Construction Engineering as a career!

Introduction

Skyscrapers with high-tech facilities, six lane roads, multi-tiered flyovers, smooth and proper traffic management systems, excellent public transport systems with mono rails, metro rails, and world class public amenities ----Does it sound like a dream? This is no longer a distant dream. With the Indian economy growing rapidly year on year, there is an urgent need to improve the crippling infrastructure and quality of life. Outlook of an average Indian citizen is changing. Today we are demanding a better lifestyle, state of the art facilities and superior infrastructure network. All this is leading to a surge in construction industry. You can well envisage how important construction technology is to the growth of an economy. It is the spine of our economic progress. It needs to continually advance to support the rising demands coming from our economic and urban expansions.

Overview

Food, clothing and SHELTER – our three basic necessities. This basic need for SHELTER has been the reason behind the emergence of construction industry. Ever since man felt the need for SHELTER to protect himself from elements of nature, he has been developing various tools and techniques to build shelters, roads and other basic facilities to fulfil his infrastructure requirements.

With the evolution of mankind and development of science and technology, construction industry has evolved immensely. If you think it is only about bricks and mortar, hammers and nails, then think again…Today’s construction world sees usage of high- tech machineries and modern technology to build state of the art amenities. It has evolved into a highly knowledge intensive domain where the demand for exceedingly specialized and skilled workforce keeps increasing by the day.

This is an industry, which is exceptionally spread out. It touches the entire spectrum of infrastructure comprising of the buildings we live, roads we walk on, railways, factories, airports, refineries and so on. It doesn’t stop only with the buildings and roads. Water supply, sanitation, traffic and transportation system also fall under its purview.

Diverse as it sounds we can broadly categorize construction projects into:

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Private and public residential building, and non residential buildings like schools, hospitals etc

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Heavy engineering construction which builds sewers, bridges, flyovers, tunnels, railway tracks, metro rail etc

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Factories and processing plants (industrial and commercial complexes)

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Conservation and restoration of old heritage buildings as well as redevelopment of old premises e.g. the redevelopment project in Phoenix Mills in Mumbai has converted the old defunct cotton mill areas into a shopping arcade.

So you can see that there is a variety in the kind of projects you choose to work. As a construction engineer you can engage in structural design, site survey, cost estimations and project management. Project Management will include planning and execution of various projects from scratch to the end. You are also expected to stick to the timelines, complete projects within the stipulated budget and comply with the standards of quality specified by the project owner. You need to hone up organizational and business skills apart from the technical know how. Strong implementation skills – not just in project management but also in areas on finance and marketing are desired. Progressively more courses in humanities, management and social sciences are getting included in the curriculum to broaden the student’s perspective on the work environment and prepare them comprehensively to face the challenges at work.

Construction Industry – the Indian Perspective…

Let me start by giving you some statistics, which will help you appreciate the current state of affairs and the factors, which are driving growth in this sector.

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The Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of construction industry is 8.4 % and is expected to increase in the long term. This industry is expected to grow at a higher rate than the growth rate of the Indian economy.

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Vision 2020 document by Planning Commission states that in the next decade real estate would be one of the major areas of employment generation. By 2020, as per the Planning Commission, 40 % of Indians will move to urban areas as compared to 27 % as per census 2001.This would necessitate development of 50- 60 urban centres which can house at least 1 million people.

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25 mn units – this is the estimated urban housing shortage, which might worsen in the years to come.

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According to one of the multinational real estate consultancy, around $ 6 billion of FDI is ear marked for India, which is about 1/5 th of the total amount ear marked for real estate markets across India.

Strain on the current infrastructure and public utilities, exponential economic growth, rising salaries of white–collar executives, shortage of urban housing and huge FDI inflows are steering growth in the construction industry today. The modern Indian consumer is demanding better services in terms of built environment eg malls, public spaces, parking etc and protection of the natural environment through green and eco friendly facilities.

The real estate boom is getting bigger by the day and so is the demand for construction engineers or managers. I think at this point it will be right to take a glimpse on the scale of the projects which are at various stages of finalization. This will give you an idea on the scale at which the industry is progressing. To mention a few -----

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DLF – one of the country’s biggest real estate developers stuck a $20 billion with the largest privately held real-estate developer in the world, Al Nakheel of the United Arab Emirates, to build two townships in northern and western India.

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Hinduja Group, plans to start a chain of hospitals in Delhi, Mumbai,Hyderabad and Bangalore with an investment of $1 billion. This is in conjunction with Dubai's government-owned Limitless LLC.

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Largest securities firm of Australia – Macquaire Bank along with three other partners would invest US$25 billion to build a ultramodern residential township on 26,300 hectares in Andhra Pradesh.

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Tishman Speyer Properties LP, which owns New York's Rockefeller Center and Frankfurt's MesseTurm, along with ICICI Bank and Nagarjuna Construction Co, is planning for a $2 billion futuristic township for 30,000 people, near Hyderabad.

The list is endless. India is indeed the NEW destination for investors and developers. Thus, you can see that the opportunities it will unfold for construction professionals are limitless. Currently growing at 30 % per annum, this industry is the fastest growing sector in Indian economy. The growth is expected to continue and a paradigm shift is expected in the years to come.

