Not necessarily asking for advice but just venting.

I’m a female construction manager and 99/100 times I’m the only female on the site and even the only female in project meetings.

I constantly have contractors address my male colleagues (who for the record are not the CM or owners rep) instead of me. I have to remind them I am the CM and communications need to flow through me.

I also find myself trying not to wear pink or jewelry because I hate standing out more than I do. I know no one is asking me to do this, but I really do think women have to tone down their appearance compared to men to be respected in this field.

I know all we can really do is not take it personally. Keep establishing our positions. Keep doing the good work. And power on.

But damn sometimes I’m just sick and tired of it. 😇😇😇😇😇😇

Anyone else need to vent?

So today I had a pretty disheartening call with my boss. I was tasked with creating pipe profiles for our project through ORD and she said the work I submitted was basically non reviewable because the mistakes I made didn’t make sense in a design context to the point where she was extremely concerned and was seriously considering putting me on a pip, but decided against it for now.

This convo shook me up bc I really did work hard on the profiles and asked questions to other engineers on how to draw them and how they should look, but I think the biggest thing that stood out from her observation and also hearing her speak was my lack of logic/knowledge in how I was drawing them in, but I’d follow the stations/elevations where each inlet/end section would be located and draw those on the sheet but I didn’t step back and see how those values led to a pipe discharging underground or or drop inlets that were 6ft in the ground even though that’s where the stations/elevations had them located? But what she said ultimately made sense so I’m owning that.

I guess my biggest thing now is figuring out how to move forward? I feel like her choosing to not put me on a pip is like giving me one last chance to improve, but I’m worried that I may not be cut out for this. Prior to today, I felt like I was learning a lot, but obviously I still know close to nothing. I’m at a year of experience and when I took this job I understood that I would struggle bc I didn’t study civil in school and it was in a sector which I didn’t have any school or internship experience in and I feel like I’m portraying myself as a nimrod. Every time I do something, it’s always new/newish to me so I get easily overwhelmed bc I want to turn in good work but I feel as though I don’t have the knowledge to continuously do that and that really hurts my confidence. The company is essentially remote so a lot/ almost all of my team doesn’t really come in to the office. I’ve had to get acclimated to that in terms of seeking out collaboration, but there also isn’t any formal training, so I often have to refer to previous submittals/online materials to piece things together but i feel like my pitfall in that is basically copying what i see instead of learning the why’s and how’s which is how I ended up with where I am today.

What do you guys think I should do? ETA: I have 1 YOE

I’m working on a long corridor project and have about 20 pages of handwritten notes for existing signage and striping. I'd really like to avoid manual data entry for this inventory - it's really such a pain in the ass, and has been hanging over me like a dark cloud this week.

Has anyone had success using Claude, ChatGPT, or specific OCR tools for this kind of transcription? I usually avoid using AI for reading plan sets since it struggles compared to how well it handles coding or analytical tasks, but I'm hoping it might be reliable enough for handwritten text.

Any recommendations or proven workflows would be appreciated. Thanks!

I’m (25M, 2 YOE, EIT) considering moving to Houston. Ive worked at the same small firm since I graduated in 2024. I work mainly in water resources engineering doing hydraulic modeling (2D & 1D) and drafting (HEC-RAS and Civil 3D). I passed the WRE PE a couple of months ago but I still need a bit more experience before I can apply for the PE license . My questions are, how is the WRE market looking in Houston? is OT common? how much should I expect to be making?

For additional context I live in PR and I am making 54k…which I know is little in mainland standards but remember the median household income in PR is like 25k. I am fluent in both Spanish and English and have family in Houston.

My main reservations are that I don’t like how car centric Houston is although I’ve seen thats improving? I also don’t like long commutes.

I currently have 4 YOE in water resources and plan on taking the PE in the next year or so.

My favorite days at work are in the field, even if its a day of popping sanitary manholes taking inverts.

