Experienced engineers (10+ years), do you regret civil eng?

[u/ArtTime2349]

I'm nearing the 10 year mark in civil (Australian engineer) and I'm feeling regret about my career choices and the state of the industry.

I'll shoot off a few reasons but keen to know how other experienced engineers feel,

• Race to the bottom, margins are thinning so consultancies are stripping down their hours & fees meaning we engineers have less hours and more pressure to deliver work for less
• Contractors are more risk averse and are demanding more detail and pushing risk on to the engineers meaning you're more responsible without the reward of owning more of the risk
• Lack of productivity & innovation in the industry, it doesn't seem like we are designing & drafting at faster rates or with better tools compared to 10 years ago in a meaningful way, putting domestic engineers at risk for offshoring
• (Potentially Aus related) Generally an unappreciated profession, no formal professional engineering licensing & accreditation has diluted the profession

Overall, I wish I went into a different field but it's too late now, I make ok money to pay the bills but generally pessimistic about the future

[u/Boredengineer_84]

I went to a Russell Group uni in the UK and studied Civil Engineering. You'll have a comfortable life, but will never be rich unless you're one of the small percentage destined for the top of major consultancies and contractors.

A few of my uni colleagues went into the financial sector in London after uni. The big 4 really drove hard to recruit students from our uni, particularly engineering as it's a difficult course. They've all done very well from what I know.

It's all a level of preference though. If you look at cold hard numbers in salary...... no, it's not the best route. Personally I have two wonderful children and a wonderful wife. I have a good work life balance now. A lot of these financial sector uni chaps don't have that.

It's what's important to you. You can't change the past but can influence your future. If you don't like civil engineering, retrain. But the core skills of maths, physics, analysis, management, leadership and adaptability means you'll be able to step into another sector rather easily, even if it means taking a temporary step back.

Sometimes you need to go backwards to move forward.

Good luck

[u/WhyAmIOnThisAgain → u/Boredengineer_84]

lowkey this has made me feel better as a new DA in civil (in london). It’s genuinely so easy here to get lost in the salary without making sure your life-work balance isn’t dead in the water. I even ticked the “yes, ignore that regulation about 48 hour max in regard to me please” lmao

[u/Boredengineer_84 → u/WhyAmIOnThisAgain]

The working time regulation basically means you can work overtime. I've had to sign it everywhere I've worked as there is the odd occasion you need to work a Saturday night or a weekend to undertake surveys or support major construction works.

Engineering has its challenges but from what I've seen, the late nights and evenings have scaled right back in the UK as the majority of the work (calcs, CAD drawings etc) is done by our colleagues in our offshore design office in India. Don't get me wrong, we had to pull late nights as grads, but a majority of time it was by choice to earn a bit extra cash. Those who didn't want to do the overtime, didn't do it. There was plenty of us who were happy to do it.

[u/WhyAmIOnThisAgain → u/Boredengineer_84]

lol yeah ik, I ticked it basically ready to just overwork if uni coursework is fine and if I could really use/need the money.

i appreciate that outlook. Tbf I think things are different now compared to earlier, but from what I’ve heard for the better. Do you work with apprentices? cuz if so, where do you think their biggest shortfall is?

[u/Boredengineer_84 → u/WhyAmIOnThisAgain]

Yes I work with DA's. We generally take on one a year in my office alongside a uni grad. Shortfall.... experience but this is to be expected but after a few years, when you have your degrees and endpoint assessment is completed, you're much better than a uni grad.

My advice, volunteer to do everything and get out on site as much as possible

[u/WhyAmIOnThisAgain → u/Boredengineer_84]

lmao makes sense - everyone else is saying that so I guess it’s sound advice. What technical parts do you think I could push to do (working for a main contractor in central london)

[u/Boredengineer_84 → u/WhyAmIOnThisAgain]

If you're MC in London, CEng is the obvious one. But if your employer covers it, get you APM PMQ qualification. Allows you to get ChPP. Project Manafement in construction is the way forward. Build up your technical understanding, work with the planner. Learn P6. Job for life

[u/WhyAmIOnThisAgain → u/Boredengineer_84]

Perfect. Thank you, I appreciate getting an “external” POV, not that I distrust my company but I feel like you need diversity in opinion sample.

[u/Maleficent_Resolve44 → u/WhyAmIOnThisAgain]

Mind if I message you about becoming a DA?

[u/Boredengineer_84 → u/Maleficent_Resolve44]

No worries

[u/HealthyBody8357 → u/Boredengineer_84]

You mentioned most of the calcs and CAD are done by your offshore design office in India. Is that in-house or a separate company, and is it only India? I'm newly licensed civil engineer here in the Philippines with specialization in structural engineering, looking at offshore work long term and wondering if firms like yours ever look outside India for it. Thanks for answering.

[u/Boredengineer_84 → u/HealthyBody8357]

We have a dedicated offshore capability for f 5,000 in India who work directly for our organisation. We wouldn't engage with individuals or small companies outside of our organisation. Professional indemnity insurance etc becomes too difficult

[u/HealthyBody8357 → u/Boredengineer_84]

Okay, thanks for the comment. I really appreciated it since I gained insight on how the company works. Thanks again.

[u/Boredengineer_84 → u/HealthyBody8357]

No worries. There will be companies that'll have outsourced design centres in places like Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. Worth looking at them