Civil Engineering

Civil Engineers in the Ministry of Works areresponsible for the investigation, survey, design and construction of a wide variety of works. These include electric power development schemes (hydro, geothermal steam, and coal-fired steam), highways, bridges, aerodromes, railways, irrigation and river control works, housing-site development, sewerage, and water-supply services.

Civil Engineers tend to specialise in some branch of civil engineering after a sound general training. Such special lines include design of various types such as power schemes, bridges, or multi-storied buildings. There is also scope for men interested in research in concrete or soils technology. Beyond all these lie opportunities for executive management and the direction of large engineering organisations.

Young men may enter the civil engineering profession in the Ministry of Works as Assistant Engineers if they are graduates in engineering; or Engineering Cadets, the latter being appointed as follows:

Straight from school. Appointments are made annually in February from applicants who have sat the University Entrance Scholarships examination in mathematics, physics, and chemistry; from applicants who have completed the intermediate examination for the B.E. degree and are under 21 years of age at the date of interview; or, from applicants who have passed all or parts of the first or second professional examinations of the B.E.

Applications for study awards are invited in the press in October each year. Suitable applicants are interviewed when examination results are known, and appointments are made in February. Appointees are sent to university, full time, at departmental expense, to study for their degrees and arepaid an allowance while studying. During the long vacation cadets return to the Department.

Engineering cadets are promoted to Assistant Engineers on completion of their degrees and all Assistant Engineers are given a thorough training, in both design and construction, to a standard which will enable them to become Registered Engineers in New Zealand and Associate Members of the Institution of Civil Engineers, London.