Why Construction?

Now that we have a good understanding of the Industry, let us try to comprehend why construction technology is a coveted field today.

From the recent industry developments construction professionals can look forward to

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An exponential rise in salaries

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Exposure to modern technology and challenging assignments

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Lot of MNC starting projects in India independently or in joint collaboration with Indian counterparts would modernise and improve the technology involved.

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Time lines of projects are expected to reduce whereas scale of work is to increase phenomenally.

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With the complexity and advancement in technology, exposure to a variety of challenging mega projects is a given.

Everyday multiple projects are getting finalized. Lot of multinationals opening shops in India would require world-class facilities to house their operations. With the hustle and bustle in the real estate there is a sharp rise in demand of qualified construction engineers /managers.

Repetitive and routine work can lead to a drab and boring work life with negligible job satisfaction. For those of you who like change and variety this is the field to be in. No two projects are the same. So even though you are in the same organisation, with every project it is like a new job. Thus in the long run, work in this field is intellectually stimulating and immensely satisfying.

Projects in this field combine interesting and challenging aspects of engineering, management, and business. The technical and managerial challenges open varied opportunities, which eventually lead to successful career paths.

As on today the supply of skilled professionals is very limited. This demand supply gap has led construction technology to become a very competitive field with healthy career prospects. . As you can see their scope is infinite. The raison d'être behind joining this booming industry is obvious.

Education and Training:

Construction Technology being an extremely knowledge intensive domain, there is a lot of emphasis been given on the formal training and education. There are very few colleges in India, which provide graduate level engineering courses in construction but individuals with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering; mechanical engineering or electrical engineering can apply for a job in the construction industry as well.

Institutes in India offering a graduate level course in Construction Engineering:

North

 IIT Kanpur  IIT Delhi  IT-BHU, Varanasi  Delhi College of Engineering  BITS, Pillani  NIT, Kurukshetra

South

 IIT, Chennai  NIT’s  PSG College of Technology  Anna University

East

 IIT, Kharagpur,  IIT, Guwahati  IIT, Rourkee  NIT, Rourkela  Faculty Of Engineering And Technology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, West Bengal

West

 IIT, Mumbai  Govt. College of Engineering, Pune  Sardar Patel College of Engineering, Mumbai  Bharatiya Vidyapeeths College of Engineering, Mumbai

The popular disciplines like civil, mechanical and electrical engineering are offered in all top engineering colleges in India.

In case you are planning to study in the US, here is a list of institutes offering a graduate level course in Construction Engineering:

 Andrews University  Arizona State University  Bradley University  East Texas State University  Iowa State University of Science and Technology  John Brown University  Kansas State University  Lawrence Technological University  Louisiana Tech University  Marquette University  Massachusetts Institute of Technology  Michigan Technological University  North Carolina State University  Pennsylvania State University At Harrisburg- The Capital College  Purdue University  Stevens Institute of Technology  Temple University  The Catholic University of America  University of Cincinnati  University of Nebraska  University of Mexico  University of Notre Dame  University of Southern Mississippi  Western Michigan University  Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Your preferred domain:

Today is the age of specialized knowledge. There are four basic disciplines in which you can specialize. You can either opt for a Post graduate degree /diploma in any of these disciplines. One of the prerequisites for these post graduate courses is a basic degree in civil engineering /building sciences /architecture.

What you can opt for?

Structural Engineering: This is for those you who are interested in designing structural systems. This is a completely technical field and after completion you can look at working as a design engineer in the research and development department. With the increasing intricacies in modern designs, today the work of a structural engineer is far more challenging. Structural engineers often specialise in particular fields, such as bridge engineering, building engineering, pipeline engineering, industrial structures or special structures such as vehicles or aircraft.

Transportation Engineering: This is for those of you who will be interested to be a part of the system involved in planning of efficient and safe transportation networks and traffic management in various levels. It will include all modes of travel like highways, railways, airports, seaports and harbours. Here you can be a part of urban planning or town planning projects.

Hydraulics and Water Resource Engineering: This entails movement and distribution of water. Research done in this field is useful and provides insights to environmental engineering policy and planning.

Geo –Technical Engineering: Includes study of the behaviour of earth material like soil, rock etc. The geotechnologist would typically design foundations required for the intended man made structure to be built. This is one segment which has very few skilled professionals as on date and people with the technical know how can be absorbed easily in the industry.

Construction Management: Construction Management is one of the most popular courses. It refers to the study and practice of the managerial and technological aspects of the construction industry. This is especially useful when one is working with the construction consultants or contractors and takes up the responsibility of the entire assignment. There are Post Graduate Diploma courses in Construction Management, which is available to graduates of any engineering/architecture discipline. Several institutes have started regular courses in construction management.

List of some of the Leading Institutes offering courses in Construction Management:

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IIT, Chennai. Course: Masters in Construction Technology and Management Eligibility: GATE scores.

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IIT, Delhi. Course: Masters in Building Technology & Construction Management Eligibility: GATE scores and personal interview.

