If becoming a civil engineer ever crossed your mind, then this article is for you. This article is an attempt to summarize in great details the work of a civil engineer. You'll learn about how much they get paid, what kind of additional in-service training they need, how to become a civil engineer, what they do on a typical day and the dangers that come with being a civil engineer. In addition to that, you will also learn about the threats A.I. and robots pose on the civil engineering job market.
Beyond the heavy workload, being a civil engineer is fun. It challenges your brain in new ways, but also allows you to connect with people from different backgrounds.
On a typical day, civil engineers have to plan, design and manage the construction of infrastructures like highways, buildings, roads, bridges and many more. They have to ensure that the projects they're managing are safe and conformed to the regulation of the city they work at. The also have to assure the structural integrity of the projects they're designing using software like AutoCAD.
According to data coming from Canada's Job Bank, the salary for an entry level civil engineer in the Montreal Region is of $30.77 an hour. The median salary for a civil engineer is of $48.08 an hour and caps at around $68.68 an hour.
In order to become a registered civil engineer by OIQ (l'Ordre des Ingénieurs du Québec), you have to pass their engineering exam and receive their symbolic Iron ring which represents your duty as an engineer. To add onto that, you also need to complete your ASP construction formation and receive your ASP card, which allows you to oversee construction projects, and interact with different sites.
The main dangers coming from being a civil engineer, are mostly related to falls, electrocutions and heavy equipment management.
Civil engineers are not going to be replaced by A.I. or robots soon. The main problem with robots is their frequency of mistakes made. So, it is often considered to be an unreliable tool and mostly disregarded for that aspect. To add on to that, most projects require the stamp of a certified engineer, the stamp of a robot holds no value because a robot is of devoid of responsibilities, and cannot be held for any liability.
According to data coming from Canada's Job Bank, the median age for retirement of a civil engineer was of 66 years old in 2023. At the end of your path as a civil engineer engineer you will have learned many great lessons and useful skills, such as the management of a crew. You will have made many connections throughout the years, and you will most likely have lived a comfortable life.
Currently, I am finishing CEGEP, and start studying Civil engineering at the Polytechnique de Montreal. It is a four-year degree, which means I will likely obtain my degree in 2030. I will also complete many internships to build experience and prepare myself to enter the workforce. I plan on working as a hydraulic engineer at Hydro-Quebec after obtaining my degree.
Rationale: to inform or educate
Authority: government
Date: subject to change soon
Accuracy: probably true
Relevance: relevant for this document
Sources: cites sources
Rationale: to inform or educate
Authority: government
Date: subject to change soon
Accuracy: probably true
Relevance: relevant for this document
Sources: cites sources
Rationale: to inform or educate
Authority: government
Date: still relevant
Accuracy: probably true
Sources: cites sources