Jimmy Norman
Career Research
1714 words
Bridging The Gap
In 1992, Hurricane Andrew, a category five hurricane, tore through our beautiful state
causing billion dollars in damage in property. Anyone who has experienced Hurricanes knows
the severity of the storms, and Andrew was Florida’s worse Hurricane since Donna that hit in the
fifties. Hurricane Andrew went in the history books as the second most destructive Hurricane in
U.S. history (Cottier 2007). News on T.V. reported the aftermath of Andrew, and also reported
about the Army Corp of Engineers. They were deployed by the president to come help with the
rebuild of the disaster area, mostly in the Broward area. The Army Corp of Engineers consists of
enlisted soldiers in the U.S. Army who specializes in Engineering. Engineers help build
skyscrapers, houses, roads, bridges, dams, and levees. Engineering is defined by the American
Engineer’s Council for Professional Development (ECPD) as,
“the creative application of scientific principles to design or
develop structures, machines, apparatus, or manufacturing
processes, or works utilizing them singly or in combination: or to
construct or operate the same with full cognizance of their design;
or to forecast their behavior under specific operating conditions: all
as respects an intended function, economics of operation and safety
to life and property (Engineering).”
If you were to research Florida’s history on Hurricanes, you would discover that the Army Corp
of Engineers has assisted Florida long before Hurricane Andrew. The Hurricane of 1928, which
killed around three thousand people, caused the founding of the Okeechobee Flood Control
District in which; worked, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to follow a plan and develop
the Hoover Dike (The Hurricane). Anyone interested in working as a Civil Engineer should
research on the profession, because it will inform you about it therefore; motivating, you to
evermore obtain a degree in the Engineering field.
Civil Engineering is one of the four main branches of the engineering profession which
focuses on the design and construction of private and public works, such as buildings, dams,
bridges, and infrastructure (“Engineering”). If you’re a great problem solver, this would be a
great profession because of all the critical thinking it involves. The profession allows you to
expand your mind into thinking up new concepts and perform mathematical equations. Around
2550 BC, the famous stepped pyramid of King Zoser was built by the help of the first
documented civil engineer, making it one of the oldest professions in the world (“History”). It’s
amazing to know that even though technology has changed the way the profession is practiced,
the basic fundamentals about Civil Engineering have remain the same since the first
documentation. Planning a huge project could be overwhelming to anyone. Consider all the
timing, planning, and preparation that you have to do, but to see all your work created from
paper to an actual structure would be a milestone anyone would like to achieve in their life.
Civil Engineering is the oldest of the main branches, and John Smeaton was the first person to
actually call himself a Civil Engineer (“History”). It was very interesting to discover that this
was even documented, but it would be honorable to be named in history as the first Civil
Engineer. To become one, challenging times are to be expected.
Everyone must also consider the liability factor that the profession has. For instance, if a
structures collapses due to a defect on the design, the blame would be put on the design team that
consists of Civil Engineers. To give you an idea how many people depend on the works of Civil
Engineers, 936 vehicles were observed crossing the bridge in Labelle from ten to eleven in the
morning (“Bridge”). That’s just one bridge out of thousands in the country that was observed for
an hour that society depends on for commuting, commerce, and transportation of freight.
Needless to say, the Federal Highway estimates a twenty year investment of $131.7 billion is
needed for highway and bridges (“Steel”). It is also reported that and estimated 107 million cars
per day cross bridges that missed their two year inspection, which is required that all bridges
have (Dedman 2012). As you can see in figure one, out of the twenty people (civilians) asked,
how they felt about the roads they drive on, eighty percent said that they cared (“Survey”).
Survey 2012 Question 1
Care 80%
Don't 20%
Bridges and highways are considered part of the infrastructure that links through the United
States, and without them and the help of Civil Engineers, transportation would be chaotic.
Interstate highways consist thousands of bridges that connect the highways that are vital to the
economy in the country. Our country depends on the profession in civil engineering to help
secure our country’s infrastructure. Good quality building material is essential in building
durable structures to withstand hurricane force winds. Fourteen out of twenty people didn’t care
about the building material used for construction in structures (“Survey”). Many Americans are
unaware that the buildings they are in everyday consist of building material chosen by civil
engineers. Civil engineers must use their education and skills to make moral decisions in their
jobs, and sometimes some are poor decisions are made just to cut building costs which leads to
major even fatal problems. This is one of the reasons why education and strict state exams are
required in order for a civil engineer to become state certified.
