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Can I be an engineer and still dress conservatively?

I'm passionate about maths, physics, and problem-solving and want to be an engineer (I like mechanical and electrical right now), but I worry that the way I dress will limit my opportunities. I dress conservatively, remaining covered and not showing the form. I don’t want to work at a desk all the time, but is loose, flowing clothing permitted on jobsites or around moving machinery? Are there workarounds for someone like me?

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  • Aisyah

    Added Thursday, July 31, 2025 at 11:36 PM

    Hi! I've always been interested in engineering because I thought I would be building and designing things. Until recently where I met someone who is a Civil Engineer (the field I'm thinking about) told me that she 98% work in an office-- in a cubicle-- and that its meetings after meetings. The reason why I'm interested in Engineering is because of the hands on and the variety of projects, I didn't expect to work in an office and I feel like I would die if I do. So how often are you using your ...
    Answers 2
    Jacquelyn Berry, Collins Aerospace
    Answered Friday, October 17, 2025 at 1:33 PM
    It really depends on the type of engineering role you get, and the industry. There are a lot of different job types for engineers - design, stress, test, manufacturing, research, specialty analysis (aero, thermal), quality, project. 
    
    For example, a ...
    Amber Hall, City of Somersworth
    Answered Monday, August 4, 2025 at 5:31 PM
    Hello there!
    Engineering is very broad, and there are all types of jobs! I spent my first 5 years in design, every day. As you progress in your career, you may choose to get more into project management than design all day! 
    I found that I was losing my ...
  • Jas

    Added Tuesday, April 1, 2025 at 2:16 AM

    Currently, I am thinking about declaring a major, but I am stuck between civil or environmental engineering. I've always had a passion for helping the environment but more so in urban planning/studies. I don't really know which engineering would be more geared towards urban planning and, thus I am stuck choosing between these two majors. I am also really interested in transportation as well, and I'm also interested in ways to reduce pollution in our atmosphere.
    Answers 1
    Answered Monday, April 14, 2025 at 12:21 AM
    The best fit depends on your emphasis: choose Civil Engineering if your primary drive is designing the core physical systems with environmental protection as a key component, or Environmental Engineering if you're more drawn to the specific pollution ...
  • Amber Brown

    Added Wednesday, January 12, 2022 at 10:36 PM

    I am currently majoring in civil engineering with a 3.7 accumulative but math Is my thing and I don't get tired of it. I found that choosing the project management aspect of engineering limits me to be more in charge than doing the technical aspect of things. I want to make a difference in this world, but am starting to worry that engineering is limiting in that retrospect. I want the civil aspect of our world to grow more environmentally conscious but don't find the environmental engineering ...
    Answers 1
    Answered Wednesday, March 19, 2025 at 11:41 AM
    Your love of math and environmental impact within civil engineering is a powerful combination. Consider specializing in areas like:
     * Water Resources: Heavy math, direct environmental impact.
     * Geotechnical: Sustainable materials and modeling.
     * ...
  • Trenedy Brown-Player

    Added Friday, June 9, 2023 at 8:44 AM

    I'm 21 years old and currently working as a part-time cashier. I have struggled to get back into school due to financial issues and owning tuition for college. I have tried everything and nothing has worked out and I really want to pursue this career.

    Answers 2
    Julia Lopez, Turner Construction
    Answered Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at 9:12 AM
    What aspect of civil engineering interests you? I went the typical route of getting a civil engineering degree and now work in construction management. However, I know quite a few people in the industry that had very different routes. If you like the ...
    Alicia Bailey, Sain Associates
    Answered Tuesday, July 18, 2023 at 11:03 AM

    A couple of thoughts on this. In the public sector (state agencies, utility companies, municipalities), there would be plenty of options for non-civil engineering related jobs. Anything you could learn about how public agencies work and function will ...

  • Crystal Asiaw

    Added Monday, December 26, 2022 at 8:35 PM

    Answers 2
    Julia Lopez, Turner Construction
    Answered Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at 8:56 AM
    I am currently working in Contruction management with my civil engineering degree, and we frequently build LEED and Envision certified buildings. These buildings become certified by making sustainable choices. If you choose to go into construction, you ...
    Margaret Byron, Penn State University
    Answered Wednesday, November 8, 2023 at 11:49 AM
    Hi Crystal-- there are lots of ways!  Some civil engineers focus on infrastructure, like designing buildings, dams, roads, and bridges. They might focus on lowering energy requirements, increasing resilience to natural disasters, or improving integration ...
  • Jeremiah Marcos

