Civil Engineering job market

waterford1988

I'm about to finish first year in civil and environmental engineering in UCC. I have always had an interest in Engineering, and found some of this year to be very interesting. However I am very concerned by the lack of job s out there for civil engineers at the moment and for what looks to be the forseeable future. I know it can be very difficult to tell, but is there any indications as to what the job market will be like in 3/4 yrs time. I don't thinkI want to be an engineer badly enough to sit around and wait for a job to come up or be working half weeks so I am considering switching to primary teaching.

Any advice offered would be greatly appreciated.

friendface

To be honest, I don't think there is any point in speculating on the job prospects 3/4 years from now. Civil engineering is generally badly hit during a recession but I really wouldn't let all the talk of doom and gloom in the construction industry put you off. Things will eventually pick up and civil engineering is always a profession that will be in demand.

If anything, I reckon that this recession will put more people off engineering and we will end up with a serious skill shortage in this area in a few years time. I am in my final year of Civil Engineering and I remember when I was applying for this course, the government were really pushing people to get into science and engineering as we were facing a shortage of skilled professionals in these sectors. Although, at the moment I am having serious difficulty securing any job, the same goes for graduates across a broad range of sectors including IT and teaching. It is not confined to construction.

If you find the course interesting, I say stick with it!

lg123

i disagree, i think when this recession turns around the levels of construction will never get back to anywhere near the levels they were at for the past 10 years. i imagine this would have a bigger impact on structural engineers at your end of things. there are a lot of people who are on the dole who expect to go back to their previous profession when things improve, people like brickies, plasterers and the like.

as you are edging on the environmental side of things, i think you should be a lot better set than a straight civil or structural engineering graduate.

Ninja101

Dude, engineering qualifications of any kind are useful to have and give you many options. Lots of graduates never work as engineers but join banks, IT, multinationals, do postgrads in science etc. if thats what you want. Also job satisfaction is important and many people who dived into finance etc for the money regret it and wished they did engineering.

And any monkey can be a primary teacher.

Foghorn Leghorn

If its something you really want to do Stick with it, You'll be ok
You still have 3 years study ahead of you anyway so who knows how things will look by then in the job market.

godtabh

A good comparison is what happened to CS and computer engineering after the dot com bomb

lg123

if primary teaching was your second choice on the CAO then i would put serious thought into it. i think over the next 6-8 years the engineering jobs market will be very competitive and to get into your preferred field you will need to get pretty lucky imo.

Dave-0

I am out of third level now about 4~5 years, straight out I got the opportunity to work in the middle east and its working out alright. Since we all dont have a clue what on earth will happen in the next 3/4 years my advice would be to stick it out in order to keep your options open. I know with my degree that I could teach physics, maths and applied maths in a secondary school if i did a year long course somewhere in Ireland. Check out your one. Now can a secondary scheel teacher do a year long course to work in Engineering? No. Keep your options open mate. Stay the course and dont bitch and moan about it all, in 3 years time people may have to pay thousands to carry out the third level courses. Also, join the IEI (institute of engineers ireland) or what ever society will accrediate you NOW. Dont make it one of those things that you need to get around to one day. Use them to their full potential. No one will hand you a career on a silver platter. In the end of the day dont be afraid to pack that bag and get on a plane to kick start that career.

pipelaser

Had been working as a Site engineer for 5 years since graduating with a Degree in Civil Engineering.
The comapny i worked for went into Liquidation 3 months ago and im flat out applying ever since, havent even had an Interview...

Was just wondering what people think about getting into Environmental Engineering?
I could afford to do it for a year which would leave me with a Diploma in Environmental Engineering.

Are there any Environmental engineers out there that can tell me if its even worth doing it, will a diploma be any use to me or has Environmental engineering completely gone out the window aswell?

Any comments or opinion welcome!

waterford1988

Not sure if you would be interesed but a great masters course is the masters in sustainable energy in ucc. Seems to be very popular down here. Thats where most of the jobs in engineering for the future seems to be heading. Maybe give the engineering office a ring down there and talk to someone.

dan_d

To waterford1988 - I wouldn't worry too much about the construction industry.It could never have been sustained the way it was and we'll always need engineers.That said, you might graduate and find you never work a day as an eng in your life.I know a guy who graduated in the 80s - he's never worked as a civil engineer and believe me, he's done very well for himself. Most of my friends are engineers, and many are in different countries now doing a huge range of things.I met someone reently who did business ( or something related) and graduated a few years before I did (about 6 yrs ago?). As the conversation went along, we were talking about careers and stuff that my frineds were doing. He commented that all the engineers he's ever come across have become scattered around the world, or else know people who are, and they are all doing really interesting things.It's true!It's a very versatile degree to have, don't think you are limited to a building site or a design office because you've got a civil engineering degree.You can work in finance, education, lecturing, planning, even the legal side of things.People are interested in your problem solving and mathematical skills which can be applied across a broad range of careers.

greener&leaner

Engineering as a degree basically teaches you to solve problems.
Personally I think it's the single most versatile type of degree.

If you have an engineering degree and want to go into any field you pretty much can. In retraining terms, the most you'll need is a one year masters, but as often as not a company who's willing to take you on and give you on the job training will do just as well. If you do go the Engineering + add on course route, you're a better candidate for virtually any job then someone who just has the straightforward degree.

Nedved85

waterford1988 wrote: »

Not sure if you would be interesed but a great masters course is the masters in sustainable energy in ucc. Seems to be very popular down here. Thats where most of the jobs in engineering for the future seems to be heading. Maybe give the engineering office a ring down there and talk to someone.

I was thinking of doing that, have a Civil Degree already from NUIG,

Stick with the course OP, its a good degree to have!

Murts-Rig

waterford1988 wrote: »

Not sure if you would be interesed but a great masters course is the masters in sustainable energy in ucc. Seems to be very popular down here. Thats where most of the jobs in engineering for the future seems to be heading. Maybe give the engineering office a ring down there and talk to someone.

You might be able to change course to energy engineering.