Were you the type of kid that found yourself staring up at the sky watching for airplanes and marveling how they managed to fly? As a teenager, did you take an even greater interest in planes, taking things a little further and learning more about how they operate and their many incredible feats? If that love and passion for airplanes still exists as you head into your adult years, then it could be that you’ve found your calling.
Rather than staring up at the skies and imagining what it would be like to be part of the aviation industry, why not make the move and take the steps necessary to work in the field. Deciding to pursue a career as a civil engineer means that passion you have for airplanes can suddenly become your job, the thing you get paid to do, and the thing that challenges you and brings you work each day.
Here’s a look at how you can get started on the path to becoming a civil engineer, and just what your future career may look like.
The Educational Pathway – Consider Online Options
In order to become a civil engineer, you’re going to need to obtain your masters in civil engineering. For many people, this can be what holds them back simply because they figure tuition will be too much money, they have a full or part-time job at the moment that they can’t afford to give up, or there isn’t a school nearby and the thought of relocating or dealing with a long commute each day just isn’t realistic.
This is when the Norwich University masters in civil engineering online program can have a huge impact on your life. Not only are online programs traditionally more cost-effective, but they are also flexible as far as scheduling goes, they are done completely online, and you can keep up with that part or full-time job at the same time. The Norwich University civil engineering program provides students with the fundamentals of structural engineering so that they can move on and have a successful and rewarding career in such areas as aviation.
What Would Your Career Look Like?
As a civil engineer, you are able to work in a variety of industries, with aviation being just one of them. According to the United States Department of Labor, civil engineers have a median salary of $83,540 per year, and it’s an industry that is growing at a faster rate than average, as far as the number of available jobs goes.
As an aviation civil engineer, you’d be working on planning and redeveloping existing and new airports and their various facilities, you would be responsible for zoning problems, working with contractors and architects, and you’d be the one coordinating the engineering activities through the local, state, and federal agencies. The most common employees would be manufacturers of airplanes and their parts, such as Boeing and Bombardier, and the Federal Aviation Administration.
Turn Your Passion into a Career
A job as an aviation civil engineer can really give you that opportunity to turn your passion into your career, allowing you to get paid for what you love.