Civil Engineering Appreciation

A worrying lack of raw material

Not just sand, building industry is facing shortage of civil engineers; 1 in 2 graduates don't join the profession

Tor Ching Li
chingli@mediacorp.com.sg

EVEN as new sources of sand are being sought, the construction sector is facing a shortage in another vital resource — civil engineers.

According to the Singapore Contractors Association Ltd (Scal), only one in two graduating civil engineer students from the local universities actually work in the construction industry.

...The sudden upsurge in construction demand in the past six months has resulted in a shortage of civil engineers — professionals trained to deal with the planning, construction and maintenance of fixed structures.

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Yep, I am one of those Civil Engineering undergrads they are worrying about. I belong to one-half of would-be graduates who won't be pursuing a civil-engineering related career.

Ironically, I also personally think that it's the best time right now to be a civil engineer. Our professors are a testament to that. They always tell us that companies are chasing them for consulting jobs, especially our geotechnical engineering professors, because there are too few of them. That's also why they always encourage us to further our studies and aspire to be a professional engineer, because they are extremely sought after.

However, even with all these perks, I just don't think I'm fit as a practicing engineer. I mean, I always appreciate the OVERVIEW of what we are studying, but once we come to get down and dirty with the details and technicalities, I always get a headache. And my classmates, some of them are just too good. I don't know how they are able to understand how things work. I think their brains are wired specifically for this field. I mean I try my best too, and you can also try to fit a rectangle in a circular cast, but it just won't work. I am happy for them because they enjoy what they are learning and they even have great career prospects ahead of them to boot.

Civil Engineering is an exciting field, really. It's just that it's one of those things that I appreciate even though it's not really for me. Like, you see a hunka-doodle-doo walking across the street and you admire him, but you don't necessarily want him as your boyfriend sort of thing (yeah coz it's almost Valentine's Day so I must give a relevant example).

Here are some local projects we have discussed in class. Really excited about these structures that are about to change the landscape of Singapore yet again.


Marina Barrage


Marina Bay Bridge - daytime (inspired by the DNA's double helix)


Marina Bay Bridge - at night


Integrated Resort at Marina Bay



Ya, everything Marina something. Haha because Marina Bay is going to be the new downtown of Singapore.

Other interesting tidbits of info:

Singapore has increased by 15% in size because it keeps on reclaiming land. The original shoreline of Singapore in the 1960's was only until where some of the inland HDB flats are right now. The extension is of course fake soil, and it's just amazing because they've added building, parks, and whatnot on top of it just like it's real soil. Yeah so that's what we are learning in geotechnical engineering...everything about soil.

Here are other examples of reclaimed land projects...the most ambitious and audacious ones in Dubai. Man, I really want to go to Dubai one day. We had this project before, and we were just imagining things for our project ideas, then poof! Sorry, Dubai already has.


Burj-Al-Arab Hotel, the only 7-star hotel in the world.


Ooops! They even have THE WORLD there. The World Islands Dubai.


Palm Jumeirah Dubai...magnificent man-made island.



So there. I appreciate my course of study because of all these things and more. But I think I won't pursue a career out of it, maybe for the same reason I appreciate what doctors do but I don't see myself doing that kind of job because I am afraid of blood.

So, HSBC, Standard Chartered, or P&G, welcome me with open arms! Haha.