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Construction Engineer, Design Engineer, Engineer, Environmental Engineer, Foundations Engineer, Geotechnical Engineer, Infrastructure Asset Management Engineer, Land Development Engineers, Professional Engineer, Site Designer, Structural Engineer, Transportation Engineer, Water Resources Engineer
In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.
The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used.
Here is how this occupation has been classified over time.
2006 NOC
2006 NOC-S
2011 NOC
2016 NOC
2021 NOC
2023 OaSIS
Civil engineers solve the problems and challenges of everyday life. These include creating solutions for:
They follow recognized standards and find cost-effective solutions to problems for each project they work on. They may plan and build:
Civil engineers may specialize in a variety of areas.
Construction engineers plan and manage the construction of public and private buildings. They:
Environmental engineers design municipal and industrial services to solve environmental problems.
Geotechnical engineers provide information on soil conditions. They look for the conditions needed to design and build foundations, underground structures, tunnels, embankments, and dams.
Infrastructure asset management engineers create plans to get the most value out of the money invested in public and private infrastructure. They:
They assemble plans to rehabilitate infrastructure sustainably, including:
Land development engineers work with urban planners to convert lands into workable communities. They:
Structural engineers often work as part of a team. This may include architects, mechanical, and electrical engineers, construction contractors, and project developers. They:
Transportation engineers plan and design systems to move people and goods safely and efficiently. They consider economic and social factors and engineering rules. They often work with urban planners. They:
Water resource engineers design systems that collect, store, and distribute water. They:
There are many different work settings for civil engineers. Engineers who are responsible for the planning and design components of a project work mainly in an office setting. They may spend much of their time on a computer. Other civil engineers may work on a project site or attend public hearings.
They often work with a team. It may include other types of engineers as well as:
They may need to work long hours. They may have a great deal of pressure to meet deadlines and design standards.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2006 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Interest in synthesizing information to conduct research in order to determine project requirements, to develop construction specifications and procedures, and to conduct feasibility studies, economic analyses, municipal and regional traffic studies, environmental impact studies and other investigations
Interest in precision working to conduct technical analyses of survey and field data for development of topographic, soil, hydrological and other information; in conducting field services for civil works; and in monitoring air, water and soil quality and developing procedures to clean up contaminated sites
Interest in supervising technicians, technologists and other engineers; and in overseeing land surveys and construction work, in approving survey and civil design work, in evaluating and recommending building and construction materials, in approving designs, calculations and cost estimates, in ensuring that construction plans meet guidelines and specifications of building codes and other regulations, and in establishing and monitoring construction work schedules
To identify or change your interest codes, complete the Interests Exercise in CAREERinsite.
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation.
It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective, and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes for this NOC group is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.
To fill in or change the values for your abilities, complete the Abilities Exercise in CAREERinsite.
A Quick Guide
You are born with abilities that help you process certain types of information and turn it into action. These abilities influence which skills you can learn more easily.
The abilities or aptitudes shown for this NOC group come from the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB). The GATB measures 9 aptitudes. It groups them into 3 categories: mental, visual, and physical.
The abilities scores range from 1 to 5, with 5 being stronger.
Civil engineers need:
They should enjoy:
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
This chart shows which job skills are currently in highest demand for this occupational group. It was created using this occupation's 112 most recent Alberta job postings, collected between Nov 12, 2021 and Dec 27, 2024.
Review these skills to learn:
| Tasks: Evaluate and recommend appropriate building and construction materials | 65 |
|---|---|
| Tasks: Interpret, review and approve survey and civil design work | 65 |
| Tasks: Confer with clients and other members of the engineering team and conduct research to determine project requirements | 56 |
| Tasks: Develop construction specifications and procedures | 54 |
| Tasks: Prepare contract documents and review and evaluate tenders for construction projects | 53 |
| Tasks: Establish and monitor construction work schedules | 51 |
| Tasks: Conduct field services for civil works | 51 |
| Construction Specialization: Organized | 49 |
| Construction Specialization: Accurate | 47 |
| Tasks: Ensure construction plans meet guidelines and specifications of building codes and other regulations | 47 |
The basic educational requirement for working as a civil engineer is a 4-year bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. Structural engineering design work may require a master’s degree.
Civil engineers must understand and keep up to date with relevant legislation, regulations, and standards.
The following schools offer programs and courses that meet this occupation’s educational requirements. Other eligible programs and courses may be available.
The following schools offer programs or courses that are related to this occupation but are not required to enter the field.
To expand or narrow your program options, visit Post-Secondary Programs and start your search with:
Completing a program does not guarantee entrance into an occupation. Before enrolling in an education program, prospective students should look into various sources for education options and employment possibilities. For example, contact associations and employers in this field.
Certain professional titles or duties within this occupation are protected by provincial legislation. Requirements vary if you use these titles or perform these duties.
The related legislation is shown below. If there are multiple related legislations, select a certification heading to learn about each one.
Professional engineers design, construct, evaluate, advise, monitor, and report on the performance of materials, equipment, systems, works, processes, and structures.
Under Alberta’s Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act [pdf] and Engineering and Geoscience Professions General Regulation [pdf], you must register as a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) to practice as a Professional Engineer or engage in the practice of engineering.
You do not have to register if you work under the direct supervision of a professional engineer and do not call yourself a Professional Engineer or use the word “engineer” in your job title.
For information on what you need and other details, visit the certification profile Engineer.
Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Civil engineers work in construction and related industries. They work for:
With time on the job, civil engineers may receive promotions to manage small and then large projects. Some civil engineers start their own construction or consulting companies. Those with doctoral (PhD) degrees may teach at a university or conduct research.
This section shows the industries where the majority of people in this occupation work. The data is based on the 2016 Census.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Civil engineers
2016 NOC: 2131
78.8% of people in this occupational group work in:
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
This section shows the short-term demand forecasted for this occupation in Alberta over a 3-year period. It also shows the number of people employed in the occupation.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2021 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Source: 2023-2025 Alberta Short-Term Employment Forecast
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
To see data for all occupations, visit Occupations in Demand.
This section shows the employment outlook for this occupation in Alberta over a 5-year period.
Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Annual growth is from 2021 to 2025. New positions created each year are in addition to job openings created by employment turnover.
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.
All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.
To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.
Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources [pdf] to supplement this data.
High Reliability, represents a CV of less than or equal to 6.00% and 30 survey observations and/or represents 50% or more of all estimated employment for the occupation.
| Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | $27.00 | $64.79 | $40.18 | $36.39 |
| Overall | $35.21 | $81.07 | $52.19 | $49.12 |
| Top | $39.23 | $134.90 | $72.23 | $68.00 |
Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.
* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Pay brackets for hourly wages
| ALL INDUSTRIES | $104,417 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | $106,922 |
| Professional, Scientific & Technical Services | $103,671 |
| Public Administration | $108,915 |
Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) website: www.apega.ca
BuildForce Canada website: www.buildforce.ca
Canadian Society for Civil Engineering website: www.csce.ca
Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.
Updated Mar 31, 2022. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook, and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.
