Civil engineers plan, design, supervise, manage and maintain large construction projects. Some of these projects are constructing buildings, stadiums, power lines, roads, railways, airports, tunnels, dams, harbours, bridges, water systems and sewage works. Civil engineering is a wide field and one can specialize in geotechnical work, transportation, construction, structural design, marine environment, municipal services, hydraulic engineering or project management. Civil engineering work is demanding but also creative and rewarding, as the results can be seen and are long-lasting.

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Civil engineers consider many issues in the design process, from construction costs and expected lifetime of a project to government regulations and possible environmental difficulties (such as earth tremors). Civil engineering work may also involve research, testing, production or maintenance.

Civil engineers use computers to create and study designs, test how a structure or system works and that it complies with the necessary standards, and write design instructions.

Civil Engineers are employed by government departments, provincial authorities, municipalities, construction companies, engineering and architectural companies, technikons and universities. Employers include the CSIR, SABS, Eskom, Iscor and Sasol. Some civil engineers work in private practice as independent consultants.

A civil engineer should:

• enjoy and have a good aptitude for mathematics and science
• have good spatial abilities and be able to picture things in three dimensions
• be energetic, intelligent and creative
• have good judgement and accuracy
• be responsible, persistent and able to make decisions
• have good communication, people and teamwork skills
• have good technical writing abilities
• be prepared to work long hours and travel
• be physically healthy and strong