A career in Civil Engineering in The Commonwealth of Virginia can be rewarding and with a variety of career paths from which to choose there will be plenty of employment opportunities for years to come.
Getting into engineering school requires a strong report card in math and science along with successful completion of courses in English, social studies and computers.
A bachelor’s in engineering is needed for all entry-level engineering jobs while college graduates with a degree in science or mathematics may be eligible for some job openings.
In addition to the curriculum, an engineer should be:
- creative
- curious
- analytical
- detail oriented
People skills are important as an engineer may be required to work as a team member.
Depending on which area of engineering a person enters, their typical day might be analyzing reports and maps, planning and designing transportation systems, estimating quantities and cost of materials needed or even direct construction, operations and maintenance at the project site.
Upon graduation a person is eligible to sit for their EIT (Engineer in Training License). After a successful two year period, they can then apply for the PE (Professional Engineer) License.
In Virginia, licensure is required for engineers. Occasionally a licensed professional engineer might supervise unlicensed certain civil engineer positions in state government. The Department of Professional and Occupational Regulations details the licensure requirements which are the same for Professional Engineer as well as Engineer in Training, the only exception being the initial license application where the EIT must show his desired designation.
Additionally, verification of graduation, courses taken, references and verification of work history must be included in the final package along with the completed application.
The license, once granted, is normally good for five years and requires annual continuing education which varies depending on the sub-speciality.
The career outlook for civil engineers is among the brightest in the country. With work opportunities booming in the growing northern Virginia suburbs of Washington DC to the shipyards in Tidewater and the mines in the western part of the state, there are a variety of public, private and NGO employment opportunities available.
Expected salary for a new EIT ranges from $50,000 – $75,000 depending on location, type of company as well as specific designation.