Why I choose Civil Engineering as my career?

At Stesen Janakuasa Tuanku Jaafar, Port Dickson
when visiting my industrial training students

It was in 1994, back at my secondary school, MRSM (MARA Junior Science College) in Beseri, Perlis. It was near to SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia) examination. The English Department teachers in MRSM conduct a mock interview. As my background, my father as army in Malaysian Army Force and my mother as housewife, I have no idea what it mock interview is all about. I am asking around to my friend, what it is about. Finally I been explain, it’s a trial interview to provide a training platform for MRSM students to face the real interview. The teachers will interview as to hire us for our application job. After the interview, they will explain us, what we should improve in future interview.

Then came across to my mind, what they going to ask? I been explain by my roommate, they will interview us about job that we going to apply. I am shouting inside my heart, what job I will apply after an SPM? Of course my common answer for every Malaysian primary school during my standard one is to become an army, but now I am in Science College. Again, I am keep asking around my friends and teachers what is profession related to science and technology. Lots of feedback I get about electrical engineers and Information technology. During that time the increasing of manufactory industry has influence of job market. Besides that, mechanical and chemistry engineers are also a mouth to mouth story among my friends at that time.

As I keep asking myself, what is my job in future, I just cross by friend’s room as their talking about civil engineering. What is civil engineering do? Then I join the discussion. According my friend, civil engineers usually dealing with building, road and infrastructure. It’s involve in design and construction.

Then came out I my mind, Penang Bridge. Then KLIA and Twin Tower is in my mind. I love to be part of it. I always want to know how we can build such big structure. I love it. I become love to civil engineering. I set my mind to become civil engineers.

Then my friends told me, usually in the mock interview, they will ask why you choose that profession. I keep figure up what is the reasons.

In the interview, when the teachers asked me, why I choose Civil Engineering? I answered it, “I choose civil engineering because I would like to become a part of engineers can contribute to nation development. I can involve in constructing building, road and infrastructure.” Then the teacher asked me, the demand in market now is more toward industry and information technology sector, how you want to survive as civil engineering?” I replied it as “Development in industry meaning there is more and more industrial area will be open. Developing new industrial area will need more factory, infrastructure and road access. Meanwhile to make import and export process more efficient, the road or transportation network should be in effective and efficient. Besides, more developing information technology sector need more new building for new company and also a construction of new information cable should be plan and constructed”.

As time goes by, any of interview I attend, this is my answer of why I choose civil engineering. The same interview that I was attended for scholarship to Japan.

My passion in civil engineers is continues as I learn it in Bachelor of Civil and Environment Engineering in Yamanashi University. I still in love with civil engineering and as my previous professor in Japan said, “civil engineering is an art to face the nature”. I still love the challenge.


Engr. Shuhairy Norhisham
Academician Civil Engineering