Starting at a state college is great way for anyone to start their journey in becoming a
civil engineer. After two years and graduating with your associates you would have to attend an
accredited university for your Bachelor’s degree. A Bachelor’s degree is the minimum
requirement for most Civil Engineering jobs, but after completing core course requirements,
some students embark on advanced topics such as structural analysis and thermodynamics
(Civil). Advance math courses, physics, and chemistry are a requirement for this profession, and
technology is always improving therefore; you, would have to enroll in technical programs to
learn new skills in which; is, the best thing to do to improve your credentials. In order for a Civil
Engineer to provide their services to the public, he or she must complete a Professional Engineer
(PE) state licensing requirements (Civil). In Michael W. Dawson, P.E. web’s profile, his advice
to potential Civil Engineering students is they should include English, business, and
communication courses in their electives (Sloan). Technical communication has become
important in Civil Engineering. Having to speak with the community and translate the work that
you are doing in order for them to understand will be challenging. That is why it is important for
you to take your electives seriously and develop new strategies to be an effective communicator.
Possessing strong effective communication skills will improve your credibility with the
community and be an asset to your career. Schools have begun to realize that civil engineers in
practice today don’t have the skills they needed in communication skills, public relations, and
presentation skills (Reuss 2012).
Completing all the education and PE requirements to become a Civil Engineer will be a
great accomplishment in your life and the job outlook seems to be fulfilling. Employment for
Engineers is expected to grow over the next ten years, but growth will vary by specialty
therefore; Civil, Engineers should see the largest employment gain (United States Job). The job
outlook seems to be a great incentive for any engineering student that is undecided on what
specialty to endeavor in. The annual mean for Civil Engineers in Florida is $80,810 (United
States Occupational). Do not expect this to be your salary right out of college but rest assure in
the fact that you will get that annual mean as you gain experience. The U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics (BLS) reported the results of a survey taken in July 2009 by the National Association
of Colleges and Employers that reported the average entry-level Civil Engineer salary was
$52,048 (“How”). That is actually a great starting salary for an entry-level Civil Engineering
position, but no student should take interest in a career for just the money. It takes a great sense
of passion and respect for what anyone does in their profession especially in Civil Engineering.
There are many great locations that any Civil Engineer could find employment in
however; they, should be interested in remaining in our sunshine state because of its rapid
growth and Florida’s great weather. It would be a great advantage to be able to work out doors
all year round to improve your experience in working out in the community. Collier County has
a Transportation Engineering Department that includes four sections that work together to
produce quality product for each needed project, and the roadway, storm water and bridge
project management section involves Civil Engineers (United States Collier). That is a great
county position for potential employment that anybody might consider after becoming a Civil
Engineer. Florida’s study growth in population causes need for bigger roads, more housing, and
bridges therefore; the demand for Civil Engineers in Florida rise. Several positions for Civil
Engineers are posted on the internet, which are located in Florida (“Civil & Environmental
Engineering”).
Many challenging obstacles lay ahead for any Engineering student, but with dedication
and time you shall persevere. Find all you knowledge not to be a discouragement but motivation
to continue your pursuit of your goal, and that is to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Civil
Engineering. Civil Engineers in the field today have trouble translating their concepts and
presenting them to the public. This information can be important to upcoming Engineering
students, and encourage them to take their communication courses seriously to sharpen their
skills. As a future Civil Engineer, you should plan to bridge the gap of communication between
the profession and the public. Eighty percent of the public cared about the job duties of Civil
Engineers (“Survey”). It should be your job as a Civil Engineer to communicate effectively with
those eighty percent who care, and try your hardest to get through the other twenty percent that
don’t care, to be interested in Civil Engineering. Many people are aware of what Civil Engineers
help build, but lack the understanding of the job duties of a Civil Engineer. Being an ethical
professional Civil Engineer and making a positive influence on society should be your ultimate
goal if interest in pursuing a career as a Civil Engineer.