Civil Engineering Technician
What the work is
Conducts tests of construction materials, prepares sketches and tabulations, and assists in estimating costs in support of Civil Engineering Professionals and Engineering Technologists.
Would you enjoy the work?
These are the main tasks in the official description. Mark how each one sounds to you.
- Prepares sketches, drawings and tabulations to assist in the design and planning of civil engineering projects
- Performs laboratory testing and analyses data from construction sites to support Civil Engineering Professionals
- Assists with the inspection, organisation and supervision of civil engineering works to ensure adherence to project timelines and compliance with engineering specifications and safety standards
- Assists with estimating quantities and costs of materials and labour required for civil engineering projects
Try it
A simulation and a case study from this kind of work, set in the drafting and testing team of a fictional civil engineering consultancy. They are fictional.
The kind of days you could have
Good days
- A drawing you finished is used on site and the crew has no questions about it
- Your test results show something useful and the engineer changes the design because of them
- You see a road or drain you helped plan being built
Hard days
- Three versions of the same drawing are open and nobody is sure which is current
- A design change arrives the afternoon before a submission and the sheets all need updating
- Testing in the cold and wet, with samples that must be handled carefully
Written by Career Calling as a general guide. Real roles vary by employer and place.
Work a mission
Step into a simulated workplace in this field, with a brief from your manager.
Description and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, 2024, Version 1.0 (opens another site), occupation 313132, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.