Civil engineering technologists apply the use of CAD (computer-aided design) to civil engineering in a variety of areas such as: applied research, structural design, urban services design, project management, highway design, pavement design, geotechnical design, and foundation design. The career offers you the opportunity to work in a variety of settings ranging from multidisciplinary engineering teams or in support of engineers, architects, or industrial designers, or as part of a larger multidisciplinary team. Employment opportunities are high as there is a great demand for civil engineering technologists. You can find employment in consulting, or with construction companies, utility companies, resource and manufacturing companies, and all levels of government. There is also a wide range of other private and public establishments.

Here are some of the activities you might perform as a civil engineering technologist:

• Develop and prepare engineering drawings, plans, diagrams, or layouts from sketches
• Operate computer-assisted design (CAD) or conventional drafting workstations
• Complete documentation packages and produce drawing sets
• Check and verify design drawings to conform to specifications and design data
• Develop project management skills, such as construction schedules and cost control
• Prepare contracts and tender documents
• Prepare construction specifications, costs and materials estimates
• Plan, design, construct and manage various infrastructure projects
• Evaluate environmental impact of various construction projects

The educational requirements are a diploma from a technical college or institute that ranges from a 2-3 year program. There is generally a co-op placement as part of the course work. We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Civil Engineering Technologist, Andre Royer, to ask him about his work. He is the Senior Designer at Stantec, a firm located in Lethbridge, Alberta. He has been working at his current job for the past nine years. Stantec is a 'multi-disciplinary' company, which means they cover several types of engineering such as mechanical, municipal, urban land management, and transportation. They design and create solutions for all of these areas of the engineering sector. To read the interview, click here.

To locate a Civil Engineering Technology program at a college in your province, please click here.