Civil Engineer
Learn about this occupation – including typical duties, education required, salary and job outlook information, job boards and more.
Civil engineers plan, design, develop and manage projects for the construction or repair of buildings, earth structures, powerhouses, roads, airports, railways, rapid transit facilities, bridges, tunnels, canals, dams, ports and coastal installations and systems related to highway and transportation services, water distribution and sanitation. Civil engineers may also specialize in foundation analysis, building and structural inspection, surveying, geomatics and municipal planning. Civil engineers are employed by engineering consulting companies, in all levels of government, by construction firms and in many other industries, or they may be self-employed. (National Occupational Classification)
This profile page includes information about Environmental Engineers, Geotechnical Engineers, Water & Waste Water Engineers, and Landfill Engineers.
Occupational profile
Find detailed information about the occupation, incl. typical duties and working conditions, in the links below:
- National Occupational Classification (NOC) - Canadian occupational descriptions
- OCCinfo by alis - Alberta-based occupational information
- O*NET Online - U.S. resource for occupational descriptions and information
- A Day in the Life of a Civil Engineer - from the Princeton Review (U.S.)
- Civil Engineering Overview - Sloan Career Cornerstone Center
- Sokanu - occupational videos and info (U.S.):
- Environmental Careers Organization (ECO) Canada - career profile & featured role models:
- What do Civil Engineers Do? - TryEngineering.org
- Engineer Profiles - from Engineering Your Future
- Interview: Civil Engineer - from StudyinCanada.com
- Careers in Oil & Gas (Canada):
- Career Mentor profile - UM alumnus, Civil Engineer (wastewater treatment and water pollution control)
- What is Civil Engineering? - description of specializations including Environmental and Water Resources Engineering from the University of Manitoba Department of Civil Engineering
Education
U of M Academic Calendar
The Academic Calendar & Catalogue outlines program admission and course requirements. Use the left menu to navigate to a specific faculty and program. To determine which degree path suits your unique occupational goals, speak with a Career Consultant. For support with course registration and academic issues, speak with an Academic Advisor.
Faculty and Department Homepages
Visit the faculty and department homepage to learn about program application deadlines and processes, as well as additional in-house resources and opportunities.
Exploring Other Education Options
Labour market information
Labour market information informs users of supply and demand for specific occupations and sectors. It includes such things as salary and job outlook information. These resources support informed career decision making and job search efforts.
Resources
- Trend Analysis: Job Market Report (Winnipeg Region) - Gov. of Canada Job Bank
- Occupation Outlook Handbook - Job outlook for the U.S.
- Engineers Salary Survey - Engineers Geoscientists Manitoba
- Canada's Best Jobs 2018: The Top 25 - Engineering Manager (#2) - Canadian Business magazine
- OpportuNext - salary range and job growth prospects - Manitoba
Professional Associations
Professional associations organize events and directories, job postings, career and labour market information. Student membership opportunities are also available. This is a great way to learn and network.
- Engineers Geoscientists Manitoba (EGM)
- The Canadian Society for Civil Engineering
- American Society of Civil Engineering (U.S.)
- National Society of Professional Engineers (U.S.)
- Canadian Engineering Regulatory Organizations - provincial listing from Engineers Canada
Directories, Industry Associations, and Sector Councils
These resources provide industry news, labour market information and a list of potential employers. Remember, there are usually multiple industries worth exploring.
- Association of Consulting Engineering Companies - Manitoba
- Manitoba Association of Architects - Find a Firm
- Winnipeg Construction Association - Members Directory (search via 'category' or 'expertise')
- Construction Association of Rural Manitoba - Members Directory
- Manitoba Environmental Industry Association - Member Directory
- Manitoba Construction Sector Council
- Federation of Canadian Municipalities - Members
- Transportation Association of Canada - corporate members
- Water Design-Build Council - members (North America)
- Canadian Renewable Energy Association - member directory
- Canadian Dam Association - corporate and sustaining members
- Top 100: Canada's Biggest Infrastructure Projects - Company Directory
- Canadian Nuclear Association - Members
Job Boards
Search occupations of interest in the industry-specific job boards below to learn about skill requirements, employers, job duties and available jobs. You may also wish to search more general online job boards.
Other links
External resources that will provide you with additional information about the occupation, areas of work and opportunities to build experience:
- University of Manitoba Engineering Student Groups
- Women In Science & Engineering (WISE) Kid-Netic Energy - University of Manitoba
- Canadian Consulting Engineer - digital magazine and industry news for engineers in construction
- Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering
- Civil Engineering Magazine - from the American Society of Civil Engineers
- The Engineering Institute of Canada
- Canadian Coalition of Women in Engineering, Science, Trades and Technology
- Black Engineers of Canada
- Engineers Without Borders Canada
- Discover Engineering Online
- U.K. Institution of Civil Engineers - Topics in Engineering
- Global Grand Challenges of Engineering - National Academy of Engineering