What should every civil engineer know?

I got the below on Quora. Might be of help for you.

Ref: https://www.quora.com/What-should-all-mechanical-engineers-know/answer/Rohit-Kapoor-49

What should every civil engineer know?

In College

• Half of the college subjects are of no use at site.
• Autocad is very important thing to learn which you try to avoid till last year.
• During placement interview, Practical knowledge is given importance and not grades.

Dilemma Phase - What to do next?

• Even doing MTech don’t assure you job guarantee.
• Nicmar gives you certification and not degree at end of 2 Years construction management course at expense of 10L fees.
• Government job require hardcore preparation for 5–6 months with 10–12 hrs study a day.

JOB

• Starting salary is as low as 15k per month and not more than 25k per month.
• In starting you might have to work even on Sunday and from day to night without any extra pay or incentives.
• Don’t expect life of IT employees for first 3–5 Years.
• Labors might have more knowledge than you.
• You are expected to work at 40 degree and that too in remote/rural locations like Kashmir or some village.
• 50% get into smoking during this phase.

Final Verdict

• It’s far more easy to get into construction business if you have strong determination
• You will be always physically fit.
• As your practical knowledge will increase, you demand and salary will increase.

I would like to add few points here,

While in College

• Alongwith your courses, get some skills. The skills can be AutoCAD, Revit, STADD Pro, GIS, Remote Sensing, Costing estimation, Bar Bending Schedules etc.
• Just learning/ knowing how to operate the software won't help. Do at least one project on the software you have learnt/ been taught
• Get your communications skills (oral and verbal) improved. Read, Write and Speak English.
• Learn how to use Excel and Powerpoint, or rather master it
• Work on projects and take the projects seriously, even if they are of no credits
• Do not ONLY go for certifications, learn the trade. If you have a certificate and you do not know anything, the certificate is of no use
• Do not go for master's unless you are sure of getting into academics
• Government job preparation is not one day affair. It takes years of rigorous preparation (10-12 hrs at least every day for many years!)
• Coaching are of very limited help/ use. For any kind of preparation, you need to have your fundamentals clear, even of 12th standard courses (Phy/ Chem/ Maths).