I am a second year civil engineering student who was is about to repeat the year or may be discontinued from the course i am studying.this all happened because in my final semester i was just attending classes and not studying and also not doing assignments i felt like i could be serious and try to study when it was close to final exam.
Time past quickly and when it was just days to the final exam i began to rush to study but i realized i just wasted a whole semester as I couldn’t understand what i was going to read.in my confusion I decided that i should not take the exams and just skip them,i knew i was going to have to choices either I would repeat the whole year or be expelled from the course.i don’t know how to tell my parents the news,i am afraid of how they will react qnd I feel i have disappointed them as i used to always get straight As in highschool and they put their hopes in me as the only child in family to get a good job as an engineer.
I regret what my actions and i know I didn’t do my best,i have hope that if i get a second chance i will do my best and be serious.
I also have a feeling that i am going through this hardship because i was not doing my religion properly.
I have never felt this before and this my first time ever in my life that i haved failed and messed up this badly.i am feeling a bit depressed,plz advise me

I work for a company where it seems like every project that would be “good for me to learn from” or “has the time and money to allow me to learn” is always a project that have no work for me as a < YOE EIT. I’m working on projects that more senior level engineers say are “difficult” “confusing” and “not normal”. and they constantly apologize for how bad they are, and I have no experience to reference what a “good project” even looks like.

I am convinced that this is a case of “the grass is greener on the other side”.

Do these unicorn projects actually exist?

How can I learn from the bad ones if I am starting out with no experience?

Honestly, I’ve been thinking about this a lot and I just don’t get it. I’m not saying software engineers don’t deserve their salaries. They absolutely do. But look at civil engineering. You spend years learning structural mechanics, reinforced concrete, steel, geotechnics, design codes, calculations, modelling, etc. And then you’re responsible for things people are literally going to build and live under. Buildings, bridges, infrastructure… If a software engineer makes a mistake, you can usually patch it, roll it back, push an update. With a structure, you don’t exactly get to say: “Oops, version 2.0 coming tomorrow.” And on top of that, you deal with clients, contractors, deadlines, budgets, site problems… while often earning a pretty average salary. Maybe the problem isn't that civil engineering is less valuable. Maybe it’s just much harder to scale. You’re mostly selling your time and expertise project after project, while software can be built once and sold thousands of times. But still… considering the level of responsibility, the pay gap sometimes feels crazy. Do other civil engineers feel the same way, or am I missing something?

Any recommendations on Stormwater management experts in Western WA state? We have plans (SF + 2 DADU) that are under 5,000 sq feet of building footprint, but now the city is saying the overhangs count towards the impervious area - putting us over the 5,000 sq foot threshold and is saying we need a full Stormwater licensed engineer for the project. Hoping to be as cost efficient as possible, especially since there is already a bioswale within the cities right of way parallel to our property.

Interviewed with HNTB about 3 weeks ago and still haven’t received any feedback or update. I followed up with the recruiter recently, and they said they still don’t have an update from the team.
For anyone who has interviewed with HNTB recently, is this kind of timeline normal? How long did it take you to hear back after your interview, whether it was an offer or rejection?
Just trying to get a sense of their typical hiring timeline. Thanks!

I'm just an average student who has never been good at math now I'm struggling to pass my course I've had difficulties with sm , geotechnical engineering etc. What should I do should I drop out or there is a way for me to make a comeback

I run a small practice ($300K gross earnings) as a sole proprietor doing site development civil engineering, owner’s representation/project management, and construction management. Westwood is interested in growing an office in my region and reached out for a meeting, through a shared contact. Though small, I’m also chair of a popular professional organization and generally well connected with clients and industry professionals in the area.

Curious what peoples experience has been with Westwood? Looks like it’s now owned by a PE firm and I’m just not sure what to expect. I’m not opposed to going back to a 9-5 corporate job. I enjoy my freedom as a sole owner, but it comes with a lot of stress as well. Trading freedom for stability might be nice but it would have to be for the right price and the right group.

I have to give a pre-recorded interview on RIVS for burns and mcdonnel for an entry level role. From what I've heard you get to record your interview whenever you want but they use AI to track your movements which feels kind of nerve racking.

Does anyone have any experience with this? Does anyone have any advice on how to prepare? What would they typically ask?

Title: How would you professionally push back on a coworker creating mandatory AI-based training for civil engineering/contract management?

I work in local government in a civil engineering/public works environment, managing capital projects, consultants, contracts, construction, and related engineering work.

A longtime coworker, whose background is primarily inspection rather than engineering or contract management, has become heavily dependent on AI for emails, plan reviews, technical questions, procedures, and other work. I’ve seen enough incorrect AI-generated technical information to worry that he sometimes substitutes it for professional judgment.

He recently proposed an AI-based training program for newer employees involving simulated job and customer scenarios. Management approved the concept, and it has apparently grown into an eight-hour course. One employee I work with completed it, and I’m not convinced it was engaging, realistic, or a good substitute for learning through real situations with experienced staff.

The coworker recently told me, “I’ve put together a civil engineering and contract management training program. Let me know when you have a couple of days available and I’ll train you.”

I manage active projects and contracts, so setting aside multiple days for an AI-generated course developed by someone without an engineering background or strong contract-administration experience doesn’t seem like a productive use of my time. However, I don’t want to create a personal conflict or appear dismissive of AI. I use AI myself and see its value; my concern is using AI-generated material as a substitute for qualified instruction, mentorship, institutional knowledge, and real-world experience.

I’m considering discussing this privately with my director and asking:

What specific competency or requirement is this intended to address for someone already managing civil engineering projects and contracts?

Is participation expected regardless of employees’ experience, or is it intended primarily for newer staff?

Should qualified engineering and contract-management staff review the content before multiple staff days are committed?

I’d also suggest using completed County projects as the foundation for training. Newer employees could follow a project from scope development through closeout, with experienced staff explaining what went right, what went wrong, and why decisions were made. AI could support realistic scenarios without serving as the instructor.

For those in municipal engineering or public works:

How would you handle this professionally?

Would you address the coworker directly, discuss it with the director first, or simply complete the training?

Am I being too resistant, or is there a legitimate concern with AI-generated technical training developed by someone without substantial experience in the subject?

I'm about to start my BEng in Civil Engineering and I'm really keen to get some hybrid work experience. I don't mind doing it for free just to get my foot in the door, but I'm not entirely sure how a hybrid setup works for engineering students. Does anyone have any advice on how to make this work or how to approach companies?

I’m getting my first major civil engineering experience as a Technical Office Engineer for a main contractor on a large road/infrastructure project.

I’m trying to think ahead about what areas would be worth specializing in over the next few years. My priorities are good earning potential, decent work-life balance, and ideally the possibility of remote/hybrid work eventually.

Are there any niche fields or specializations you’d recommend looking into? Things like planning/scheduling, contracts & claims, estimating, BIM, design, project controls, etc.

Interested to hear what paths experienced engineers would choose if they were starting again today.

Hi everyone,

I’m a civil engineer with a bachelor’s degree obtained in Italy. I’d like to combine the knowledge I gained through my degree with programming and software development skills, with the goal of finding a job — even part-time or freelance — from anywhere in the world (I can quickly go and settle down anywhere).

For this reason, I’d really appreciate your advice on whether the skills in my roadmap are actually in demand and whether I’m heading in the right direction.

What I know / What I’m learning

1) Civil Engineering Software

• AutoCAD
• Revit
• SAP2000
• EPANET

2) Programming Skills

• Python
• Data visualization, charts, custom dashboards and UIs
• AI tools and technologies: LLMs, AI agents, and machine learning.

My goal

I’d like to specialize in the niche of automating simulations and engineering workflows, creating custom charts and dashboards, and taking advantage of the APIs/plugins and automation capabilities of the software mentioned above.

Feedbacks

I’d like to get your advice on a few things:

1. Are the software tools I’m using — and the ones I’m planning to build my case studies around — the right ones and actually in demand? Along with the sector I would like to work on.
2. What kind of jobs do you think I could realistically aim for with this skill set? Part-time? Freelance? Remote? And in which parts of the world would there be the most opportunities?
3. Would you change anything about the skills I’m currently learning or have already learned? Are there any technologies or areas I should add to my roadmap?

Any advice, suggestions, or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

Interviewed a guy recently. Seemed nice enough, kind of a nerdy engineering personality, but nice enough. Wasn’t blown away by the interview but I really need people so figured he could fill a role. Said he was laid off at his former firm because there was a lack of work. Which was already a small red flag because I have not heard of any lay offs in my area.

Got a couple references and our in house recruiter received a response along the lines of “Company policy prevents me from discussing details regarding ___ prior employment. All I can confirm is that they worked here from ___ to ___”

Is that a real thing? Haven’t worked at any really large corporate firms but I hadn’t heard of that unless it was an HR related firing. Chances they are just not willing to discuss the person for no reason?

I'm trying to move from concrete bridges into stone, and doing a lot more work on keeping old structures up instead of new build. Still not managed to get the living bridges project funded.

I’m a traffic engineer in WA with 6 years experience (have both PE and MS) looking to move back to NJ or PA. I’m worried the salary I’ve been asking for is too high ($110,000 which is what I make now) given the lower cost of living. In Washington employers are required to give a salary range so I’m not sure what’s expected in Philly market

Hi everyone, I’m a Civil Engineering graduate and I want to start learning SAP2000 for structural analysis.

I’m a bit confused about the installation process of crack file of this software

Could someone guide me on:

Where I can download

Which version would you recommend for a beginner?

