Tunnel Engineer

Introduction
Tunnels are playing a bigger and bigger role in modern engineering projects.
As a Tunnel Engineer you will be responsible for planning, designing and
managing tunnel building projects.

Work Activities
As a Tunnel Engineer you will be responsible for planning, designing and
managing tunnel building projects. These projects could include:

rail
roads/motorways
urban and underground railways
underground water tunnels
sewers

You will be involved in overseeing the whole tunnelling process, from the
initial planning stage, to the final completion and the day the first train or car passes through.

You will need to carefully plan the work that needs to be done, working closely with the Project Manager, and then
you will have to keep on top of how it is progressing. You may need to employ many different contractors and it is up
to you to make sure they are performing their side of the project according plan and within budget.

You might also be responsible for the development of more junior engineers. You will help them with their training,
passing on your expertise, so that they, one day, can lead tunnelling projects like you.

As a Tunnel Engineer you'll work in an office and on-site. Office duties include producing designs for tunnel projects,
making detailed drawings for use on-site, calculating and checking specifications for projects, planning work and
keeping records of progress, plant stock and finance.

Other work away from the construction site includes attending regular meetings to let interested parties know how
the project is progressing - these people include clients, asset owners and stakeholders.

Many safety regulations apply to the construction industry. For example, a hard hat must be worn on construction
sites.

Being able to read, write and speak Welsh may be an advantage when you’re looking for work in Wales.

Personal Qualities and Skills

To do this job well, you'll need:

To be able to analyse and solve problems.

The confidence to supervise others.
To be a good teamworker.
Strong organisational skills to cope with the many different stages of a construction project.
An interest in buildings and how they are built.
Maths skills.
Good written and verbal skills.
An interest in physics.
Good IT skills and some experience of using CAD software.

Pay and Opportunities

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 Pay

Salaries vary depending on the company and level of responsibility.

The pay rates given below are approximate.

Tunnel Engineers earn in the range

Starters: £23,000 - £29,500

With experience: £35,500 - £45,000

High flyers: £50,000+

Hours of work

Most Tunnel Engineers work around 35-40 hours, Monday to Friday. However, you may have early starts and late
finishes, and you may need to work some weekends, especially as deadlines approach.

Where could I work?

Tunnel Engineers are employed on major construction projects where tunnels need to be used. These projects could
include:

rail

road/smotorways
urban and underground railways
underground water tunnels
sewers

Examples of major projects requiring Tunnel Engineers include the HS2 High Speed Train project, the Crossrail
project in London, and Network Rails recent £37.5bn investment in improving the country's rail coverage.

Self-employment

Opportunities occur for Tunnel Engineers to work independently, as consultants.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised on all the major job boards, on Universal Jobmatch, and at Jobcentre Plus.

Entry Routes and Training

Entry routes

In order to become a Tunnel Engineer you will first need to train as a Civil Engineer and then specialise in tunnel
construction (see the Real Lives and Video sections for more information about becoming a Civil Engineer).

You need an accredited Master of Engineering (MEng) degree or Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) honours degree in
civil engineering, or a related subject, to become a Chartered Engineer. These can be studied as sandwich courses,
which include work experience.

You can do a foundation degree, HNC or HND in civil engineering before moving on to a full degree course. The
qualifications above may allow you entry to this career, but you will need to take further approved training to become
fully qualified.

The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) can provide lists of accredited courses.

A Higher, Advanced Level or Degree Apprenticeship is also a great place to start.

Training

After getting a degree or foundation degree/HNC/HND, you must have a period of approved training and experience

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 with an employer and pass a professional review to become fully qualified.

Progression

Experienced Tunnel Engineers can progress to chief engineer positions.

Qualifications
To get onto an Advanced or Higher Level Apprenticeship, you will usually need at least five GCSEs at A* - C, including
English and Maths, and possibly two A Levels.

To get onto a Degree Apprenticeship, you will usually need at least 2 A levels.

To enter a degree course in civil engineering, you will usually need:

2/3 A levels, including Maths and/or Physics.

GCSEs at grade C or above in your A level subjects.
A further 2/3 GCSEs at grade C or above, including English, Maths and a science subject.

Other qualifications are often acceptable as alternatives to A levels, for example:

Edexcel (BTEC) Level 3 National qualifications.

The International Baccalaureate Diploma.

Some universities offer foundation courses for applicants without the appropriate maths and science qualifications.

To enter a relevant HNC, HND or foundation degree, you will usually need:

1 A level; preferred subjects include Maths, Physics and Engineering Science.

A GCSE at grade C or above in your A level subject.
A further 3/4 GCSEs at grade C or above, including English, Maths and a science subject.

Some universities accept the Welsh Baccalaureate as equivalent to 1 A-level.

Adult Opportunities
Age limits

It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show
there is a real need to have these limits.

Skills/experience

People without relevant qualifications or skills gained in the construction industry or as an engineering technician,
will find it difficult to gain employment.

Applicants at engineering technician level have a good chance of advancement.

Courses

If you don't have the qualifications needed to enter your chosen degree or HND course, a college or university Access
course (eg, Access to Engineering) could be the way in.

These courses are designed for people who have not followed the usual routes into higher education. No formal
qualifications are usually needed, but you should check this with individual colleges.

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 People without the usual academic qualifications can achieve membership of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)
via the Technical Report Route (TRR). See the ICE website for guidance on entry requirements.

Numerous institutions offer relevant postgraduate courses via distance learning.

Funding

ICE Quest Scholarships are available to candidates with a conditional offer for an ICE accredited course in civil
engineering.

Sponsorship for study at higher education level is available through the larger building/construction companies.

Further Information
Professional institutionsProfessional institutions have the following roles:

To support their members.

To protect the public by keeping standards high in their professions.

The ICE is the main professional institution for people working in civil engineering careers.

Contacts

CITB-ConstructionSkills
Skills for the construction industry
Address: Bircham Newton, Kings Lynn, Norfolk PE31 6RH
Website: www.cskills.org

CITB-ConstructionSkills Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Enquiries
Address: Nutts Corner Training Centre, 17 Dundrod Road, Crumlin, County Antrim BT29 4SR
Tel: 028 9082 5466
Email: info@citbcsni.org.uk
Website: www.citbcsni.org.uk

Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS)

Address: Bircham Newton, Kings Lynn, Norfolk PE31 6RH
Tel: 0844 5768777
Website: www.cscs.uk.com

Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB)

Address: Blue Court, Church Lane, Kings Langley, Hertfordshire WD4 8JP
Tel: 01923 260000
Email: ecitb@ecitb.org.uk
Website: careers.ecitb.org.uk

Careers Wales - Welsh Apprenticeships

Tel: 0800 028 4844
Website: ams.careerswales.com/

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