The department also runs an M.Tech. User Oriented Programme (UOP) in Construction Technology and Management, sponsored by the giant construction company Larsen & Toubro ECC, Chennai. The students in this program are paid salary and tuition fee by the respective organizations sponsoring the programs.

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School of Planning & Architecture, Delhi. Course: Master of Building Engineering & Management. Eligibility: Bachelor’s degree in Civil, Building, Architectural Engineering, Architectural Building Science and GATE/NET scores.

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Centre for Environment Planning and Technology (CEPT), Ahmedabad. Course: Masters in Construction and Project Management Eligibility: BE (civil) / B. Arch. or equivalent degree

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IGNOU offers a BTech programme in Project Management, Quantity Surveying & Contracting (can be completed module by module).

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Centre for Environment Planning and Technology, Ahmedabad, also offers a PG programme in construction management.

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The National Institute of Construction Management and Research (NICMAR), at Gurgaon, Bangalore, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Pune offers graduate and post-graduate diploma and certificate programmes in construction and project management, as well as in different aspects of the construction business. Eligibility: Graduates in Engineering/Architecture/Quantity Surveying with 55% aggregate and Maths till XII or MBA/MSc/MA with 55% aggregate and 2 years experience in the construction business.

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Delhi Productivity Council Course: Construction Management. Eligibility: Engineers, Architects & Technologists preferably with 2 years work experience

Abilities and Temperament you need to imbibe:

Academic qualifications and training are a must for this field. But apart from the educational qualification, you need to develop certain soft skills which would differentiate you from the rest and give you the edge in clinching the coveted job.

Some of the qualities that a recruiter in this field often seeks:

• communication skills; • self initiated and motivated individuals • interpersonal skills; • IT skills; • organization/planning skills • a team player

Your academic course is structured to incorporate many of these skills. Other ways to gain these skills would be for example, by getting involved in student clubs/societies, student newspapers, event organization, etc.

Along with technical know-how, a construction engineer needs to develop communication and interpersonal skills to be able to interact with professional and non-professional co-workers and clients. Time management, problem solving and decision making are skills that aren’t part of any programme but are extremely crucial to succeed in your career. Meticulous attention to details and multitasking are the order of the day. One needs to identify these qualities and try and inculcate right from your student days.

Recruitment Trends

By now I think even you can foresee that opportunities are manifold. One needs to take the right decisions to make it. Let’s take a macro look at the kind of opportunities that are unfolding.

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The construction industry accounts for around one-tenth of the world’s gross domestic product, seven percent of employment.

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The National Highway Authority of India and state government agencies are giving contracts worth thousands of crores to private companies to construct roads and bridges. These are generating new jobs for construction engineers.

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With the developments happening in the retail and civil aviation industry, demands for malls, airports are on the rise. Huge projects in this segment are unfolding on a daily basis.

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SEZ s is another sector which will open out huge number of construction projects.

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To solve the urban housing problem lot of integrated and satellite townships are being planned. These futuristic townships with modern services and facilities will lead to lot of exciting avenues for construction professionals.

While the number of job prospects for civil/construction engineering graduates have gone through the roof, so have the expectations of recruiters. They are not ready to compromise on the work standards and quality. Recruiters have become more selective and the recruitment processes have become more intricate.

As a fresher you can join the organization as project engineer or trainee and gradually move up the organization hierarchy. After your B.Tech/ B.E. in civil engineering you can look for jobs in road projects, building work, consultancy firms, quality testing laboratories or housing societies. Construction engineering graduates can also go in for research and take up teaching or they can open their own independent consultancy services after gaining adequate experience.

“At a junior level one spends more time doing surveys and structural drawings. As you move on you specialize in a particular domain e.g. – housing or airports…. Once you reach the top of the corporate ladder, you work to get more business or clients. Around 60-70% goes in acquiring and retaining clients.” –a construction professional currently working in a MNC.

Once you have specialized in a particular field you can look at any of the following career paths:

1. As a structural design engineer in the R&D division. 2. As a on site construction manager 3. A traffic or transportation planner in the Urban planning and Town planning projects 4. As a geotechnical expert which thrives on technical know how and expertise.

Amongst the prominent recruiter in Engineering campuses are L&T, Gammon India, HCC, Simplex, Tata Projects Ltd, Essar Construction, Shapoorjee Palonjee etc. Recently a lot of multinationals are also visiting the campuses. Some prominent MNCs recruiting are Halliburton, Stoops, etc

Remuneration

After obtaining a degree from a good college, one can expect an average salary of 3 Lacs plus for an entry level position. After two or three years of experience on good projects, one can earn up to Rs 30,000 per month. Students with a PG degree can expect approximately around 6 Lacs +

Future Outlook

There is a new trend that we have noticed amongst the recruiters these days. They are looking with candidates with expertise in more than one domain. There is a rising demand for candidates with construction and IT background. If you are conversant with any international language, like French or German, you can get an edge over your counterparts. Lot of recruiters give preference if you are armed with a Business Management degree.

To sum up, there is a huge transformation taking place in the urban landscape and you can be a part of it. The good news is that nobody is hinting at any major economic slow down in the coming years. Therefore sky is the limit. It is on you to reach out.