Introduction
Highway maintenance is a specialised branch of civil
engineering. Maintenance engineers work in conjunction with
urban planners and other engineers in traffic management and
transportation to look after the state of our highways. In
managing highway maintenance they have a responsibility for
monitoring planning schemes, construction and repair
work.
Work Environment
This is both office-based and on-site on public highways.
The standard working week is 37 hours but there will be weekend and
evening work required as well. Special clothing such as hard
hats, strong boots and visible clothing is provided. The
engineer will always carry tools and equipment on site visits.
Daily Activities
In general, highway maintenance requires not only oversight of the
actual condition of the roads but a duty to promote good relations
with members of the public, parish councils and consultants. We all
use the highways and have a right to an opinion on what and where
they are. In addition, the engineer will work with managers and
operatives employed by the public utilities - gas, water and
electricity - because any road development or repair can involve
existing pipes, cables and pylons. From the point of view of
the environment, maintenance engineers have to bear in mind the
consequences of any proposed highway development or reconstruction
as well as the upkeep of existing road networks. They will
have to consider what it means in terms of safety, transportation,
access and preservation of the urban or rural landscape. The
maintenance engineer's main accountabilities can be broken down as
follows:
Programme Formulation: This involves maintaining the public
highways cost effectively. The engineers conduct road condition
surveys and put together proposals for recommended reconstruction
and resurfacing. They will ensure that design briefs are
prepared and estimates calculated.
Programme Delivery: Together with formulation, this takes up
most of the engineers' time. In conjunction with whichever
body is responsible for carrying out the work (the provider)
engineers develop annual maintenance schemes to ensure the safest
highway network. These will include:
- surface dressing materials and procedures;
- indicators about who is responsible for issuing instructions on
various aspects of the job;
- agreement about the time scale required for
completion;
- budget limits;
- that the work meets the requirements of Health and Safety
legislation;
- the organisational detail of winter maintenance and emergency
operations;
- procedures for monitoring performance in terms of contract
stipulations.
Customer Relations: This entails representing the
authority at local levels; dealing with correspondence; promoting
good relations with the public, media, police, council members,
other local authorities, public, professional and private
bodies. The aim is to deal effectively with complaints and
foster an understanding of council policy and the constraints of
limited resources.
Contractors and Consultants Supervision and Monitoring:
The responsibility here is to ensure that works are carried out
within the design brief and completed within allocated
budgets. Maintenance engineers will keep records of the
performance of the deliverers indicating their suitability for
future work and recommending proposed tender lists for each
contract.
Staff: Maintenance engineers have a responsibility to
supervise and train staff and lead a disciplined and motivated
team. In addition they will train client staff to develop
high quality procedures for inspection, supervision and record
keeping.
Control of Activities in the Highway: This entails
oversight of any proposed private work and use of equipment within
the highway that will have an effect on the council's
activities. It could include dealing with private
applications for permission to work in the highway or place refuse
skips, scaffolding and apparatus.
Development Control: This involves liaising with the
council's development section to inspect any construction by
developers of roads and footways which are to be adopted as public
highways. For example, the engineer will have the final say about
whether an industrial unit development can be used as a public
highway by the developer and what restrictions might apply.
Skills & Interests
The attributes required are those that all engineers are expected
to have:
- practical ability;
- a facility for solving problems - and enjoying it!
- creativity;
- ability to think logically;
- teamwork skills;
- effective written and mathematical skills;
- computer literacy.
Entry Requirements
A degree or HNC in Engineering or other appropriate qualification
is essential. As this post involves civil engineering work it
may be necessary for the Maintenance Engineer to complete the
Professional Qualification Scheme of the Institution of Civil
Engineers - this includes training, practical experience and
examinations. It is usually desirable to have some post
qualification experience in maintenance engineering work at the
technical level and/or in a related engineering field like
transportation engineering.
Future Prospects & Opportunities
Possible opportunities in construction and related industries in
both the public and private sector include:
- construction contractors;
- engineering consulting firms;
- national government;
- public works and environment departments;
- property developers;
- public utilities - gas, water, electricity;
- traffic and transportation engineering.
Many companies offer apprenticeships to school leavers as well
as sponsoring undergraduates. In these, as in local authority
work, engineers may progress to project management and Chief or
County Engineer posts. In the private sector some become
company partners or establish their own companies. For those
with appropriate qualifications, lecturing in universities and
further education establishments is possible.
Further Information & Services
Engineering Council www.engc.org.uk
Institute of Highway Engineers www.theihe.org
Institution Of Civil Engineers www.ice.org.uk
SEMTA www.semta.org.uk
You may find further information about this area of work through
Careers Wales (www.careerswales.com/) or
in your local library, careers office or school careers
library.