In recent years, America has become aware that many of our public works infrastructures, such as roads, bridges, airports, tunnels, etc., have reached old age and are in desperate need of repair or replacement. The collapse of bridges and overpasses has caused fatalities. This situation has created a shortage of civil engineers to design and direct the repair of our public works. This article will give you information needed if interested in a career in civil engineering in West Virginia.
The basic education requirement to obtain a civil engineering license in West Virginia is a bachelor’s degree. Both West Virginia University and Marshall University offer excellent programs in civil engineering. As with any degree, civil engineering students are required to take usual core classes such as English, science and history. In addition to those classes, civil engineering students concentrate on mathematics and physics.
A degree in civil engineering also requires classes in:
- fundamentals of soils
- structural engineering
- transportation engineering
- environmental engineering
Most often a graduate degree is necessary to obtain managerial positions with engineering firms. Civil engineers spend their days performing a wide variety of tasks such as:
- designing projects on both paper and computers
- performing tests on materials and soils to ensure stability
- analyzing data such as traffic patterns and flows or water systems pressures
Once you have obtained a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, you will need to obtain four years of experience before you are eligible to take the civil engineering professional licensing exam. The West Virginia Board of Registration for Professional Engineers requires you can complete an application for the professional engineer examination. Along with the completed application, you must also submit a copy of your college transcript, references from other professional engineers, a work experience report, an educational plan of study agreement and all appropriate fees.
The outlook for employment as a civil engineer is at an all time high. Not only are there presently many job opportunities for civil engineers but the growth rate for this field is expected to grow as much as 24% annually, a much higher rate than most other jobs. This increase is due to both population increases and the great need for both construction and repair of our infrastructures. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the beginning median income for civil engineers in 2010 was just over $77,000 a year.