Special Report: Wanted: Civil Engineers

Does the United States face a shortage of civil engineers? Colleges, universities, employers, and corporate recruiters all report strong demand for civil engineering graduates, especially those specializing in water or environmental engineering. Meanwhile, as attested by ASCE’s 2005 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, the nation’s built environment continues to decline, suggesting that even greater numbers of civil engineers will be needed in the future. Globalization, however, is changing the civil engineering workforce in often unpredictable ways. U.S. civil engineers increasingly find themselves in competition with engineers from all over the world. In today’s global economy, technical competency is not enough; communication, project management, and leadership skills are becoming more important than ever. While experts disagree on whether there is truly a shortage of civil engineers, they agree on one thing: there is growing demand for a new kind of civil engineer—flexible, more broadly educated, and better prepared to meet the challenges of the future.