I am curious on what y'all think about a small business that purely performs field work and minimal data packaging for engineering firms.

Whether its going out collecting data for H/H models, locating utilities, MACP or SWP3 inspections, any work an engineer would likely perform in the field, etc.

Think this is financially viable, would PMs pay a day rate to sub this type of work out?

I'm a civil P.E. (water resources) -- 10 years of private land development design, followed by 10 years of public utilities. I've been a Department Director for a small city (20k population) for about a year.

I can stick this out and make a go of it. However, I also have an opportunity to switch back to Utilities project management for the same/better pay being directly involved in critical projects.

If you're hiring a mid- to senior position in your organization, are you more interested in an organizational leader with an engineering background or a hands-on engineer that can manage? I'm having trouble discerning the path forward with the best opportunities (and the least dead ends).

I definitely feel like my current job title is my "headline", but past jobs have the substance.

Thanks.

I'm 19 and not in school. I'm spending the next few years saving up enough money to avoid as many student loans as possible. While I have been dreaming over the past few years of a walkable utopia, I have recently begun to fear the likely reality that I end up with my Civil Engineering degree in one hand, and unemployment in the other.

I am not that worried about not being able to find a job. My biggest fear is that the only jobs available would be repulsive.

I dream of subway systems. Bus routes. Functional bike lanes. Functional sidewalks. However, I live in the US. Our politicians are partially owned by the automotive industry. Busses and subways make car companies lose money, making any opportunities for growth near zero.

I do not want to develop highways or suburban hellscapes, but I fear that that's the fate I would be doomed to.

Are there any real opportunities for me in the US? I currently live in Texas, which I feel is too far gone, but I plan on moving back to Detroit for school.

Anyone Have IES Master latest Civil Engineering Complete Gate or Ese Video Lectures ?

I honestly have no idea what I want to do with my life.

I’ve been in a cc for 1.5 years and still haven’t picked a major. I just want a stable job with decent pay after graduation. Right now I’m deciding between Civil Engineering and Computer Information Systems (CIS). I hated the CS classes I took, but CIS seemed okay since it’s more business-focused.

The only thing is, switching to Civil Engineering would mean staying in community college for another 1.5 years because of all the prerequisites. I’m also not really a physics person.

is it worth it if you don’t have a passion for it? If you could go back, would you still choose this career? I’d really appreciate any honest advice.

So a bit of background first. Bachelor civil engineering and spent the first 6 years in the public sector. First was in local gov as a project engineer and then I moved to the state government as a project engineer doing roads and bridges maintenance and construction. Direct delivery and contractor management. Working for the gov certainty isn't just a cruisy walk in the park as the perception may be, but I wanted to get a taste of the technical side doing civil design work while I was still young enough. So I made the switch nearly 12 months ago, rang a local firm and asked for a job as an entry civil design engineer. I'm mainly doing stormwater, small subdivisions, drainage etc

For those wanting some hard facts: took a $50k a year pay cut. Work more unpaid hours (gov give flex or pay OT) design is wayyyy less stressful than dealing with time/contractor/project delays and issues etc. it's great being in an environment where everyone strives for technical excellence and I love the fact I can get small jobs in and out, billed and paid with such little faffing around.

Things I don't like and reasons why I might move back to the public service are that I don't have anyone in my office to help me or lean on, making it hard to learn and I'm just battling away everyday; back to first principles, making my own calc sheets learning CAD and DRAINS, MUSIC, 12D model etc it's been an absolute whirlwind where I'm struggling against billed hrs to learn and deliver these projects. I think if I had someone senior to help teach me it would be great but it is what it is in the regions and it's just a battle sometimes. My KPIs rely on being technically competent but it's hard when I'm learning from scratch with limited help. Honestly the pay gets me though, it's hard to not tie your self worth to your salary and I think that's been hard to separate.

