Civil Engineering and Society

and Other Professions

By: Francisco, Alyssa Marie S.
BSCE 1-A
Civil Engineering as a Profession
Civil engineers conceive, design, build, supervise, operate,
construct and maintain infrastructure projects and systems in the
public and private sector, including roads, buildings, airports,
tunnels, dams, bridges, and systems for water supply and sewage
treatment. Many civil engineers work in planning, design,
construction, research, and education.
 Civil engineering is traditionally broken into a number of sub
disciplines. It is the second-oldest engineering discipline after military
engineering, and it is defined to distinguish non military engineering
from military engineering. Civil engineering takes place in the public
sector from municipal through to national governments, and in the
private sector from individual homeowners through to international
companies.
 Civil engineering is the application of physical and scientific principles 
for solving the problems of society, and its history is intricately linked
to advances in understanding of physics and mathematics throughout
history. Because civil engineering is a wide-ranging profession,
including several specialized sub-disciplines, its history is linked to
knowledge of structures, materials science, geography, geology, soils,
hydrology, environment, mechanics and other fields.
Duties of Civil Engineers
• Analyze long range plans, survey reports, maps, and other data to plan and
design projects
• Consider construction costs, government regulations, potential environmental
hazards, and other factors during the planning and risk-analysis stages of a
project
• Compile and submit permit applications to local, state, and other government
agencies, verifying that projects comply with various regulations
• Oversee and analyze the results of soil testing to determine the adequacy and
strength of foundations
Duties of Civil Engineers
 Analyze the results of tests on building materials, such as concrete, wood,
asphalt, or steel, for use in particular projects
 Prepare cost estimates for materials, equipment, or labor to determine a
project's economic feasibility
 Use design software to plan and design transportation systems, hydraulic
systems, and structures in line with industry and government standards
 Perform or oversee surveying operations to establish building locations, site
layouts, reference points, grades, and elevations to guide construction
 Manage the repair, maintenance, and replacement of public and private
infrastructure
Duties of Civil Engineers
• Civil engineers have a critical role in shaping the world around us.
• The opportunity to solve complex engineering problems, bringing construction and
infrastructure projects from a plan to realisation, has resulted in outstanding feats of
infrastructure and building development.
• Contemporary global examples of formidable projects include the world’s longest
bridge in China (Danyang–Kunshan Grand Bridge), the world’s tallest structure in
Dubai (Burj Khalifa), and the world’s longest undersea section (the English Channel
Tunnel), which acts as a shuttle for high-speed passenger trains and vehicles.
• Entry into the field is competitive, with those gaining professional engineer and
chartered status affording the best career opportunities. There are diverse specialisms
on offer, with an ongoing global demand for employment in the area
What is a Professional
Organization?
 An organization formed to unite and inform people who work in the same
occupation
 Organizations that act as a peak body or umbrella for professionals working in
the same or similar fields.
 These associations can define the profession and assist members to further the
profession through ongoing learning, quality control and research.
  They also seek to maintain standards within a profession, provide ongoing
professional development to members, and represent the interests of their
members to the government and community.
 Members are bonded together as they advocate for their peers and share their
challenges and triumphs with one another
 Many association members who lead busy professional lives depend on their
association to brief them on important industry trends, new legislative rulings,
and advances in technology.
Benefits of joining professional organizations:
Exclusive online resources
- Websites that provides members access to variety of messages
exclusively for members
- There are subscriptions that notify you via emails about all
special activities and upcoming events that are usually not open to
the general audience.
- Notifications that features a variety of topics like advancing
your career, running a business, or enhancing your technical
expertise.
Networking opportunities
- You can deepen your existing business relationships and forge new contacts regularly.
- You can attend periodic meetings, be an active member in a subcommittee, or take
up a more prominent role.
- You can make lasting ties with other professionals in your trade having common
interests or similar concerns. The relationships are mostly rich, and an ongoing source of
ideas and inspiration.
Professional development
- Professions require accredited and ongoing education to retain the license.
- Training and certification on the mastery of some particular skill, helps members to
increase their earnings.
- Professional associations often offer these courses free of cost or for a subsidized fee
for their members and do the work to establish the acceptance of continuing education
credits by the licensing board.
 Education
- Many professional organizations offer members to upgrade or refresh
their knowledge of trade and business expertise or acquire new skills in
workshops, seminars, conferences, and even online courses.
 Discounted or free publications
- Membership to a professional group includes free subscription to the
organization’s magazine, newsletter, and other publications. Some organizations
offer members free copies and discounts on journals, CDs, video tutorials etc.
 Seminars and conferences
- Members often get priority registration for any event held by the
organization. They may be offered on conference fees, special rates on
related expenses, like car booking, room reservation etc.
 Resume builder
- Graduates, just fresh from college, have limited or no work experience. A
professional organization could be a great resume builder for such people. If
you are an extremely active member of the association, you may even get a
chance of internship that will earn you valuable work experience.
- Your peers, not involved with a professional association, may lack the
valuable experience in their career.
- Even for a person who is employed and doesn’t need a new job, a
professional association can provide its members with opportunities to build
his/her resume as well.
- Established professionals may build their resume by obtaining a
leadership position, like being on a board of directors committee, or articles
published in the journal of the organization.
 Job hunting
- Members can use them to land a job of their choice.
- They can also submit their resumes so that recruiters and employers can see
them while searching for new talent.
-Hirers scan professional association job boards even for recruiting mid- level
managers.
- Can get a chance to attend industry events that expands your connections.
 Support systems
- Members of a professional organization can take advantage of formal
coaching or mentoring relationships with experienced businesspersons and can
learn from their useful insights and guidance.
- An informal basis, these contacts are often a valuable source of information and
solution when you face a challenging situation in your business.
-The feeling that you have a support system would boost your confidence, if
there’s a problem.
 Political clout
- Large national-level professional organizations usually have committees
that track federal and state legislative developments that impact their
particular industry and business.
- Such organizations wield significant political influence than that of
individual members.
- Joining such an organization, you can tap the group’s political clout and
resources.
 Civic leadership
- As a businessperson, you are unlikely to have the resources or time to
sponsor some charitable event, partner with some institution, or participate in
community development activities.
- If the professional organization is active in philanthropic activities, you
can get involved in many worthy projects.
 Finding your passion
- There can be no faster pick-me-up than involving yourself with
something that you are passionate about. It could be helping sick children,
rescuing animals, or making people aware of the environment.
-Organizational meetings give access to mingle with like-minded
businesspersons and allow you to serve the community.
Different Civil Engineering Organization

Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers

-This was the culmination and fulfillment of a vision to merge two separate organizations
of civil engineers in the country, the Philippine Society of Civil Engineers (PSCE) and the
Philippine Association of Civil Engineers (PACE).
-  It was the country’s first civil engineering organization with the late Engr. Marcial
Kasilag as its first president. Engr. Kasilag holds the No.1 slot in the PRC Registry of Civil
Engineers.
- In 1937, another group of civil engineers in the private sector, led by Enrique Sto.
Tomas Cortes formed the Philippine Association of Civil Engineers (PACE). Mr. Cortes was
its first president.
- The major objectives of both associations were similar: to elevate the standards of the
profession, encourage research and engineering knowledge and technology, foster fellowship
among members, and promote interrelation with other technological and scientific societies.
Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines, Inc. (ASEP)
- The Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines, Inc. (ASEP) is the
recognized organization of Structural Engineers of the Philippines. Established in
1961, ASEP has been in existence for more than 50 solid years.
- ASEP is known for its publications like the different volumes of the National
Structural Code of the Philippines, the approved referral codes of the Philippine
National Building Code. In ASEP’s roster of members, you will find structural
engineers of renowned structural ability, reliability and professionalism.
American Society of Civil Engineers-Philippines
- ASCE actively works with Congress and key senior administration officials on
developing legislation and implementing regulations that positively affect civil
engineering. Our government relations professionals have decades of combined
experience working on major laws including the Highway Trust Fund, Water
Resources Development Act and RESTORE ACT
 Relationship with other CIVIL ENGINEERING professions/
ORGANIZATION s

 Civil Engineering and Architecture

-Architecture and Civil Engineering disciplines are the two things that come to
mind whenever someone is looking to initiate a construction project.
- These two professions work side by side with each other, relying on the aid of
one another to complete a task.
- Architecture and Civil Engineering professions are similar because they are both
involved in the preparation and the creation of structures. However, these two
have different sets of priorities and perspectives.
-Architects and Civil Engineers work together in designing a construction project.
 - The Architect takes the lead on design, while the Civil Engineer
concentrates on the physics involved in the development project
- An Architect increases the exterior and interior look of the structure, while
the Civil Engineer finds ways to make sure that the materials used in terms of
aesthetics are safe and stable.

What is Architecture?
- Architecture is a profession or discipline that specializes in the
aesthetics and spatial functionality aspects of designing and developing
infrastructure projects. They prioritize the look, feel, creativity and
functionality of structures.
 Other fields related to civil engineering
• Electrical engineering
- electrical installations on buildings, railways, traffic, etc…
• Agricultural engineering
- for the design of dams, irrigation canals, etc…
• Mechanical Engineering
- HVAC of buildings and other mechanical parts of structures, procurement
and maintenance of heavy equipment used by the civil engineers.
Advantage and Disadvantage of Civil Engineering

As an engineer, you can choose to work on projects that benefit society,
such as cleaning up the environment, developing prosthetic aids for
disabled persons, developing clean and efficient transportation systems,
finding new sources of energy, alleviating the world's hunger problems,
and increasing the standard of living in underdeveloped countries.
One disadvantage of being an engineer is that you will have to do
computer work all day long. In fact, you will barely get the opportunity
to work with your hands since all the complex calculations have to be
done with the help of computer programs and you will also do most
simulations on your computer screen.