Job prospects for Civil Engineers in Australia

civil engineering jobs,

February 17, 2020

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Civil Engineering Professionals

• Design, plan, organise and oversee the construction of civil engineering projects such as dams, bridges, pipelines, gas and water supply schemes, sewerage systems, roads, airports and other structures;
• Analyse the likely behaviour of soil and rock when placed under pressure by proposed structures and design structural foundations;
• Analyse the statical properties of all types of structures and test the behaviour and durability of materials used in their construction;
• Plan and develop transportation systems;
• Estimate and monitor the construction costs of projects.

Tasks

• determining construction methods, materials and quality standards, and drafting and interpreting specifications, drawings, plans, construction methods and procedures
• organising and directing site labour and the delivery of construction materials, plant and equipment, and establishing detailed programs for the coordination of site activities
• obtaining soil and rock samples at different depths across sites and testing samples to determine strength, compressibility and other factors that affect the behaviour of soil and rock when a structure is imposed and determining the safe loading for the soil
• studying architectural and engineering drawings and specifications to estimate total costs, and preparing detailed cost plans and estimates as tools to assist in budgetary control
• monitoring changes to designs, assessing effects on cost, and measuring, valuing and negotiating variations to designs
• analysing structural systems for both static and dynamic loads
• designing structures to ensure they do not collapse, bend, twist or vibrate in undesirable ways
• assessing present and future travel flow patterns taking into account population increase and needs change
• designing the physical aspects of transportation systems such as highways, railroads, urban transit, air transportation, logistical supply systems and their terminals

Civil Engineers

Civil Engineers plan, design, organise and oversee the construction and operation of dams, bridges, pipelines, gas and water supply schemes, sewerage systems, airports and other civil engineering projects.

Tasks

• Determines construction methods, materials and quality standards, and drafts and interprets specifications, drawings, plans, construction methods and procedures.
• Organises and directs site labour and the delivery of construction materials, plant and equipment, and establishes detailed programs for the co-ordination of site activities.
• Studies architectural and engineering drawings and specifications to estimate total costs, and prepare detailed cost plans and estimates as tools to assist in budgetary control.
• Monitors changes to designs, assesses effects on cost, and measures, values and negotiates variations to designs.
• Analyses structural systems for both static and dynamic loads.
• Designs structures to ensure they do not collapse, bend, twist or vibrate in undesirable ways.
• Assesses present and future travel flow patterns taking into account population increases and needs changes.
• Designs the physical aspects of transportation systems such as highways, railroads, urban transit, air transportation, logistical supply systems and their terminals.

Geotechnical Engineers

Geotechnical Engineers plan, direct and conduct survey work to analyse the likely behaviour of soil and rock when placed under pressure by proposed structures, and design above and below ground foundations.

Tasks

• Obtains soil and rock samples at different depths across sites and tests samples to determine strength, compressibility and other factors that affect the behaviour of soil and rock when a structure is imposed and determines the safe load for the soil.

Quantity Surveyors

Quantity Surveyors estimate and monitor construction costs from the project feasibility stage, through tender preparation, to the construction period and beyond.

Tasks

• Studies architectural and engineering drawings and specifications to estimate total costs, and prepare detailed cost plans and estimates as tools to assist in budgetary control.
• Monitors changes to designs, assesses effects on cost, and measures, values and negotiates variations to designs.

Structural Engineers

Structural Engineers analyse the statical properties of all types of structures, test the behaviour and durability of materials used in their construction, and design and supervise the construction of all types of structures.

Tasks

• Determines construction methods, materials and quality standards, and drafts and interprets specifications, drawings, plans, construction methods and procedures.
• Analyses structural systems for both static and dynamic loads.
• Designs structures to ensure they do not collapse, bend, twist or vibrate in undesirable ways.

Transport Engineers

Transport Engineers plan and develop transport systems to improve infrastructure efficiency and the cost effectiveness of moving people and freight.

Tasks

• Assesses present and future travel flow patterns taking into account population increases and needs changes.
• Designs the physical aspects of transportation systems such as highways, railroads, urban transit, air transportation, logistical supply systems and their terminals.

Prospects

The number of people working as Civil Engineering Professionals (in their main job) grew very strongly over the past 5 years and is expected to grow strongly over the next 5 years: from 53,300 in 2018 to 60,500 by 2023.

Job openings can come from new jobs being created, but most come from turnover (workers leaving).

There are likely to be around 28,000 job openings over 5 years (that’s about 5,600 a year).

• Size: This is a very large occupation.
• Unemployment: Unemployment was below average in 2018.
• Location: Civil Engineering Professionals work in many regions of Australia.
• Industries: Most work in Professional, Scientific and Technical Services; Construction; and Public Administration and Safety.
• Earnings: Full-time workers on an adult wage earn around $1,962 per week (higher than the average of $1,460). Earnings tend to be lower when starting out and higher as experience grows.
• Full-time: Most work full-time (90%, much higher than the average of 66%).
• Hours: Full-time workers spend around 46 hours per week at work (compared to the average of 44 hours).
• Age: The average age is 36 years (compared to the average of 40 years).
• Gender: 12% of workers are female (compared to the average of 48%).

Employers found it hard to fill vacancies for Civil Engineering Professionals in 2018. Find out more in the Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business latest report on Civil Engineering Professionals.

Useful links and resources

• Engineers Australia.
• Association of Professional Engineers Australia.
• Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia.
• The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy .
• Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors.
• Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors .
• The Australian Geomechanics Society.

Source: Department of Education, Skills and Employment, joboutlook.gov.au

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