For those people who are considering getting into the field of civil engineering, or those who left school a long time ago and are looking to enroll in an online MCE program, it is essential to know which software current civil engineers are using in their projects. Here are some of the most essential software packages for current civil engineers.

Microsoft Office

While the MS Office suite of products is not only limited to civil engineering, it is still essential for any civil engineer – and pretty much every professional in the current climate – to understand how these tools work.

Modern civil engineers will need to be able to understand and edit spreadsheets and be able to make table calculations on projects if they want to be more efficient. Basic text and document editing skills will also come handy when dealing with clients, suppliers or making statements, and being able to create PowerPoint presentations may be required in certain civil engineering positions. So make sure that you do not neglect these as they may become essential in the near future.

Google SketchUp and AutoCAD

AutoCAD has been around for years, and will probably continue to be one of the most important tools for civil engineers in the future. Being the most popular CAD design software, you can expect it to be front and center as part of any accredited online MCE program. CAD works across a variety of platforms and is the most widely used CAD drawing and engineering software on the planet, making it essential for any civil engineering student.

Those who would like to get their feet wet with CAD imaging can always give Google SketchUp pro a try. It will allow beginners to draw 2D and 3D models easily through a very simple and easy to use interface.

SAP2000

SAP2000 is another crucial piece of software every civil engineer should be familiar with. SAP2000 has many integrated templates for a variety of structures, which allows users to start new models in seconds. It comes preloaded with templates for 3D frames, beams, dam structures, staircases, simple beams, and more.

SAP2000 allows you to design and manipulate models whichever way you like with incredible precision. It allows you to define precise elevation and custom views with ease, which makes it easy to evaluate structures from all angles. Furthermore, joints are automatically added to structural object intersections when meshed together. Joint coordinates and other information can be displayed as part of the screen or in tabular form.

If you’re thinking of enrolling in an online MCE degree, or trying to brush up on your current skills and stay up with the trends, it will be essential for any civil engineer or civil engineering student to know these three pieces of software inside and out if they want to be functional. There are more software packages that the current civil engineer will need to grasp in order to be more efficient in the current marketplace, but these three should be more than enough to get you started.