Geotechnical engineering is close to civil engineering in that engineering is part of it, but this is where the similarities end. The geotechnical field involves materials of the earth and actually is used in civil engineering applications, but it extends beyond this field to include military applications and mining and petroleum applications as well. The field is expansive and is highly lucrative, so if a career as a geotechnical engineer sounds interesting to you read on for some interesting facts and advice on this career path.
If you love soil and rocks and were a big fan of earth science in school, then you will love being a geotechnical engineer. You are out in the field almost constantly, digging up pieces of the earth and conducting materials testing procedures either on site or back at the lab. You too will conduct the occasional environmental audit, ensuring that a piece of land is safe enough to build upon. Normally, there are environmental phase i site assessments that you will be part of, playing an integral role in determining the feasibility of a space for any sort of project.
The field is vast and the responsibilities are expansive as well, so a career as a geotechnical engineer is pretty rewarding. And of course, it requires formal education and a great deal of on the job training before any site assessments can ever be conducted and prior to any real hardcore work being done. But once you get through your education, you can instantly become a geotechnical engineer, starting your career off on the right foot and never looking back.
So how can you get started as soon as possible down this career path toward becoming a geotechnical engineer? You can begin by looking into the various programs offered at institutions that are located where you live. If the school near you has any sort of technical programming in its curricula, then there is sure to be a geotechnical engineering program there too. Look at the requirements for applying and the costs for participating in such a program.
Also turn to the web, both to understand more about what it takes to become a geotechnical engineer and what the field entails. Also, there are some great courses available online to help you complete your degree and get a job as a geotechnical engineer. You may even get the chance to complete your degree entirely online.