4 Career Options for Civil Engineering Graduates

After graduating, you will find a huge range of options open to you after studying an all-encompassing subject like engineering, which includes within it several varied subjects and disciplines.

While studying for your degree, you will have probably found areas of interest that you would like to specialize in, or want to further develop your knowledge and experience of as you progress through your career. It can be difficult to plot the right route for yourself to ‘engineer’ the right career for your future, so we have made this quick guide to the four top career options for a graduate with a civil engineering degree.

Take a Civil Engineering Internship

Many graduates are eager to get started in the industry right away and begin their occupational training as a civil engineer. An internship with a civil engineering firm is the perfect way to begin getting practical experience in the engineering industry, and begin to qualify for your Engineer in Training (EIT) certification. Civil engineers in the United States have to attain this certification to ensure that only qualified and experienced engineers can undertake public works to protect the public from harm.

Different states have different requirements of their civil engineers, and there will often be examinations and assessments to complete before certification.  Here are some tips for procuring your EIT certification to help you get started straight away, and start your engineering career.

Pursue Higher Learning with a Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering

Upon graduating as a civil engineer, you may feel that you want to grow your knowledge further and carry on educating yourself.

Highly qualified engineers are always in demand, and with the right high-level qualification, it is possible to travel the world as a civil engineer and become involved in some of the world’s biggest projects. Taking on an MSc in civil engineering may seem a daunting task at first, especially after all the hard work and studying you put into your bachelor’s degree. Still, many students find that if they keep the academical momentum, they have built from their degree going and take on a Master’s degree, they find it much easier than those who continue their studies later in life.

Become an Entrepreneur and Start Your Own Business

Having a degree of any kind can be the perfect start to an entrepreneurial career that allows you to start your own business and be your own boss.

Completing a degree involves mastering a wide skillset, and having the dedication and tenacity required to follow through on a long-term goal – the exact skills you need to be an entrepreneur. You don’t even need to start an engineering-focused business; with the skills you have learned, you can take on just about any challenge.

It is not uncommon for many young engineers to use their graduation as an opportunity to follow their passions in life outside of engineering, knowing that their qualification will always be there for them to rely upon later in life.

Join the Engineering Faculty and Become a Teacher

One option that every graduate should consider is a career in education, either in an engineering school or by taking their skillset into high schools and using their engineering knowledge to inspire the next generation of civil engineers.

Some many programs and courses can help a graduate achieve their teaching accreditation, so they can begin teaching a variety of subjects, including math, English and the sciences in high school. Teaching in higher education at an engineering college opens up the opportunity to take a doctorate in engineering and achieve tenure as a professor.

Graduating with a degree in civil engineering opens up a lot of opportunities that some graduates fail to consider. You can achieve a lot in life with a degree, and you don’t have to follow a career path in your chosen field to make the most of it.