DCTC Plans to Deliver Civil Engineering Technology in Fall '09

College partnering with Hennepin Tech

Dakota County Technical College announced plans to begin offering Civil Engineering Technology in fall semester 2009. DCTC is partnering with Hennepin Technical College to accommodate annual program starts that would rotate between the two colleges.

Mike Opp, DCTC dean of transportation and technical careers, reported that the college's new Civil Engineering Technology (CET) program would award a two-year, 72-credit Associate in Applied Science degree.

"First-year CET courses would begin on Hennepin Tech's Eden Prairie campus in fall semester 2009," Opp said. "After that both colleges would have CET on their campuses each semester with courses on the DCTC campus beginning in fall 2010."

Opp also noted that the partnership between DCTC and Hennepin Tech would allow the colleges to deliver civil engineering technology courses to students across a wider range of the south metro.

"Our CET program is designed to fill a gap that is growing larger by the year," he said. "Based on the DEED projections alone, if every school that provides civil technology graduates did so at a full enrollment of 20 to 25 students every year beginning in the spring of 2008, the supply would be far short of the projected demand of 980 new technicians required between 2004 and 2014."

Dr. Ron Erickson, DCTC vice president of academic and student affairs, pointed to anAssociated Press story about President-elect Barack Obama's recovery plan calling for enormous public works projects that will create or save more than 2 million jobs by targeting the nation's infrastructure for major improvements.

"A huge number of civil engineering technicians will be needed as work begins to increase the overall energy efficiency of schools and other public buildings," Erickson said. "Techs will also be needed for repair work on bridges, roads and highways all across the country."

Civil Engineering Technology

Civil engineering technology is a diverse field with excellent employment opportunities locally, statewide and nationally. Civil engineering technicians are involved in all phases of the construction industry—from planning and design of buildings, bridges, highways, subdivisions, commercial and industrial facilities to management and inspection of the construction process.

Graduates may land rewarding careers with consulting engineering companies, construction companies, and governmental agencies such as the Minnesota Department of Transportation or the engineering department of a local municipality. Entry-level jobs are found in computer aided design (CAD), road design, surveying, structural detailing, construction materials testing, construction management, inspection or cost estimating.

The CET program incorporates state-of-the-art labs and survey equipment along with CAD and other computer applications. Developed under the guidance of 25 area companies and municipalities, the program's curriculum is constructed with the intent to receive accreditation by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). The Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (TAC/ABET) accredits A.A.S. degrees. The program is designed to provide immediate career opportunities.

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that civil engineering technicians earn a median salary of $40,560 annually. Top earners make nearly $63,000/year. Local governments, architectural services and engineering services stand out as the top-paying industries.

• According to iseek.org, the go-to source for employment and education information in Minnesota, civil engineering technicians in the seven-county metro area earn an average wage of $25.99/hour. Top earners make nearly $35/hour.