READING COMPREHENTION ACTIVITY

Essential Civil Engineering Skills

BEFORE READING

1. Look for the meaning of these words and draw:

HIGHWAYS, BRIDGES, DAMS, AIRPORTS, ROADS, TUNNELS, WIND TURBINES.

2. Match

1.highly competitive _____crecer y fomentar

2.proper training _____peligros medioambientales
3.wide range _____planes de larga escala
4.grow and foster _____tener en cuenta cumplimientos legales
5.success. _____ establecer objetivos globales
6.oversee _____altamente competitivos
7.a solid knowledge _____testear el suelo (terreno)
8.establishing an overall goal _____éxito
10.test the soil _____supervisar
11.environmental hazards _____amplio rango
12.large-scale plans _____entrenamiento apropiado
13.keeping in mind compliance _____altamente competitivo

Essential Civil Engineering Skills

In today’s highly competitive global world, civil engineers who possess the proper training,
education, and experience often find they have multiple professional opportunities and
options. These highly-skilled engineers use their wide range of knowledge to grow and
foster successful careers in both the public and private sectors.

For those civil engineers who are early on in their professional journey or those who are
looking to further their advancement, it’s important to have a solid knowledge of the
essential civil engineering skills that are necessary for success.

One way civil engineers can develop or enhance their skill set is by earning an
online Master of Science in Civil Engineering degree.

What Does a Civil Engineer Do?

Civil engineers play an essential role in the building of public projects. They supervise the
construction projects they design, for government organizations or in the private sector.
Civil engineers oversee a variety of projects relating to highways, bridges, dams,
airports, roads, tunnels, and other infrastructure. They work on construction sites as
well as in offices.
Civil engineers are involved in establishing an overall goal and vision for projects, as well
as surveying the cost of materials and labor. While they create long-term plans for
projects, they also analyze the day-to-day details of how projects are progressing.

After securing approval to build by local, state, or federal organizations, civil engineers test
the soil of project sites and select building materials accordingly. In addition to identifying
environmental hazards, civil engineers are responsible for writing risk-analysis reports
about potential hazards. Civil engineers also work on repairing infrastructures that have
been damaged by environmental factors or other causes.

Civil Engineer Qualifications

The job description of civil engineers requires professionals to create and design large-
scale plans, keeping in mind compliance with a variety of regulations. Due to the range of
job duties, professionals in the field need to have certain qualifications and demonstrate
certain civil engineering skills.

For those starting in the field, the first step is to earn a bachelor’s degree in civil
engineering, civil engineering technology, or a specialized branch of engineering. Some
people choose to specialize in specific areas of civil engineering, such as transportation
engineering, structural engineering, or geotechnical engineering, among others.

After completing conventional classroom courses and fieldwork, bachelor’s degree

graduates may pursue a master’s degree in civil engineering.

3. SELECT THE CORRECT TITLE FOR EACH PARAGRAPH

Leadership Skills // Problem Solving // Technical Training // Mathematical

Skills // Decision Making // Organizational Skills // Written Communication Skills
//Oral Communication Skills

Civil Engineering Skills

The following skills are essential for professionals who are committed to finding success in
the engineering field.

1.

The foundation for any career in engineering, especially the field of civil engineering, is an
understanding and working knowledge of science. This includes chemistry, physics,
biology, and the computer sciences. Some states also require that civil engineers
obtain a Professional Engineer’s license (PE), especially when working with the public.

2.

The principles of mathematics are applicable to the day-to-day duties and routines of civil
engineers. To succeed as a civil engineer, engineering students need to have a thorough
(deep) understanding of algebra, calculus, trigonometry, and geometry. In some areas
of specialization, such as transportation engineering and water resources engineering, a
basic understanding of statistics is a plus.

3.

Civil engineers at every level need to be able to communicate in a clear and concise way
via written reports and correspondence. Often, civil engineers communicate with other
professionals of various backgrounds, such as architects, urban planners, regional
planners, and other technicians and tradespeople. Other aspects of the job may
require communicating with elected officials, citizens, and others who may not possess
technical backgrounds in engineering or science. This varied communication requires civil
engineers to write in an easily understandable and straightforward (direct and easy)
manner for their many audiences.

4.

Another essential civil engineering skill includes oral communication. This entails (means)
being able to listen to clients, officials, team members, and other skilled workers to
effectively grasp their concerns and requests. Strong speaking skills are also necessary
for civil engineers to concisely explain complex technical information to coworkers
and other project stakeholders.

5.

In large part, responsibility for the outcomes (results) of projects falls on the civil engineers
who manage them. Therefore, it is important that managers have significant leadership
skills when overseeing (supervising) planners, technicians, technologists, surveyors,
contractors, and others who contribute directly to projects. This involves being able to
plan and prioritize, manage time effectively, delegate duties when necessary, make
decisions with confidence and authority, and motivate all members of the team.

6.

One of the main duties of a licensed civil engineer is to monitor and evaluate the
progress of work at a job site. This includes making sure staff are in compliance with
design documents, project plans, and other rules and regulations. Licensed civil engineers
are also the only ones who can sign design documents for infrastructure projects.
Being responsible for official project documents, working on multiple projects at once,
organizing project information, managing teams, and allocating resources means civil
engineers must have finely tuned organizational skills.

7.

Problem-solving is another vital civil engineering skill. During the different stages of a
project, such as planning and construction, engineers encounter a number of variables
that will influence the progress and outcome of a project. This is when engineers need to
harness their skills, education, and experience to find safe and cost-effective
solutions to the issues (things that happens) that arise while keeping a project on track.

8.
While working as a leader and manager of a project, a civil engineer will need to consider
the available (diponible) information, conflicting constituent goals, professional ethics,
financial responsibilities, and safety concerns when making decisions. They need to have
confidence in themselves, their teams, and the information at hand to make decisions
that are clear and effective. Also, when mistakes are made, effective civil engineers take
responsibility, learn from what went wrong, and guide the project on a new path.

4. READ AND ANSWER

TRUE OR FALSE

1. A Civil engineer only duty is to design projects.

2. A Civil engineer decides if the soil is safe or dangerous for construction.

3. Technical training, includes the knowledge of sciences like biology.

4. The Civil engineering almost never communicate with other professionals,

they only work with their clients.

5. The mathematical skills are used every day in the job of a Civil
Engineering.

6. The oral communicative skills is important to tell stories to their

coworkers.

7. Within the Civil engineering responsibilities as a leader is time

management and motivate the team

CHOOSE TWO ESSENTIAL CIVIL ENGINEERING SKILLS, AND WRITE EXAMPLES

OR IDEAS ABOUT YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE WHERE YOU HAVE USED THEM OR
NEEDED THEM.
Obtenido de https://onlinemasters.ohio.edu/blog/essential-skills-for-a-career-in-civil-engineering/