A water engineer is a professional whose job involves the provision of clean water, disposal of bilge and sewage, and the prevention of flood damage. Being a water engineer requires you to deal with repairing, maintaining, and building structures that control water resources like sea defence walls, pumping stations, and reservoirs.
Water engineers focus on the study of how water reacts in the natural system and man-made environments. As a water engineer, your responsibilities will include both technical and non-technical aspects of water resource management. So, if you are interested in becoming a water engineer, there are procedures you need to follow to become one. This article will guide you on the processes involved, so there is no need to worry.
How To Become a Water Engineer
A water engineer is responsible for overseeing every day’s water supply to ensure that it is safe for the population to drink. Water engineers also need to figure out the best places to locate a municipal water treatment facility. So, if you are interested in helping the world and contributing your scientific knowledge to an honourable cause, then water engineering is the right job for you. Scroll down to find out how to become a water engineer.
How To Become a Water Engineer
Follow the steps below if you are interested in becoming a water engineer.
Get A Bachelor’s Degree
To become a water engineer, the minimum degree you will need is a bachelor’s degree. You can get this degree from an accredited university or college. Universities do not usually offer a major or minor in water engineering, so you can get a similar engineering degree, like chemical engineering, civil engineering, or mechanical engineering. Also, you can get a non-engineering degree that will give you the basic knowledge you need, like a degree in construction management, geology or environmental sciences. Getting a bachelor’s degree usually takes up to three or four years.
Obtain A Graduate Degree
A graduate degree is not a requirement for water engineers, but having it can improve your chances of getting a water engineering job. Some institutions offer specialized water engineering master’s programs within environmental engineering like water engineering and management, resources engineering, or wastewater infrastructure. Getting this degree may take up to a year or two.
Register With the Engineering Regulatory Body
After you have gotten your degree, you can then register with the engineering regulatory body in your province to become an engineer-in-training. Every board has its own rules and requirements for becoming an engineer-in-training, so you should check them out before you register. To start working in the field, you will need to become an engineer-in-training.
Get Work Experience
If you want to qualify for the engineering exam and become a fully licensed engineer, you will need to get at least four years of work experience under the supervision of a licensed professional engineer. Throughout this period, you will need to work on water-related projects so you can develop your engineering skills and get the knowledge you need. When you work under direct supervision, you get to learn more about the position and industry in a safe environment.
Pass The National Professional Engineering (PE) Exam
After you have gotten the necessary work experience and met all the other requirements for the engineering board in your province, you can then go ahead to take the PE exam. The professional engineering exam pays attention to the practices and principles of engineering within your discipline, like civil engineering with a water resources specialization.
To partake in this exam, you will have to register for a specific date and time and pay a fee. During the exam, you will have to answer 110 multiple-choice questions and you will be given two and a half hours to answer the questions. Passing the exam shows your competency and allows you to be a licensed water engineer.
Complete Your Resume
You can apply for jobs once you become a licensed water engineer. But you will need to have an updated resume to apply. Your credentials are among the first things your prospective employers search for, so you will need to include them at the top of your resume to highlight your expertise. This will reveal to employers that you are certified and licensed to work as a water engineer in your province. Another thing to include in your resume is your work experience from the last four years. This will inform employers about your firsthand knowledge and experience in the industry.
You will also need to search through job postings for certain keywords that employers mention often like certain skills. Then, you add them to your resume to show that you are qualified for the position. Also, try to create a unique resume for every job. This will enable you to add special keywords and information employers are searching for, thereby enabling you to stand out over the other candidates searching for jobs.
Thrive In Your Interview
You will start receiving invitations for interviews if your resume is very effective. To improve your chances of getting hired for the job, you have to prepare well for the interview. You can do this by researching about the company and the likely questions they may ask you during the interview. It is common for interviewers to ask a mix of general and role-specific questions so they can know you and your experience. For instance, an interviewer may ask what your strengths and weaknesses are and what factors come into thought when you are estimating a design for a hydraulic structure. Preparing for questions like this will help you feel confident and focused during the interview.
One other way to prepare for the interview is to arrive early for the interview. Do not keep your interviewer waiting. And putting on a professional outfit is another way to scale through the interview. This will help create a good impression about you. Remember, first impression matters a lot. Also, during the interview, you will need to make eye contact. Sit up straight and nod appropriately to show you are interested in the interview. At the end of the interview, appreciate the interviewer for their time. And you can also send a thank you note to create a long-lasting impression.
CHECK THESE OUT:
