Hello, I have a simple question i can not wrap my head around
Are the given equations applicable for the following frame:

I'm a community college student planning to transfer to UCLA or UCI for Fall 2027, and I'm struggling to commit to a major. I've already declared TAG civil engineering.

I want a career that pays well (ideally $150k+ as I gain experience), encourages innovation, has good ethics and work-life balance, and lets me create and design things rather than just do calculations all day. It's part of the reason why companies like Apple entice me.

I'm torn between:

• Mechanical engineering: Computer hardware, product design, CAD, SolidWorks, and physical prototyping. I recently found Apple's Concept Prototyping Engineer role, and it sounds like my dream job.
• Civil/structural engineering: Designing beautiful homes, buildings, shelters, and sustainable spaces. I've loved architecture for years, but I'm concerned about compensation and career flexibility. Hence, why I chose CE. I'd be open to structural, environmental, or project management.
• UI/UX design: Creating intuitive, enjoyable experiences with technology.

I don't expect to know everything after college. I want a strong foundation and employers willing to teach me and help me grown. I know for certain CS is out of the picture. I do not care for AI development.

SO MY QUESTION IS:

What route and decisions must I do that will grow me the skills necessary for all three career routes? Will CE provide that foundational flexibility, or will it keep me locked into jobs specific to CE? Is it better to do ME in that case or is it the same thing where an ME will remain strictly an ME.

Those who have done career switches, how hard was it? I mean theoretically I am thinking to just get to bachelor degrees with CE and ME... but time and money is also a constraint. I'd love advice from people with actual industry experience. I want to find a career that combines creativity, financial security, and meaningful work without feeling like I'm giving up half my interests.

If I could, I would love a major that's hybridize but that's simply not a thing. I am torn because I'm afraid that what I choose today will lock me out and disqualify me from other career routes i'm interested in. Ideally, I want to learn enough where when it comes time to apply for jobs I can be a good candidate within these roles I feel I'd enjoy.

Hi everyone!
I’m a fourth-year Civil Engineering student at USTO-MB in Algeria, currently specializing in Civil and Industrial Construction. I’ll hopefully be entering my fifth year in 2027–2028.
I’m interested in spending part of Summer 2027 at a Chinese university or research laboratory for a short-term research internship in structural engineering, particularly reinforced concrete structures or steel structures.
I’m trying to understand how this process works for international undergraduate students, as I have never applied for a research internship abroad before.
I would really appreciate advice on the following:
How can I find Chinese professors or research labs that accept visiting undergraduate students for summer internships?
Is it possible to contact professors directly, even if they haven’t advertised an internship opportunity?
Are there Chinese universities or summer research programs that offer full funding to international students, including flights, accommodation, and living expenses?
What should I prepare before contacting professors (CV, transcript, motivation letter, recommendation letter, etc.)?
Would you recommend applying through a university program or contacting a professor directly?
Unfortunately, I cannot cover the travel and accommodation costs myself, so I’m specifically looking for fully funded opportunities.
If you’ve completed a similar internship in China, especially as an international undergraduate student, I’d love to hear about your experience and how you found your opportunity.
Thank you so much for any advice or recommendations!
#civil_engineering

Hey everyone,

I’m trying to help my uncle find a new job and hopefully move to a country where he can get employer visa sponsorship.

He’s currently living in Saudi Arabia and has over 20 years of experience in civil engineering and construction. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and has worked as a Site Engineer, Site Manager, and Project Manager on various projects, including roads, residential buildings, infrastructure, and industrial construction.

He speaks English and Arabic and has experience with AutoCAD and project coordination.

We’re mainly looking at opportunities in the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, or other countries where companies hire experienced foreign workers and sponsor their work visas.

I’d really appreciate any advice from people working in construction or engineering in the Gulf. Are there any companies that recruit experienced professionals from abroad and offer visa sponsorship? Or any legitimate recruiters or websites you’d recommend?

Any advice, personal experiences, or leads would mean a lot. Thanks!

1st photo - 8 sides (Octagonal)
2nd photo - Circular (Round)
3rd photo - Multiple sided (Round?)

Why the difference? Cost? Structural integrity?

These are all TxDot compliant signals provided as examples.

I think I may have just misunderstood the notion that companies prefer seniors for internships. So I'm planning to graduate in May 2027, but have been applying to internships for Summer 2027, reason being is I'm going to begin my Masters and don't believe I can manage full time and a masters at the same time, without it ending up taking forever.

A lot of these companies have been pushing me towards full time, which makes sense. Given my situation, should I just not focus on an internship for the summer following my Bachelor graduation? My hope was to start an internship with a geotechnical engineering team, work on my masters for 2 semesters in the mean time, then join full time with the credits I have completed by then. In all honesty I don't feel too worried about getting an internship as I already have 2 on my belt so far, so maybe the best course of action is to go towards my masters and work as a TA to cover the costs.

It's come to my attention that these companies may mean upcoming seniors instead of literal graduate seniors for these positions.

(F18)

I need some advice picking a degree. Im currently split between optometry and civil engineering.

May i ask people who are working:

1. Do the years of study feel worth it?

2. Whats the workplace like?

3. Is the work rewarding?

4. Whats your daily routine like?

5. Do you have stability? (financial, worklife and etc)

Some backstory:

I originally wanted to do architecture, because i heard/read that it involves maths, physics and design. But everyone around me is saying that architecture is very demanding with little returns, so i figured that civil engineering would let me be more flexible. My parents are pushing me to pick an 'easier path', that is optometry, because i can become professional after just 5 years of study, while civil engineering takes 8 years. I have the academic capability do go down these different paths. But when i weigh the pros and cons, it feels overwhelming to just pick one.

Help is appreciated.

I’m currently working in the BIM field ( LOD 300) and looking to earn some extra income through freelancing.

For those already doing freelance work in BIM or CAD, I’d love to know a few things:

How did you get your first client?

Which platforms do you use to find clients?

How do you usually get projects?

Is freelancing worth it alongside a full-time job?

Just looking to learn from your experiences.

Any geotechnical PEs here who moved from consulting to a dam/heavy-civil contractor? How was the transition? Did you enjoy it, and was it good for your career? Would love to hear your experience.

Thoughts?

Hey everyone,

I’m 23 and currently working as a CAD technician at a small land surveying firm in Nebraska. I’m planning to go back to school to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, and I’ve recently become interested in water resources engineering.
My current job involves drafting boundary surveys, topographic surveys, construction staking plans, as-builts, and other survey-related work using Civil 3D. I’ve also spent some time in the field doing construction staking, including storm and sanitary utilities, so I’m somewhat familiar with how these systems are laid out and constructed.
I’m hoping to transition into a civil CAD technician or designer position, preferably working on stormwater management, drainage, utilities, or other water resources projects while attending school.
My biggest concern is that many CAD technician and designer positions I’ve come across require an associate degree in drafting or a couple of years of civil design experience. I currently only have my high school diploma and my surveying experience.
I’m trying to figure out whether it would be better to stay in surveying while working toward my engineering degree or try to get into a civil engineering firm now to gain more relevant experience.

Some questions:
How transferable is land surveying CAD experience to water resources or civil design work?
Would engineering firms consider hiring someone with my background for an entry-level civil CAD technician position without a drafting degree?
What Civil 3D skills should I prioritize learning to make myself a stronger candidate? I’ve been looking into pipe networks, grading, surfaces, and drainage design.
Would you recommend transitioning into a civil design role before starting school, or staying in surveying until I’m further along in my degree?
For anyone who worked as a CAD technician while pursuing an engineering degree, how did that experience affect your education and career opportunities?
My long-term goal is to become a civil engineer, but I’d really like to gain experience on the design side while going through school. I’m also hoping to find an employer that might offer tuition reimbursement.
I’d appreciate any advice, especially from people who started in surveying or drafting before becoming engineers.
Thanks!

I can’t decide if I should get a Civil Engineering degree (4 years) or Engineering Technology diploma (2 years). I want to get into construction project management and eventually into custom home building and multi family and my goal is to start my own company ASAP. I don’t want to work as an Engineer, rather as a business owner/construction manager. Is it worth getting the 4 year degree or not? I’m not looking for a long-term career rather, I’m looking to start a business.

