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Disclaimer: This paper partially fulfills a writing requirement for first year (freshman) engineering students at the University
of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering. This paper is a student paper, not a professional paper. This paper is based on
publicly available information and may not provide complete analyses of all relevant data. If this paper is used for any purpose
other than this author’s partial fulfillment of a writing requirement for first year (freshman) engineering students at the
University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering, users are doing so at their own risk.
WHY CIVIL ENGINEERING IS NOT THE CORRECT CAREER FOR ME
Erica Barnes (erb110@pitt.edu)
INTRODUCTION: A POSITIVE
HYPOTHETICAL CAREER IN CIVIL
ENGINEERING
I entered Pitt as a student in the Swanson School of
Engineering with the intent to major in civil engineering.
Through traveling with my family and receiving a STEM
based education throughout middle and high school, I
became interested in the process of designing, building and
testing structures. I wanted to make a difference in the lives
of many people through urban design and implementation of
useful buildings and highways. Civil engineering became the
clear choice for me to achieve these goals. The research
conducted for this paper has confirmed that civil engineering
is an interest of mine, but it should not be my career field.
The advanced math and science required to do the
specialized work in the field is neither a strength or interest
of mine. The similar field of urban planning is more suited
to my strengths and interests as a career field that will
provide me with happiness and fulfilment in life.
WHO I AM
Early Interest and Exposure to Civil Engineering
Taking an introduction to engineering class in the fifth
grade entering middle school was my first formal
introduction to engineering. In the class, we built machines
for projects, such as Rube Goldberg machines, using KNEX
toys and programmed Lego NXT robots to do various
commands. An assignment to research the types of
engineering and pick one that interested us was how I
discovered civil engineering. In my STEM based high
school, I was afforded many engineering related
opportunities. All first-year students were required to take an
introductory engineering class where we formed teams and
emulated real-life engineering projects by defining a
problem, learning its constraints and designating roles to
solve it. In this class I took the role of foreman, the leader of
the group who oversaw the other parts of the team and
presented our findings. I enjoyed this position and did well
as the leader; this helped me to believe that I could be well
suited for a career in engineering. Also, in my freshman year,
I presented a group project about testing the weight capacity
University of Pittsburgh, Swanson School of Engineering 1
First-year paper
10.4.2018
of differently designed bridges to a professional civil
engineering firm. The purpose of this was to attain a grant
for my high school to purchase supplies for the engineering
class; I successfully presented and secured the grant for my
school. This experience was another assurance that I could
become a successful engineer and excel in both technical
work and presentations.
Preferences of Work Environment
Urban design takes inspiration from different societies,
so visiting a variety of urban environments and learning from
them will be an important part of my career. I personally
enjoy traveling and seeing new places in the world and am
willing to travel for work. I would prefer a work
environment that supports individuality and independence
but is also open to collaboration. I believe that I work more
efficiently independently but I also value having a team to
consult to gain a different perspective on a problem.
Teamwork fosters strong connections that can improve the
quality of work, but they can also create a tense environment
when the team does not get along. I would prefer to have a
balance of independent and group work. I need some quiet to
be fully productive. I can function with ambient background
noise and other conversation but when working on a detailed
project I prefer silence.
PREREQUISITES TO BECOMING A CIVIL
ENGINEER
Becoming a professional civil engineer requires a
bachelor’s degree in civil engineering technology or one of
its specialties [1]. The next level of certification required is a
state mandated license; engineers can choose to continue on
to an advanced level master’s or doctorate degree. Material
learned from undergraduate engineering programs is applied
in professional life. I inquired about the aspects of civil
engineering in the real world with Halle Jones Capers, a
professional civil engineer who is the Senior Vice President
of Operations and Manager of Transportation at G. Stephens
Inc. in Akron, Ohio. She provided many insights on the daily
life and experiences of a civil engineer. She utilizes her
undergraduate education “to read construction drawings and
specifications and interpret field test results, such as concrete
Erica Barnes
slump, air content and 28-day compressive strength” [2].
