Highways Engineer
Highways engineers keep the thousands of miles of roads across Britain in good shape – and help build new ones where they’re needed.
The Role
- Designing local road schemes
- Maintaining the road network
- Planning and supervising projects
- Preparing contract documents
- Managing construction teams
- Designing and maintaining structures such as bridges
- Supervising roadworks
- Keeping roads clear and open in winter
- Working in all weather conditions
- Dealing with stakeholders including clients, transport specialists and members of the public
- Work with other professionals to help build and maintain roads as well as finding new solutions to transport problems
Salary
- Highways engineers are in demand and usually earn around £25,000 to £30,000 a year.
Qualifications & Training
You should ideally have GCSEs, standard grades, National 4 or 5s, or equivalent such as the Welsh Baccalaureate as well as A-levels/ Highers in English and Maths.
If you want to find out more about this career, work experience with a professional highway engineering practice will give you an idea of what the job is all about.
Studying for a university degree in civil engineering would lead to chartered engineer status.
Alternatively, you can train on the job while working as a highways maintenance technician. Day release training leads to a National Certificate (NC), Higher National Certificate (HNC) or Higher National Diploma (HND).