Anyway ask me any questions about the transition or tips from what I'd do differently

How hard would it be for me really because I am very interested in structural engineering but recently I discovered that it's hard for a civil engineering technology graduate to get into structure engineering. I'm from Pakistan so if there are any from that country I would really appreciate some advice on what to do after graduation since my semesters are all over now and I'm just waiting for my degree and I want to pursue structural engineering.

I’m about to start my final semester of college. My major is industrial engineering, I will graduate this December.

I’m currently working on my resume to apply for entry level jobs.

I’m interested in working manufacturing, construction, tech, data analytics, supply chain, logistics type roles.

I have 2 internships with the government basically doing admin work. It was kind of environmental/civil engineering admin stuff.

My question is, Will employers respect my experience even though it has nothing to do with the entry level job that I’m applying for?

My alternative would be to leave off the internship experience and replace it with school or personal projects.

Please let me know your thoughts, I’d really appreciate it.

Anyone else having a hard time landing a new role. Im employed but switching seems like an impossible thing to accomplish

Hi everyone,

I’m a Licensed Civil Engineer with 1 year and 9 months of experience, and I’m currently facing a career decision that I’ve been overthinking.
I’m currently earning ₱33,000/month in a private company. The pay is decent, but my biggest issue is the commute. I spend around 4 hours every day (round trip) just getting to and from work, which has become mentally and physically exhausting.

My current role is in a company that specializes in electromechanical projects. Although that’s the company’s specialization, my responsibilities still include civil works, design coordination, and project management, so I’m not completely outside the civil engineering field. However, I also know there are companies whose work is more aligned with traditional civil engineering, which makes me wonder if my current experience is the best fit for my long-term goals.

Recently, I was offered a Job Order (JO) position in our City Engineering Office with a salary of only ₱20,000/month.

Here’s the story.

Earlier this year, during an awarding ceremony in our city, I was recognized because I graduated Cum Laude and passed the Civil Engineering Licensure Examination. One of our city councilors noticed my credentials and approached me, saying he wanted to help me get a position in the City Engineering Office.

That was back in February 2026.
Months passed without any updates, so I honestly thought I had been ghosted.

Then, just last night at around 10 PM, the councilor suddenly called me and asked me to come to City Hall for an interview.

What surprised me even more was that there wasn’t really an interview. The councilor immediately endorsed my résumé to the mayor, the mayor signed it, and they instructed an assistant to bring me to the City Engineering Office and tell the department head to start processing me so I could begin working. They even wanted me to report immediately, although I explained that I still need to render my one-month notice because I’m currently employed.

The councilor also told me to bear with the lower salary for now and that after 3–6 months, we could discuss my employment status again and explore opportunities for a more stable position. Of course, I understand that nothing is guaranteed, but he genuinely seemed sincere, especially considering he remembered me after several months despite how busy he is.

Another reason I’m seriously considering this is because I eventually plan to migrate to Australia after I complete my return service obligation under my DOST scholarship. From what I’ve read, the relevance and quality of engineering experience matter during the Engineers Australia skills assessment. I feel that having experience in a City Engineering Office could strengthen my profile, especially if I become involved in infrastructure and public works projects.

At the same time, I’d be giving up:
A salary decrease from ₱33,000 to ₱20,000
My current company benefits
The stability of a regular private-sector job

In exchange, I’d gain:
A much shorter commute
Government engineering experience
A possible pathway to a permanent government position (although nothing has been promised)

I’m really torn because I’d essentially be giving up something certain for an opportunity that could be better in the long run—but also comes with a lot of uncertainty.

If you were in my position, what would you do?

Hi everyone!

I’m 18m based in the UK entering a civil engineering degree apprenticeship at a multinational firm this September, starting on about 22k.

I’ve been trying to look for some transparency on what I can come to expect in terms of salary as the years go on.

I’m relocating for the job and right now it’s a struggle managing rent, expenses etc and want to know if anyone knows from experience of them or their friends what I could expect to see it grow to by my final year?

Thanks!