The first-year course Intro to Engineering Analysis here at
Pitt, which teaches various uses of the computer program
Microsoft Excel, has a real-life professional application as
Jones Capers uses math formulas in Excel for reports [2]. Not
many classes are proven to be useful in the real world, this is
a reassurance of the strength of the Swanson School of
Engineering program. The education I am receiving is now
validated as I am learning skills that will be relevant to use
in my career.
with science courses since beginning my education at the
Swanson School of Engineering. The thought of continuing
this level of stress for the duration of the degree program and
then work in the field for the average length of a career does
not appeal to me.
REALITIES OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
In her daily life as a civil engineer, Jones Capers does
a variety of tasks in different locations, such as “working on
proposals or presentations for upcoming projects, conducting
interviews for new staff hires, preparing spreadsheets or
reports for ongoing projects or internal reporting” [2].
Outside of the office, Jones Capers is “in the field checking
on staff assigned to active projects or making marketing calls
to current and prospective clients” [2]. I would like to work
with people on a deeper personal level, beyond collecting
data for reports, to determine their needs to better serve them.
Construction sites pose a level of danger due to the heavy
equipment used and the presence of cars in the case of a
highway project [2]. Her experience is identical to the work
environment described by the Bureau of Labor Statistics;
“Civil engineers generally work in a variety of locations and
conditions. It is common for them to split their time between
working in an office and working outdoors at construction
sites” [1]. I would prefer not to work on projects as specific
as a specific stretch of highway or construction site; my goals
align more with overseeing the aesthetic placement and
design of buildings in cities.
Effects of Engineering Curriculum Presentation on
Overall Student Development and Success
The engineering curriculum gives students the required
math and science background but neglects other important
skills such as public speaking, writing and arts education.
The Australasian Journal of Engineering Education cites this
as a critical weakness in the teaching of the engineering
curriculum [3]. Both professionals and their clients are put at
a disadvantage when engineers do not learn how to
communicate their findings to people with a different
background. Even as an advanced engineer, Jones Capers
cites that “when writing technical reports or preparing
presentations, I have to be mindful of the audience and
ensure that I am writing or speaking in a manner that can be
understood, such as not using too many acronyms or jargon”
[2]. As a student who excels in English, it is important for
me to retain those skills through classes to use in my career
and throughout my life. I would also like to have a more
comprehensive education that does not focus solely on the
hard sciences and mathematics but includes the arts and
humanities. Along with being areas of interest, these courses
carry an important role in the development of students. The
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management has
recognized this area of weakness and describes the skills an
engineer needs should also include “practical ingenuity,
creativity, business and management fundamentals,
leadership ability, agility [and] resilience” [4].
The difficulty of the subject material relates to levels of
motivation. I and many of my peers have, at some point, lost
motivation to continue doing engineering related work;
Martin, Vital and Ellis found an explanation for this
phenomenon: “At all times, good students strive toward the
highest achievement level…[however] when goals are
unmet,…students may only focus on an outcome without
openness to exploration, growth, or understanding, and thus
inhibits implicit learning (Shalley 1995)” [5]. The restricted
selection of classes and standard of excellence enforced by
engineering programs increase stress levels for students,
reduce the effectiveness of their learning and leave little
room for creative exploration in education. I have
experienced this first hand. I do not see myself enjoying the
technical math and science calculations and applications as
they are difficult and not areas of my strength. I placed into
a lower level mathematics course and have been struggling
Job Outlook and Expectations
Civil engineers earn an average of $84,770 per year,
based on data from May 2017 [1]. This average salary is an
impressive figure that would support a higher standard of
living than I am used to from my parents’ non-engineering
professions. I feel confident that I could successfully provide
for myself and my family on a civil engineer’s salary which
gives me peace of mind. Civil engineering will always be
necessary as humans will always need buildings and
transportation; the projected job growth is another reassuring
factor that this would be a secure career choice. There are
currently 303,500 jobs available and the field is projected to
grow 11% between 2016 and 2026 [1]. Civil engineering is
a career based on strict deadlines and management of
multiple projects according to Jones Capers. In her
experience, there is “much to be done each and every day
with many deadlines. I have to stay organized, keep my
calendar current, and plan ahead to stay on track with various
commitments and deadlines” [2]. I do not work well under
the pressure of many deadlines, especially for projects that
are all very detailed; this is another negative aspect of civil
engineering.
