Do you want the job of a Structural Engineer?

Last week we (Joe, Ella and Faith) wrote an advert for being an engineer. Miss France emailed it to an engineering company and they replied.

Want a great job as an engineer?

Does building interest you?  Are you someone who likes to design things, with many other different engineers? Well the job of a structural engineer might be the job for you.

You will be able to be the designer of many structures including bridges, tunnels and railways, if you get the job of our structural engineer.

 You will be responsible for testing how structures can stand up to many stresses and strains (for example vehicles crossing bridges or the weather making problems). You might also have to work on creating large buildings.

Tasks And Duties

As part of this job, you will have to rapidly prepare detailed drawings, with notes, explaining how the structure should be built. You will need to investigate the condition of the ground and see if it is suitable for structures to be built there. If not, you will need to find another field or place for the design. Working out the loads and stresses placed on structures maybe a job that you will have to do.

Working carefully, you will need to use computer models to test the ground.

Think of how very proud you will feel if you are a designer of a structure such as a bridge across the Trent or Thames or the designer of a tunnel, like the deep, popular Channel Tunnel. Perhaps you might be part of a build team, creating smart schools with many classrooms, houses, impressive skycrapers, with a huge amount of windows and other useful buildings.

Skills Needed

You need to have excellent attention to detail on the drawings (if you get the job). Also, you need wide knowledge of different kinds of construction. Good at analysing information is another thing you need to do, problem-solving skills and finally numeracy skills.

All in all to sum up if you want an exciting, interesting job, try out as an engineer.

Our reply said :

Dear Miss France

Thank you very much for sending us the job description, can I apply? it sounds like a very rewarding job.

I think the children have captured many of the skills required for a structural engineer particularly numeracy skills, creating drawings with clear notes and calculating stresses and strains, all are important parts of the job.

The only thing I would add to the skills needed would be the ability to work as part of a team.  I'm sure the children are aware of the different skills and employees required to build something as large and complicated as a bridge, and making sure the whole team communicates, shares information and works well together is really important.

I have been working in the construction industry for many years and studied Structural and Civil Engineering at Warwick University.  I am also a STEM Ambassador and would be happy to come in a share some of my work experiences with the children.

Thank you for thinking of Lindum.

Kind regards
Jo

Joanne Holmes BEng PhD
Group Bids and Framework Manage