Professionalism and the Civil Engineer

In recent years, there has been a noticeable decline in the stature of the civil engineering profession. This decline has materialized because of: (1) Our failure to educate the public on the value of civil engineering services; (2) our refusal to set appropriate limits on our work; (3) our knack for letting opportunity pass us by; (4) our stubborn acceptance of the status quo; and (5) our unreasonable expectations. The professional actions of civil engineers are compared with those of other professionals relative to defined standards. Each of the five contributory factors is discussed, problems identified, and solutions proposed. Included in the discussion are the respective roles of consultants and public sector engineers; the negative affect of bidding as a means of selecting engineers; and the establishment of contractual scopes of work. The Ten Commandments of Engineering Professionalism are presented as a means of professional advancement.