

• Activities of a scientific and technical nature

• Activities involving the use of machines, processes, and techniques

• Activities dealing with things and objects

You Should Be Able To:

• Perform a variety of duties which may change often

• Perform mathematical operations quickly and accurately

• Work within set limits and standards of accuracy

• Use logical step-by-step procedures in your work

• Rate information according to standards which can be measured/checked

• Communicate well, both orally and in writing

• Visualize how flat drawings or pictures would look as solid objects

Math Problem You Should Be Able to Solve:

If building A is 400 feet away from building B and the angle between that line and the line that connects building A and building C is 45 degrees, what is the distance between building A and building C?

Reading Example You Should Be Able to Read and Comprehend:

The instant a mass is uplifted, gravity starts its relentless pull on the mass--a pull that never ceases until the mass is once again at the same level as its surroundings.

Writing Example You Should Be Able to Produce:

You should be able to write a report to your supervising engineer, explaining your findings during the tests you conducted.

Thinking Skill You Should Be Able to Demonstrate:

You should be able to decide the best materials to use when constructing different types of structures.

Civil Engineering Technicians are not required to be certified, but some employers may require it. Certification is available from the American Society of Certified Engineering Technicians or the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies to applicants with acceptable education and experience. Written tests are required. Specialty certification is available from other organizations in such areas as soil erosion and sediment control, bitumen testing, and concrete testing.

Employers may hire individuals who have a background in related fields, such as surveyor helpers or drafters, and train them on the job. However, others prefer graduates of formal civil engineering technology programs. Technicians driving motorized vehicles in their work must have valid Michigan driver's license.

EDUCATION AND PREPARATION OPPORTUNITIES

NOTE: On-The-Job Training provided by the employer and a High School Diploma or Equivalent; with specific vocational education courses or an Associate Degree (two years of study beyond high school) may qualify a person for this occupation.

The following education and preparation opportunities are helpful in preparing for occupations in this Career Exploration Script:

***SCHOOL SUBJECTS***

0500 BUILDING TRADES , 0700 CAREERS , 0900 COMMUNICATIONS , 1000 COMPUTERS , 2200 MATH , 2900 SCIENCE , 3200 TECHNICAL DRAWING , 3300 TECHNOLOGY

***VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS***

There are no Vocational Education Programs related to this Career Exploration Script.

***POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMS***

033 CIVIL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

Programs in Civil Engineering Technology provide opportunities to gain the technical knowledge and skills needed for employment in the planning, design, and construction of civil engineering projects. Examples of these projects include ground facilities for land, sea, and air transportation, and projects that control the flow and use of water. On the job, the technician serves as the link between the engineer and the skilled worker.

Courses will vary from school to school but may include courses relating to six areas:

Civil Technology - Construction Option

Civil Technology - Highway Option

Civil Technology - Sanitary Option

Civil Technology - Structural Option

Civil Technology - Surveying Option

Civil Technology - Traffic Option

199 CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

Programs in Concrete Technology provide opportunities to gain the knowledge and skills needed for employment in the concrete industry. Persons completing Concrete Technology Programs may be employed as laboratory technologists, quality control inspectors, production supervisors, plant controllers, engineering assistants, materials estimators, and salespersons.

Courses within this program will vary but may include:

Search for a College and/or Instructional Program

***APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES***

There are no Apprenticeships related to this Career Exploration Script.

***MILITARY TRAINING PROGRAMS***

Please check the Military website at http://www.myfuture.com

CIVIL ENGINEER

Airfields, roads, bridges, buildings, power plants, docks, and water treatment plants on military bases around the world are continually being built, repaired, and improved. Civil engineers plan, design, and direct the construction of military facilities.

What They Do

Civil engineers in the military perform some or all of the following duties:

• Study the need for roads, airfields, buildings and other facilities

• Direct surveys of construction areas

• Design construction projects

• Help select contractors to build facilities

• Check construction progress to see that it meets plans

• Plan and direct facility maintenance and modernization

• Plan temporary facilities for use in emergencies

• Keep master plans for military bases up to date

Special Requirements

A 4-year college degree in civil, architectural, sanitary, or environmental engineering, or another closely related field is required to enter this occupation.

