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.
Salaries depend on location, employer and level of responsibility.
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).