    Added Saturday, August 11, 2018 at 3:46 AM

    I have a general idea of what a civil engineer does. Before you majored in civil engineering, did you know a lot about what they do?
    Answers 3
    Julia Lopez, Turner Construction
    Answered Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at 8:43 AM
    I had no idea what civil engineering was. I went to college as an engineer but hadn't declared which engineering major I wanted to do. I kind of just ended up falling into the major and I love it. There are SO many amazing career paths you can go down in ...
    Yamini Grover, Fugro
    Answered Tuesday, April 30, 2024 at 3:36 PM
    Hi Jeremiah! I had no clue what civil engineering was up until secondary school. It was when I had to finally decide what majors to choose for my bachelor's degree that I googled about all options I had. I just knew that in civil engineering courses, I ...
    Kara Kockelman, University of Texas at Austin
    Answered Wednesday, August 15, 2018 at 12:35 PM
    Fabulous question! Honestly, I had almost no idea what civil engineers do when I was in high school. I simply found math and physics not as ambiguous, open-ended and subjective (and thus difficult, for me) as writing essays, and not as memory-intensive ...
  • Bryan

    Added Wednesday, August 31, 2022 at 3:30 PM

    Answers 2
    Arielle Miller, Dr Arielle Miller Coaching & Consulting
    Answered Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 3:09 PM
    Choosing nuclear engineering was a natural fit for me. My love for science and understanding how things work drew me to this field. Being the advocate for nuclear energy that I am, I believe it can play a pivotal role in reducing carbon emissions and ...
    Answered Tuesday, November 8, 2022 at 11:51 PM
    A minority is lucky to know what they want early on in their career or during their studies. I must admit with humility, I did not fall into that category. I took Mathematics (I love) and Software engineering (evolving branch, 20 years back). And I am ...
  • ......

    Added Saturday, July 1, 2023 at 3:18 PM

    I'm interested in a lot of engineering branches and am having trouble picking one to pursue.

    Answers 1
    Answered Thursday, July 6, 2023 at 7:36 AM
    In order to decide which branch to take in engineering, I would think about what causes and subjects motivate you. For example, if you are interested in medicine and helping find new medications, you could study bioengineering/biomedical. If you are ...
  • Meredith asked Michaela Mueller, Ryan Biggs Clark Davis

    Added Sunday, March 12, 2023 at 5:00 PM

    I am interested in restoring older buildings and designing new ones (civil engineering). Is that what you do on a day to day basis? I am worried that the field is not what I think it is.

    Answers 1
    Michaela Mueller, Ryan Biggs Clark Davis
    Answered Tuesday, March 14, 2023 at 7:07 PM
    Yes, my day to day is both working to restore and repair old buildings, and design new buildings! I design repairs for "historical" buildings like churches, libraries, and government buildings from the 1800's and early 1900's, repairs or new additions ...
  • Andreana Antoniou

    Added Monday, January 16, 2023 at 7:32 PM

    I am about to go into college as an engineering major. What computer programs do civil/environmental engineers use most? Is there any resources such as websites or online courses to enroll in that teach you the basics of those online programs? Please help!
    Answers 2
    Charlene Borja, Eastern Western Connection
    Answered Tuesday, January 31, 2023 at 9:46 PM
    As someone who is inclined in the "Design and Build" part of engineering our top most used programs here specifically in my place of work are 
    Planning stage: Autocad, Sketch up, Revit, Photoshop 
    Design stage: Staad, GRASP, Excel.
    
    For websites on a ...
    Kassie Grimes, Department of Energy
    Answered Sunday, January 29, 2023 at 4:54 PM
    The computer programs will vary depending on the university/college, course, and company you work for. I recommend learning how to use Microsoft Excel since it is one of the most common programs used and it also functions as a place to store datasets ...
  • Crystal

    Added Monday, January 2, 2023 at 3:10 AM

    What kind of person should pick either Civil or Environmental? I know for certain that I'm interested in environmental stuff but I don't think it's my passion, and that's why I'm kind of confused about my major. I currently am a civil major, I also know I want to help people, especially people that live with bad infrastructure. I want to help bring people together with engineering.
    Answers 1
    Krista Karns, Verizon
    Answered Thursday, January 12, 2023 at 3:51 PM

    The lines between Civil and Environmental Engineering can be blurred. I know at Syracuse University where I went 25 years ago the two majors had many of the same classes and projects. Granted, things have changed since then, and at various schools there ...

  • Hugo Cisneros

    Added Tuesday, August 30, 2022 at 11:13 AM

    Answers 1
    Laura Helbling, Aster Brands
    Answered Tuesday, January 3, 2023 at 1:45 PM
    I am a civil engineer, specifically a geotechnical engineer which focuses on the properties of subsurface materials. Within geotechnical engineering, I focus on the design of modular block retaining walls which create necessary elevation change for site ...
  • Hugo Cisneros asked Elizabeth Rodriguez, Town of Garner

    Added Tuesday, August 30, 2022 at 11:03 AM

    Answers 1
    Elizabeth Rodriguez, Town of Garner
    Answered Saturday, December 31, 2022 at 7:49 AM
    Hi! There are many routes you can take. You can study civil engineering in undergrad, and I highly recommend finding internships. Look up civil engineering companies near you, and even if they don't have internships posted on their website, give them a ...
  • Anonymous asked Haunu Suan, Mott MacDonald

    Added Tuesday, January 11, 2022 at 9:58 PM

    I hope you can help, I get straight A's and usually a B in handwriting But I don't know how to get a scholarship, can you help? thanks so much!
    Answers 1
    Haunu Suan, Mott MacDonald
    Answered Friday, February 4, 2022 at 9:42 AM
    Hi there! That’s great you are getting good grades in school so far! Keep up the great work! I’ve never applied for a scholarship so never have gotten one. Mostly because I didn’t know about them or how to get them and my grades were not straight As! ...
  • Daniel asked Haley Maas, Halff Associates, Inc

    Added Monday, October 11, 2021 at 10:45 PM

    Answers 1
    Haley Maas, Halff Associates, Inc
    Answered Friday, December 17, 2021 at 5:25 PM
    A thorough understanding of hydrology and hydraulics is essential to doing the job well. It will also benefit you to study spatial analysis in a class where you can practice using ArcGIS or QGis. If you major in Civil Engineering, you will be well ...
  • Fabiola asked Janelle Leafblad, WoodWorks - Wood Products Council

    Added Tuesday, April 13, 2021 at 1:46 PM

    Janelle - I'm in the middle of Pursuing a Bach. in Arch. Engineering. I did some research and found out you can become a PE. I read to become a PE or stamp MEP or structural drawings you have to be licensed in each one. Is this true?

    What would I need to do to be able to stamp my own drawings. Not only am I constantly questioning how we are making a building, but in the long run I would like to hopefully make and sell my own floor plans (not necessarily to make loads of money, but ...

    Answers 1
    Janelle Leafblad, WoodWorks - Wood Products Council
    Answered Wednesday, October 6, 2021 at 5:43 PM
    Fabiola,
    
    The specifics on licensing have changed since my test-taking days, but the basics remain the same. In order to stamp drawings as a licensed professional engineer you'll need: an engineering degree from an accredited institution, experience ...
  • Liz Cooney -Romano asked Nancy Hayes, CSA Design Group

    Added Wednesday, December 25, 2019 at 5:11 PM

    How do they design earthquake-proof buildings?

    Answers 2
    Rapunzel Amador-Lewis, Amador Lewis, Inc.
    Answered Monday, August 9, 2021 at 2:23 PM
    Hello Liz,
    
    I came across your question and I wanted to give my 2 cents. I am a structural/civil engineer and licensed in 20 States including CA. Of all the States, CA has the most seismic (earthquake) activities. The main reason I decided to become a ...
    Nancy Hayes, CSA Design Group
    Answered Monday, July 20, 2020 at 12:55 PM
    I am a civil engineer so all of work tends to stop 5' from the building.  
  • Hazel asked Marie Louis, Regis University (RU)

    Added Wednesday, July 1, 2020 at 4:50 AM

    Hello! I'm an aspiring civil engineer from the Philippines about to take entrance exams to get into college. I'm currently doubting whether I should pursue civil engineering, a more logical and analytical career path, or architecture, the more creative career path. I'm also average at math and I heard there is a LOT of math involved.

    Answers 2
    Rapunzel Amador-Lewis, Amador Lewis, Inc.
    Answered Monday, August 9, 2021 at 2:04 PM
    Dear Hazel,
    
    My apologies for such a delayed response. I ran into your question today and it struck me personally for two reasons: (1) I am a Filipino-American and (2) I had the same question when I was trying to decide what I wanted to be when I grew ...
    Marie Louis, Regis University (RU)
    Answered Friday, October 9, 2020 at 6:53 PM
    Hello Hazel—
    Thank you for your question. I apologize for the delay in responding. Do not let the fact Mathematics is not your strongest skills to avoid pursuing a career in Civil Engineering or Architectural. You can do or study anything you want. As ...
  • Jona De Guzman asked Rapunzel Amador-Lewis, Amador Lewis, Inc.

    Added Monday, April 13, 2020 at 3:35 PM

    I'm a transfer student to a 4 year university and feel like I've been in school for too long. I feel discourage that I'm not doing good enough for my engineering classes. Does this mean I'm a failure? They say C's get degrees but what if I do pass my classes but will never get any internships due to my GPA? Is it time for me to give up?

    Answers 1
    Rapunzel Amador-Lewis, Amador Lewis, Inc.
    Answered Monday, August 9, 2021 at 1:48 PM
    Dear Jona,
    
    First I want to apologize for such a delayed response. I am new to Engineergirl.com and have not set up auto-notifications when questions are submitted.
    
    Second, I hope this response finds you well and safe. I want to encourage you to ...
  • Answered Tuesday, May 25, 2021 at 3:56 PM
    Some civil engineering projects might have a physical aspect to it that might require walking non stop for a few hours or lifting cabling (my case). Mentally you want the project to succeed and when unexpected evens happen and the project gets delayed it ...
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