Helpful Attributes

Helpful attributes include:

Interest in engineering principles and concepts

Interest in working with mathematical formulas

Training Provided

No initial job training is provided to officers in this occupation. However, advanced courses are offered to support medical service and environmental control building programs.

Civilian Counterparts

Civilian civil engineers work for engineering firms, construction companies, and government agencies. Some may work for public utilities, railroads, and manufacturing firms. Civilian civil engineers perform duties similar to those performed in the military; however, they often specialize in certain types of projects.

Work Environment

Civil engineers work in offices when designing projects or reviewing reports. They work outdoors when overseeing survey or construction activities.

Opportunities

The services need new civil engineers each year. Newly commissioned civil engineers usually assist senior engineering officers in planning and design. With experience, they may manage construction projects and eventually, engineering offices. In time, they may advance to senior management or command positions in the engineering field.

E-Learning Courses and Programs

OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIENCE AND METHODS OF ENTRY

Postsecondary education programs in civil engineering technology and concrete technology may offer co-op or internship opportunities. Summer and part-time jobs with construction and surveying companies or state and local highway departments, may offer you an opportunity to observe conditions under which Civil Engineering Technicians work. Military service may offer opportunities for experience also.

School-to-Work opportunities include:

informal apprenticeships

mentorships

job shadowing experiences

touring a local Civil Engineering Technician employer

internships

volunteer work with a Civil Engineering Technician employer

community service work with an agency

The most common method of entry is by direct application to employers and civil service offices. Job openings may be located through school placement offices, at a local office of Michigan Works!,or in newspaper want ads. In addition, you should access and search the Internet's on-line employment services sites such as:

  You should also enter an electronic resume on these on-line services.

EARNINGS AND ADVANCEMENT

Earnings of Civil Engineering Technicians depend on their level of education, work experience, and technical specialty, as well as the size, type, and geographical location of the company.

Nationally, the median annual salary of all Civil Engineering Technicians in 2007 was $46,700.

In the federal government, Technicians with a high school diploma and no experience started at $19,165 annually (2008). Technicians with an associate's degree and no experience started at $23,475 per year, and those with a bachelor's degree started at $26,264 or $29,276 per year, depending on their academic records. The salaries of these federal government workers may be higher in some urban areas.

Civil Engineering Technicians (traffic technicians) working for the State of Michigan earned between $29,566 and $58,506 per year (early 2008). Civil Engineering Technicians employed by governments in Michigan had annual earnings of (2008):

Depending on the employer, most Civil Engineering Technicians receive paid vacations and holidays; life, accident, disability, and hospitalization insurance; retirement plans; and sick pay. These benefits are usually paid for, at least in part, by employers.

As Civil Engineering Technicians gain experience, they are given more responsibility. Promotions usually depend on the availability of job openings and the individual's job performance, the development of technical skills, education, length of employment, and ability to supervise. With additional college education and training, some Technicians may advance to professional engineering or scientific positions.

EMPLOYMENT AND OUTLOOK

There were about 90,650 Civil Engineering Technicians employed nationally in 2006. Employment of Civil Engineering Technicians is expected to increase about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2016. Opportunities will be best for graduates of postsecondary civil engineering technology programs.

To find employers, click Employer/Business Locator.

There are about 1,925 Civil Engineering Technicians employed in Michigan. Most technicians worked in urban areas. The majority worked for engineering, surveying, and architectural consulting firms; government transportation and highway departments; and urban planning and development agencies. Others worked for public utility companies; construction companies; and federal, state, and local water pollution control agencies.

Employment of Civil Engineering Technicians in Michigan is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2014. An average of 60  annual openings is expected, with 20 due to growth and 40 due to the replacement of those who retire, die, or leave the labor force for other reasons. Some additional openings will occur as workers change jobs or occupations.

The need for housing, industrial plants, utility plants, and transportation systems, created by an expanding population and population shifts, should result in openings for Civil Engineering Technicians.

Employment growth in the construction industry, which depends on favorable economic conditions, could also result in a greater need for Civil Engineering Technicians to help plan, design, and build roads and bridges, and for doing site route surveys.

Additionally, road building and repair work to major highways on an ongoing basis should provide numerous employment opportunities for consulting Civil Engineering Technicians.

MICHIGAN 'S EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK TO 2014

SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Printed Occupational information is available upon written request from the sources below.

Copyright © 2009 Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth