Civil engineers are involved in seeing an engineering project from conception, design stage, construction, through to completion and its ongoing maintenance.

They work on all sorts of engineering projects. These include structural projects like major building programmes, dams, bridges; transportation projects, like tunnels, roads, railways and airports; and environmental, maritime and geotechnical projects.

They work closely with construction project managers and contractors, architects and surveyors and engineers from different disciplines. Duties can include:

Structural engineers are involved in the design and construction of a range of structures such as office blocks, housing developments, hospitals, schools, bridges and tunnels. They often work alongside architects and are responsible for working out how buildings and structures will be made to stand up to the stresses and strains placed upon them. They have to ensure that a project is designed and built to be visually appealing, meeting all the necessary safety requirements.

Town planners are involved in shaping our towns, cities and rural areas. They prepare long-term plans, make proposals for new developments and examine the proposals of others.

Plasterers mix and apply plaster onto internal walls and ceilings to create a surface that is ready for decorating. There are two main types of plastering:

Construction supervisors/managers (also known as site agents, supervisors and managers) oversee and direct people to make sure construction projects are completed safely, on time and within budget. They are responsible for making sure that construction projects run smoothly, which may include:

Carpenters and joiners make, install and repair all sorts of wood fixtures. These range from windows and doors to floorboards, staircases, roof trusses, partitions and kitchen and bathroom units. 

Bricklayers build and repair the interior and exterior walls of residential and commercial buildings, as well as the linings of tunnels, boundary walls and heritage buildings.

The phrase ‘built environment’ refers to an environment that has been designed and built, be it an individual private building, a public space, a neighbourhood or wider landscape.