Sectors linked to civil engineering are many and interdependent, with each of them benefiting the other sectors. These sectors include structural engineering, municipal engineering, construction design and supervision, highways and transportation engineering, water resources engineering, geotechnical engineering, environmental protection, surveying and cartography.

These fields employ a multitude of professionals, including technicians, technologists and engineers. The latter are listed with a provincial professional association that represents their field or sector of activity. For example, civil engineers in Ontario must be members of Professional Engineers Ontario to be able to call themselves engineers. This association is itself listed with Engineers Canada, the national organization of the 12 provincial and territorial associations/ordre that regulate the practice of engineering in Canada and license the country's more than 160,000 professional engineers. The various associations regulate all standards and procedures related to this function in civil engineering. Through a variety of tests, they ensure that their members are qualified and entitled to use the title of technician, technologist or engineer. These accreditations are only available to professionals with at least two years' work experience.

The vitality of civil engineering is closely linked to economic growth and national demographics. Civil engineering designs or adapts structures to meet the needs of the public in terms of transportation, resources, land use, and more. Although it does not create growth per se, civil engineering maintains it by generating the conditions appropriate to its amplification.  

The province of Alberta provides a good example of the paramount role played by civil engineering. With the rapid and growing numbers of petrochemical companies in the province leading to an inflow of workers, Alberta had to offer these professionals appropriate conditions under which to work. This big job fell into the lap of civil engineering.

Since 1995, the civil engineering sector has grown by leaps and bounds, in the construction industry in particular, which is currently experiencing the highest growth rate in Canada. In 2005 alone, close to 68,000 jobs were created in this area

The average hourly salary in civil engineering is above the national average. Technicians and technologists make $22/hour on average, while engineers make $31/hour. For Paul Boos, senior engineer for Reinforced Earth Company in Alberta, these high salaries are perfectly justified. "While it's true that civil engineering salaries are high, they are not the highest. Other sectors have that distinction. Civil engineering professionals' salaries are based on their responsibilities. There is no margin for error in building dams or roads, since this could have serious repercussions."

Mr. Boos considers Canada an excellent place to begin a civil engineering career. With an unemployment rate of about 3%, the sector has a promising outlook, since the placement rate for civil engineering graduates surpasses 95%.

According to Paul Boos, if the real estate market, professional services sector and metals and machinery manufacturing maintain their growth, civil engineering should continue to offer at least ten years of excellent opportunities. Young people who wish to get into the field should have sound professional experience and/or have a degree, because civil engineering is hiring qualified workers and specialized professionals above all.

Civil engineering is hiring, but not just anyone. In addition to university degrees (bachelor's or master's) for engineers and college diplomas for technicians and technologists (2- to 3-year civil engineering technology or a related discipline), personal skills and aptitudes are also required. Potential hires must have good teamwork skills, be proficient in the use of computers and be able to write proposals and make presentations.