Civil Engineering

Andzmoore

Hi, i am currently in 5th year in secondary school my local it Dundalk has two courses available a straight level 8 civil engineering course (First year study 3 types of engineering then specialise) Im wondering would this be a solid career id also plan to move on and get a masters in renewable energy, is this a viable career path. if anyone has any experience in any of these sectors and input would be appreciated.
Thank you!

Greengekko

yes this is a viable career path. The way the engineering course is structured is decent as it gives you an insight into the different types of engineering. I presume it might be a mixture of civil/mechanical/electrical engineering.

I would look at building services engineering as this is becoming an important job. With a focus on new building being as energy efficient as possible there is a huge focus on services (Heating/Plumbing/ventilation/electricity). Salary is good.

I would suggest looking at companies where you could get summer placement. This will give you a good idea of what its actually like to work in that particular industry. Eg. work environment, hours and level of commitment. Construction is not a 9-5 job and does require you to work more hours than other industries in order to meet deadlines.

My thoughts as an engineer, definitely do the summer placement - it will open your eyes and if you like it will benefit you hugely during your studies.

Andzmoore

Where would I be able to find a summer internship at age of 17? I wouldn’t imagine many companies would be willing to take me on without and qualifications. Thank you for your reply it is greatly appreciated to hear from someone with knowledge on this topic

Greengekko

No problem.

GRAD Ireland could be helpful, email them and see could they point you in the right direction:

https://gradireland.com/career-sectors/construction-civil-engineering-and-qs/work-experience-in-the-construction-industry

Or else go direct to the companies, email HR or better ring them and ask can you speak to someone in HR. explain you are a young student looking for a summer internship

Civil/Building contractors
https://bamcareers.com/int/students-and-graduates/
http://www.johnsiskandson.com/work-with-us/opportunities
https://www.farrans.com/search?search=internship

Building Services:
http://joneseng.com/
https://www.mercuryeng.com/


Any other questions let me know.

Andzmoore

Thank you for your time and the detailed replies it’s hugely appreciated! It’s a great help to have somewhere to look. Once again thank you so much!

sk777

I'm a civil engineer and can tell you it is not a great job. In university it will require 40 hours per week of lectures/labs and then 20 hours a week on projects/homework. Need a masters for chartership now too. When you do get a job it will be for poor money and it wont improve. Also, many of the companies shown on the post above are contractors. If you work with them it will be 60 hours per week.

Greengekko

sk777 wrote: »

I'm a civil engineer and can tell you it is not a great job. In university it will require 40 hours per week of lectures/labs and then 20 hours a week on projects/homework. Need a masters for chartership now too. When you do get a job it will be for poor money and it wont improve. Also, many of the companies shown on the post above are contractors. If you work with them it will be 60 hours per week.

I fully agree with you sk777. I have experience with main contractors. Construction engineering pay does not reflect the work put in during college and on the job. I believe this has come about due to the recession, with many engineers seeking positions it was a case of take this pay or piss off. You are only a number to these companies and your position will be filled immediately.
Is there a Union for Engineers/Site managers? where standards of pay and hours could be set out. Probably wouldn't matter as said earlier another person will just step in take your position.

Anyway Engineering can be a really rewarding in the sense of job satisfaction where you get a sense of accomplishment in completing tasks and moving on to the next section of works. The jobs are interesting and most weeks are different. An office job might have lower hours but stuck in an office all day can be hell