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Of all the engineering disciplines, civil is the largest. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports there are over 278,000 of them in the U.S. It will stay that way for some time to come, thanks to several stimulus packages put forth by President Obama this year, some with quite a bit of emphasis on online education.

Civil engineers are people who design and supervise the construction of anything from a skyscraper to a super highway to a private home. This doesn’t just include the brick and mortar, but ventilation, plumbing, even the sidewalk. They also have to juggle the project against the expected lifetime of the project, federal to local government bylaws, and possible hazards such as from natural disasters to, these days, sabotage.

Civil engineering, considered one of the oldest engineering disciplines, encompasses many specialties. The major ones are structural, water resources, construction, transportation, and geotechnical engineering. Many civil engineers hold supervisory or administrative positions, from supervisor of a construction site to city engineer. Others may work in design, construction, research, and teaching.

Thanks to a number of stimulus packages proposed by President Obama last January, the Bureau projects exceptional job growth over the next ten years. Civil engineers will be the number one profession most affected by this project, upgrading or building new roads, power plants and other public structures.

Anyone interested in becoming a civil engineer should have a strong inclination towards mathematics, as well as a strong background in the natural sciences. Knowledge of drafting and CAD is basically mandatory. Students should also consider internships or other such work-study programs at private architectural and construction firms, as well as for the government. Another good place for civil engineers to get needed experience is in the military, particularly the U.S. Corp of Engineers.

Even after getting a four year degree, there’s more. There is a certification process from the main professional organization, the American Society of Civil Engineers. Online education usually plays a big role here, as the young engineer has to put in one to two years of work while studying for the certification exam. This has its advantages as the online school usually includes many CAD simulations comparable to the occupation, making the test process easier.

Civil engineering is considered a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) discipline. This gives anyone interested the ability to go for more than just the Pell grant. They can also apply at the National Science Foundation for S-STEM grants. The military and private corporations and societies also offer an incredible number of scholarship programs. The Society lists many of them, but one should also check in with a financial aid advisor.

No matter how you look at it, civil engineering is a career one can build on and online universities can get you there.? Since computers play such a large part in everything technical these days, getting your online programs might just be a smart decision toward a great career. If this is a career that may be of interest to you and more information about accredited online universities would be helpful, please check the internet ?