The Realities of Civil Engineering
I found this article posted on the Indian Civil Engineering Community on orkut by Vani and thought it was worth posting here. Read on:
Perceptions play an important role.
More than 90% of the +2 students decide to opt either for ECE/CS/EEE/Electrical etc. A thought about Civil or any other branch makes them feel unhappy. This is because of the way their parents think. Studying in any of the above branches is a prestige issue.
Once a person is in Civil, and he studies with interest, he can understand the potential challenges lying in it.
Students who opt for Civil crib for the next 4 yrs to get out of it and feel sorry for selecting such a branch. Does the purpose of education serve in this case? Absolutely not. Education is to give wisdom to a person. Well, learning other subjects is not bad or wrong but only as long as it is not just due to severe criticism of Civil. Knowledge IS power.
Civil Engineering is common sense embedded in engineering. Unless and until you can feel how a structure is gonna behave or a fluid is gonna take its course, you can't proceed with the engineering part. And even if you go ahead with the engineering part, you'll feel satisfied only when you understand the concept to the depth (for which common sense is required). The concepts of civil-engineering are related to day to day life, and so it’s more habitual to call it mere common sense than engineering.
It is not that we (the Civil Junta) are not ready to accept challenges but the question in the air is: who will take the risk for the challenge? Civil projects are not only related to construction materials and equipment but also to life and natural atmosphere. I don’t exactly remember a dam’s name but the construction of that dam lead to an earthquake. This dam is in India.
Why should you stick to Civil Engineering?
Whereas a software engineer works with his mental energy alone, a civil engineer has to work with mental energy (while proposing a design), physical energy and also with good communication to tackle the people working under him (educated and uneducated).
The Salary
The pay of a civil engineer is less than a software engineer at least in the early stages of the career. In fact, those who got into this profession actually compromised with the job they could have got in software. In the present scenario, job satisfaction comes after money, and so everyone opts for a field in which they can make money.
Correct me if am wrong.
Best wishes,
Vani
PS: minor changes have been made
Perceptions play an important role.
More than 90% of the +2 students decide to opt either for ECE/CS/EEE/Electrical etc. A thought about Civil or any other branch makes them feel unhappy. This is because of the way their parents think. Studying in any of the above branches is a prestige issue.
Once a person is in Civil, and he studies with interest, he can understand the potential challenges lying in it.
Students who opt for Civil crib for the next 4 yrs to get out of it and feel sorry for selecting such a branch. Does the purpose of education serve in this case? Absolutely not. Education is to give wisdom to a person. Well, learning other subjects is not bad or wrong but only as long as it is not just due to severe criticism of Civil. Knowledge IS power.
Civil Engineering is common sense embedded in engineering. Unless and until you can feel how a structure is gonna behave or a fluid is gonna take its course, you can't proceed with the engineering part. And even if you go ahead with the engineering part, you'll feel satisfied only when you understand the concept to the depth (for which common sense is required). The concepts of civil-engineering are related to day to day life, and so it’s more habitual to call it mere common sense than engineering.
It is not that we (the Civil Junta) are not ready to accept challenges but the question in the air is: who will take the risk for the challenge? Civil projects are not only related to construction materials and equipment but also to life and natural atmosphere. I don’t exactly remember a dam’s name but the construction of that dam lead to an earthquake. This dam is in India.
Why should you stick to Civil Engineering?
Whereas a software engineer works with his mental energy alone, a civil engineer has to work with mental energy (while proposing a design), physical energy and also with good communication to tackle the people working under him (educated and uneducated).
The Salary
The pay of a civil engineer is less than a software engineer at least in the early stages of the career. In fact, those who got into this profession actually compromised with the job they could have got in software. In the present scenario, job satisfaction comes after money, and so everyone opts for a field in which they can make money.
Correct me if am wrong.
Best wishes,
Vani
PS: minor changes have been made
posted by amrit at 1:10 PM
1 comments