Effects of Lacking Diversity
2
Erica Barnes
to transfer my undergraduate enrollment to the University of
Pittsburgh Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences
to pursue a degree in urban studies. To become a certified
urban planner, I will continue on to earn my master’s degree
in the field.
Diversity is an ongoing issue in engineering and all
STEM fields. As a minority in both gender and race, I will
face difficulties in professional life that my Caucasian and
male peers will not. Jones Capers realized this and found an
African-American engineering firm that values racial
diversity and made her feel comfortable [2]. This experience
is rare as the field still lacks minorities in high level
positions, and even less own independent companies. One
of my desires is to help end these barriers to success for
minorities. They create environments where minorities are
judged by race and not the quality of their work, women face
increased risk for sexual harassment and the glass ceiling,
along with wage disparity for both gender and race [6]. This
climate deters me from the field as I do not want to receive
less opportunities and recognition because of outdated views.
SOURCES
[1] “Civil Engineers.” Bureau of Labor Statistics
Occupational Outlook Handbook. 04.13.2018. Accessed
09.29.2018.
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-andengineering/civil-engineers.htm#tab-.
[2] H. Jones Capers. Senior Vice President of Operations and
Manager of Transportation at G. Stephens Inc. Email
interview regarding civil engineering. 09.30.2018.
[3] J. E. Mills, D. F. Treagust. “ENGINEERING
EDUCATION – IS PROBLEMBASED OR PROJECTBASED LEARNING THE ANSWER?” The Australasian
Association for Engineering Education Inc. 2003. Accessed
10.01.2018.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/238670687_AUS
TRALASIAN_JOURNAL_OF_ENGINEERING_EDUCA
TION_Co-Editors.
[4] J. S. Russell. “Shaping the Future of the Civil
Engineering Profession.” Journal of Construction
Engineering & Management. 2013. Accessed 10.01.2018.
http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid
=4&sid=615d7e45-538e-4632-b443b68ad8a274e6%40sdc-v-sessmgr01.
[5] H. Martin, S. Vital, L. Ellis, and C. Obrien-Delpesh.
“Motivating Civil Engineering Students: Self-Determinacy
Perspective.” Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering
Education and Practice, 144 (4). 10.2018. Accessed
10.01.2018.
https://ascelibrary.org/doi/10.1061/%28ASCE%29EI.19435541.0000374#e_1_2_4_1.
[6] M. S. Bronzini, J. M. Mason Jr., J. P. Tarris, E. Zaki.
“Choosing a Civil Engineering Career: Some Market
Research Findings." Journal of Professional Issues in
Engineering Education & Practice. 1995. Accessed
10.01.2018.
http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid
=4&sid=615d7e45-538e-4632-b443b68ad8a274e6%40sdc-v-sessmgr01.
REASSESSMENT AND REALIZATIONS
I want to spend my life doing work that positively
impacts the lived experience of people in urban areas. This
includes properly allocating resources to communities and
ending racial disparity though urban design. As someone
who grew up in an African American neighborhood in a
small town, I saw many peers attend schools with lesser
academic and professional resources, have decreased
motivation to succeed and settle for a lackluster life in the
same place they have always lived. My hometown of Akron,
Ohio lacks the aesthetic appeal and resources of a large city
such as New York City. I desire a career that will allow me
to transform towns like my own and create new
environments that provide residents with opportunities to
explore their interests and strengths in a variety of career
fields and activities. Civil engineering limits this desire due
to its technical nature. It focuses on the science and
mathematics behind buildings and transportation which is
only a small component of the overall goal of my career. I
enjoy public policy and learning how to collaborate with the
government and the public to create designed environments
more than calculations and experiments. I do not see myself
wanting to visit construction sites or fill spreadsheets with
calculations and measurements. I envision myself meeting
with community developers and businesses to decide if they
will be an asset to their desired neighborhood placement and
creating safer streets for neighborhoods with children and
schools.
Civil engineers work mostly with other engineers; I
want to work with a variety of professionals as well as
members of the community. A career in urban planning
aligns with my career goals more than civil engineering does.
The undergraduate program for urban planning, which is
under the major of urban studies, has a comprehensive liberal
arts curriculum that will cater to my strengths and interests.
The courses offered will teach me the skills necessary to
become a professional urban planner. I have taken the steps
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank Halle Jones Capers for her
mentorship and answers to my interview questions.
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