Saskatchewan JobFutures

Nature of Work

Civil engineers plan, design, develop and manage projects for the construction or repair of buildings, roads, airports, railways, rapid transit facilities, bridges, dams, ports and coastal installations and systems related to highway and transportation services, water distribution and sanitation. They can specialize in foundation analysis, building and structural inspection, surveying and municipal planning are employed by engineering consulting companies, municipal and other levels of government. They may also be self-employed.

Nature of Work

Civil engineers plan, design, develop and manage projects for the construction or repair of buildings, roads, airports, railways, rapid transit facilities, bridges, dams, ports and coastal installations and systems related to highway and transportation services, water distribution and sanitation. They can specialize in foundation analysis, building and structural inspection, surveying and municipal planning are employed by engineering consulting companies, municipal and other levels of government. They may also be self-employed.

Duties

Civil engineers confer with clients and other members of an engineering team to plan and design major civil projects, such as buildings, roads, bridges, dams, water and waste management systems and structural steel fabrications. This involves conducting research to determine project requirements; developing construction specifications and procedures; evaluating and recommending appropriate building and construction materials; and interpreting, reviewing and approving survey and civil design work.

A civil engineer's work duties rely heavily on his or her area of specialization. A specialist in foundation analysis, for example, will perform markedly different duties than specialists in building and structural inspection or surveying and municipal planning. Nevertheless, many civil engineers perform the similar basic duties, regardless of their field of specialty. General duties may include conducting field services for civil works, establishing and monitoring construction work schedules, and ensuring construction plans meet guidelines and specifications of building codes and other regulations. Further, most civil engineers are also responsible for conducting feasibility studies, economic analyses, municipal and regional traffic studies, environmental impact studies or other investigations.

Other civil engineering duties include conducting technical analyses of survey and field data and preparing reports in such areas as topography, soil and hydrology. They also act as project or site supervisors for land survey or construction work and prepare contract documents and review and evaluate tenders for construction projects. Some civil engineers have administrative duties, and they may supervise technicians, technologists and other engineers and review and approve designs, calculations and cost estimates.

Example Titles

• environmental engineer
• municipal engineer
• project engineer, construction
• public works engineer
• sanitation engineer
• water management engineer
• civil engineer
• highway engineer
• traffic engineer
• bridge engineer
• construction engineer
• hydraulic engineer
• surveying engineer
• transportation engineer
• structural engineer

Training Paths

Engineering degree programs are offered at U of S and U of R; however, the U of S alone has a Department of Civil Engineering. Degrees earned through the department can be either at the undergraduate or at the graduate level. For those wishing to concentrate on Environmental Engineering, the U of R offers a program in Regional Environmental Systems or Industrial Systems Engineering leading to a Bachelor of Applied Science degree. U of R students in these degree programs may also participate in the Co-operative Education Work/Study Program. Students in the College of Engineering at U of S may choose to participate in the Engineering Professional Internship Program. SIAST offers related training through the Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering diploma programs.

Trends and Outlooks

The employment prospects for this occupation are: good

The number of civil engineers in Saskatchewan increased between 2001 and 2006. This employment growth will likely continue in the years ahead, albeit at a slower rate. In fact, most of the job openings that occur for civil engineers in the next decade will be the result of attrition; that is, retirement or other turnover. In 2006, 55% of all Saskatchewan civil engineers were 45 years of age or older. As many of these engineers retire in the next decade, their jobs will need to be filled.

Civil engineers are very well paid in Saskatchewan. In 2005, the average full-time income in this field was $72,027 per year, an 11% increase from 2000 and well above the provincial full-time average for all occupations ($42,298 per year). Many civil engineers earned considerably more than the average that same year.

The majority of civil engineers in the province work full time. In 2005, 76% of all engineers in these fields were employed on a full-time basis; a slight increase from 2005. Although a growing percentage of all civil engineers in Saskatchewan are women, a large majority of civil engineers in the province are men. Only 10% of the work force was female in 2006.

Employment in Saskatchewan for civil engineers is concentrated in Regina and Saskatoon; 74% of engineers worked in or around these two cities in 2006. Work is not seasonal, and employment is not very sensitive to overall economic conditions. Self-employment is rare among civil engineers.

Employment for civil engineers is often directly related to the strength of the Construction industry. Large-scale construction projects generally increase the number of engineers working in Saskatchewan. Engineers who continually upgrade their skills and who stay abreast of developments within civil engineering have an advantage over others seeking employment in these fields of work.

Professional Associations

The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan regulates employment in engineering and geoscience in the province. Engineers applying for membership in the Association must hold an accredited Bachelor of Engineering or Applied Science degree and have four years of recognized post-graduate engineering experience. Geoscientists must hold a degree in geoscience and have five years of experience in the field. Persons without a degree who have ten years of work experience may become members. After March of 1999, however, all Association members must have at least a Bachelor's degree in the appropriate field. Engineers with less than four years experience hold the title Engineer in Training. For further information contact:

Association of Professional Engineers of Saskatchewan

2255 Thirteenth Avenue

Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, S4P 0V6

Telephone:(306) 525-9547

Fax:(306) 525-0851

E-mail:apegs@apegs.sk.ca

Web site:www.apegs.sk.ca

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