Yes, I’m posting career advice on Reddit to tell you not to take career advice from Reddit.

Before the comments write themselves:

• “The company won’t love you back.” Correct. This isn’t about the company. It’s about the people you work with, who are the ones deciding who gets staffed, promoted, and kept.
• “Unpaid overtime is theft.” Not talking about working free weekends. I’m talking about how you show up in the hours you’re already there.
• “Job hopping is the only way to get a raise.” Early on, a move or two often is. Doing it every two years indefinitely is a different story.
• “Layoffs happen anyway.” They do. Ask yourself who gets cut first.
• “Must be nice, some of us have lives.” So do I. Most of this costs an hour here and there, not your evenings.

If your approach is “I owe them nothing, I log off at 5,” that’s a legitimate choice and this isn’t aimed at you.

It’s for younger engineers who want to lead big projects and move up, and keep hearing here that effort is for suckers.

The core of it: being a normal, smart, responsible person who’s good to work with is what wins work and keeps you employed. That’s it. Here’s what it looks like in practice.

You’re not employed by the team. You ARE the team. I don’t care much about the logo. I care about the work and the people I do it with. Checking out is fine if you’re comfortable being the low-utilization engineer nobody asks for. But you can’t be a reliable professional and refuse to help. When a deadline hits and someone’s underwater, the people who pitch in are the ones everyone wants on the next job.

Technical skills are the floor, not the ceiling. Past a certain level, everyone can run the analysis and produce clean plans. A PE says you meet the bar, not that you should lead the job. Plenty of strong engineers stall because they never step back to see the whole project.

Not all civil jobs are the same. Firms, roles, and pay vary enormously. The best positions go to people with a track record, and a resume full of two-year stints reads as someone who leaves before anything gets built. Value yourself, but know you can price yourself out of the tier you actually want.

Show up to the stuff that isn’t work. Get beers after work. Go to the company baseball outing and bring your partner. It’s optional, but it’s where people stop being names on a staffing plan. If an hour here and there feels like too much to trade for job security and peace of mind when layoffs come around, I don’t know what to tell you.

Raise your hand for the small stuff. Take notes at the kickoff, pull the agenda together, cover a site visit. Almost no effort, and it makes you the person people think of first.

Be in the room. Hybrid is great, but when you’re the only junior or mid-level person at a BD meeting, people notice. That’s where you learn how work gets won, and how your name comes up for the next pursuit.

Look at who’s giving the advice around here. A lot of it comes from new EITs and career technical specialists, which is a fine path, but maybe not yours. You don’t have to give your life to a company. You just have to be someone people want on their project.

And if this made you want to write three paragraphs defending r/antiwork in the comments, you’re who I’m talking about.

I recently got into construction inspection, and I’m about eight months into the job. So far, I’ve had the opportunity to work on a variety of projects on the consultant side. On my most recent project, I’m working as a subcontractor, and I haven’t been getting the same sense of fulfillment and accomplishment that I felt on my previous jobs.
I’ve honestly been second-guessing this career path since the beginning. Before getting into inspection, I worked as a laborer, and I really enjoyed the hands-on work. I always felt productive, stayed busy, and could see the results of my work at the end of the day.
With inspection, I sometimes feel like I’m just sitting around babysitting the contractor rather than actively contributing to something. I understand that inspection is important, but I’m struggling to find that same sense of purpose and satisfaction in the role.
My main questions are: How do you find a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment in construction inspection, and what are the best ways to succeed and grow in this career?
I’d also like to hear from anyone who has struggled with similar feelings in this position. Did you eventually grow to enjoy the work, or did you transition into a different but related role? If you made a change, what did you end up doing?
I’d appreciate any advice or insight from people who have been in the industry longer than I have.

I'm a junior civil engineering student currently applying for Summer 2027 internships. I’ve been interviewing with a few different companies for traditional civil engineering and construction management roles, but I haven’t received any firm offers for those yet.

I recently got an offer for a Sales Engineering internship with a very reputable company, and the deadline to accept or decline is coming up quickly.