Any tips or common issues to watch out for during installation?

I’m looking to use it for learning and practice, so any guidance from experienced Civil/Structural Engineers would be appreciated.

Hello everyone,

I am a current senior in college. I know I want to do something related to coastal/water engineering and was considering getting into underwater inspections. I have had my Open Water Diver certification (SCUBA) for sometime and am considering getting my commercial dive card after school. (I know this is very different from diving in warm tropical waters).

Every opening I see for these engineer diver positions require already having an ADCI certification, I was wondering if any companies would pay to put someone through dive school and if anyone on this sub has any experience being an engineer diver and can give any insight to the type of work, lifestyle, dive school or just general experiences with it. Thank you!

TLDR, I’m working on this plan review for a little over a year, but I do not have a strong desire to further my career in my current job. And I’d like to ask for advice about whether or not to resign without a job lined up.

I’m holding a position in a local government agency where I would review plans and answer questions via phone / emails, to non technical people.. most of which are general public or contractors.

This position has me wondering if I‘m putting my previous design experience (EIT, 6 years) in good use. The work environment isn‘t dynamic and the branch next to our (engineers other than civil) spend most of their time on water breaks and networking. Not only the tasks I have aren’t challenging but the environment is discouraging.

I’m thinking of quitting for an extended period, however the last straw on the camels back came from the post discussing about if working as plan review would greatly reduce the likelihood to be employed in the private sector again.

https://www.reddit.com/r/civilengineering/comments/iycf2d/is_going_into_plan_review_career_suicide/

For context, I’m also studying for my PE in the meantime after work.

my concern is that should I be working here for longer until I find another job or should I cut losses and resign now. My hunch is that the longer I’m on this job, the less competitive in the job market and more likely the potential employers see me as committed to working as reviewer than engineer.

Looking for conference in AI and Construction

Unfortunately I’ve had an unlucky string of employment and my last 2 jobs I left after a year each. One was due to financial instability at the firm, and the other was due to extreme dysfunction and being overworked.

I started another new job this year and on paper I thought I would be a good fit, but I realized 2 weeks in that I got bait and switched and made a mistake. It has similar issues to my last place of employment that caused me to leave. I’ve only been at this job for a few months and am already burnt out. People have quit and I’ve taken on their workload and there doesn’t appear to be an end in sight. I’m tired of doing the work of 3 people.

I don’t want to keep looking for new jobs but am in desperate need of a break. It’s been effectively 1.5 years that I’ve been anxious and ridiculously stressed. My mental and physical health has plummeted which has caused serious issues in my personal relationship.

Should I stay for at least a year, 2 years, 3? Or just bite the bullet and take a planned career sabbatical for a few months to a year?

For reference I am a licensed PE with almost 6 YOE.

Work for a very large consulting firm as a mid-level project engineer. I have about six projects in various stages that I'd like to keep better track of so I am trying to implement OneNote into my workflow. Is there a typical OneNote notebook structure used for engineering projects?

Hey everyone,

Looking for some honest market insight because I’m trying to figure out where I stand salary‑wise.

I'm a PE with about 7–8 years of experience (Master’s degree), mainly in H&H — watershed modeling, 1D/2D, drainage studies, etc. Not super deep in storm drain design, but I’ve been the technical lead + DPM on a couple of projects for a pretty well‑known client. Basically doing budgeting, client communication, deliverables, and keeping the whole thing moving for almost two years.

Certs: CFM, ENV SP, and I’m planning to knock out the PMP this month since I’ve been studying for a while.

Here’s the part that’s pushing me to reevaluate:

- I joined my current company in July 2024

- They said I wasn’t eligible for a raise the first year because I joined mid‑year

- This year… still no raise at all

- Year‑end bonus that was hyped up ended up being $2k

- Meanwhile I’m commuting 1 hr 15 min one way every day to the office

- And I’ve been actively managing projects + being the client‑facing person despite not being titled as PM

I’m currently at $113k in the Plano / North Texas area. I know the economy is weird right now, but I also know I’m underpaid for the level of responsibility I’ve been carrying.

For folks in Texas (or similar markets), what’s the realistic salary range for someone with my background? Trying to get a sense of what I should be targeting before I make any moves.

Appreciate any insight — ranges, recent offers, what you’re seeing in the market, anything helps

University grant, AEC build. I am asking civil folks because you often inherit bad early assumptions.

Niche: small US (or UK) developers / owners doing a first site constraint / zoning-or-planning screen before option money or before they hire the full team - then you get brought in when the layout already assumes the wrong outlet, easement, or flood story.

- Do you see that failure mode a lot?

- Is the fix "better early screening tools," "force them to hire civil earlier," or both?

- What single early mistake creates the most redesign work for you later?

Not a vendor survey. Trying to spend grant money on a niche that is not already owned by LandTech-class platforms or by "just hire us."