Reading

You are going to read three texts about different people who have careers in civil engineering. Read what they say about their jobs and responsibilities:

Jobs and responsibilities.

1) Andrey Borovkin

As a CAD technician, I create virtual drawings and models of buildings using computer software. This process is called 'computer aided design', or CAD. To do this I work closely with the architects and other engineers on the project. We constantly share information between us as the design of our structure develops. Because I'm a senior technician, I also manage the work of a team. One of the most important skills I use every day is understanding the computer design software, which needs good ability in maths and IT. Communicating with other people is also a key part of my job. This helps me to make sure my team understands the projects they are working on. The CAD technician role I have, designing and modelling the details of structures, helps to create projects which lots of people benefit from. My work gives my company’s clients good value. It does this by being careful so a design doesn’t use more material than it needs, or doesn't cost more than it should to build. I also help communities by designing new facilities, like schools and hospitals, which are ready to use and will last a long time.

2) Margarita Illarionova

As a consulting civil engineer, my job is to design structures that meet the needs of my company’s clients – and people like you and me who'll use them once they’re finished. We work through a ‘design process’. First I meet the client (this could be a government body or private developer) who wants to build the structure. I also meet the architect and other engineers to agree how the finished structure should work. Using my maths skills, and with the help of design software, I come up with a design for the structural details of the building. The design must be safe, but also look nice and be as easy as possible to build and maintain. Finally, I produce drawings and a list of everything needed to build the project. This helps to guide the other engineers and workers who will turn my design into a real thing. Being an engineer always involves being part of a team. Communicating with other people involved in the project – from a client who is paying for the building, to a technical team building it – is a vital skill. My work has a great impact on local communities and the wider world. Civil engineering projects help to create economic growth and make our towns and cities more sustainable – which is always good for people living there.

3) Denis Kovalev

My role as a site engineer involves managing several projects at once. I do lots of different tasks like being responsible for teams, and making sure we're spending the right amount of money. I’m also often in the field overseeing the construction, writing reports or meeting clients. Many people will tell you that engineering is a very technical profession and you need to be highly academic. But I’ve found that there's one main skill a good engineer needs - the ability to communicate with people on all levels. You can be as smart as you want, but if you can’t let other people know what you want them to do your project will never get built. This profession is all about teamwork. In my role, I sit between government, high profile clients and the technical and academic community. Since I moved from site-based work to more of a research role, the impact of my work on the wider community has changed. I now focus on looking into how we can be innovative, build faster, cleaner and with different materials.