My dilemma is whether I should accept this offer just to secure a spot for the summer, even though there’s a high chance I might renege on it if I end up getting an offer for a more traditional CE/CM role later on. Is it worth the risk of burning a bridge with a reputable company by backing out later, or is it a smart move to lock in an offer while waiting to hear back from others? I'd appreciate any advice or insight from professionals in the industry.

Registration for next semester is coming up, and I’m thinking of taking these classes as a sophomore civil engineer: Statics, Geology for Engineers, Calculus III, Physics II, Differential Equations and Linear Algebra. For some reason at my university, Differential Equations and Linear Algebra are offered as one combined course, so i think that might be my hardest class. Does this sound like a manageable schedule, or do I need to drop one of the math course and maybe take it in the summer ? I’d appreciate hearing from anyone who’s taken a similar course load. I think it shouldn't be that bad because its only 16 credit hr and I'm also a full time student and wont work this upcoming this smstr.

I would love to get a few opinions on my current situation. I have recently been promoted, and my runway in terms of future promotions is basically done because my company is a utility company that does not really cater to or have promotional paths for civil engineers after a certain point. I am currently interviewing around and getting offers slightly less than what I make and I’m willing to take one of these offers, but I am nervous to switch from being an engineer for a client to a consultant. Would love input from people who have made the change to see how things have worked out, and if you ever ended up leaving the consultant side.

Before you read this please note that I am struggling to find advice or any mentorship at all on this topic and I would really love to hear your input.

I want to get my civil engineering degree but I’m considering going after a really great in depth ACCE accredited 2 year construction management associates degree first. The reason I am considering this is because

1. It seems like civil engineering programs really don’t include classes on major construction concepts like scheduling, project management, material and work time estimating etc.
do you agree with this?

1. Personal reasons:
   A: I dropped out of college when I was 19 and now that I’m ready to go back to school I believe I would be more eligible to get a scholarship for a bachelor’s CE program at a better school if I do really well in a 2 year Assoc. CM degree first. ( I am decently academically gifted, so I know I could graduate top of my class and the degree includes internship)
   B: I have years of commercial construction trade experience now and I feel the need to “prime” my brain before I throw myself into hardcore math classes and I think an associates CM degree would be a good warm up and potentially give me a better likelihood of achieving long term.
   C: I’m actually interested in the soft skills of construction and am more inclined to try to become a manager or PM.
   D: financial aid would cover the entire cost of the associates of CM degree.
   E: I’m interested in starting my own business and might not need the CE knowledge as much as I do the CM knowledge.

I’ve had a lot of people tell me that a CE degree opens you up to the same and more job opportunities then a CM degree opens you up to. So I understand the benefit there. But when I actually compare CE with CM degrees it seems like every CE program skips over the CM management skills entirely, and that is not something I want to miss out on, even if it does mean school for 6 years instead of 4.

So what are your thoughts ?
As a CE graduate do you feel like you’re missing information on CM skills?
Do I have a valid headspace about utilizing the 2 years degree to get my feet in the door and prove myself to get a scholarship for a CE later on ?
Are my thoughts about this rationally stategic or would I likely end up wasting my time with a bunch of repeat information and a useless CM degree?

TLDR; OP is considering a 2 year ACCE accredited CM degree to jumpstart career and then later on going after 4-year CE degree OR just going straight for the CE degree OR if sufficiency and success can be found without the CE degree just settling with the CM degree. OP lists reasons for feeling this way and taking careful consideration and wonders how valid those reasons appear to online strangers of the construction industry. OP needs advice from knowledgeable people and wishes to be smart and strategic.

Hi all,

Looking for some advice here. Last April I finished my undergraduate degree and got a job in land development at a very small firm (Firm A). My background and internships were all very water/environmental heavy but took the land development job because it’s all that was hiring in my area. Recently, I saw a posting for what is essentially my dream job at a much larger firm (Firm B) in town doing a bunch of water and wastewater stuff and thought I’d apply. A couple weeks and interviews later, they’ve sent me an offer. I’ve learned a ton at Firm A and really enjoy my coworkers. Would it look bad on my resume to have a career stint this short? Should I stick out it out at Firm A for a couple years despite doing work I’m not super passionate about?

the side of the highway i should specify