Nikhila Punuru, Associate Engineer, EIT, Masters from University of Cincinnati
Answered Jun 12, 2016 · Upvoted by Vaibhav Gangani, M.Tech. Geomatics Engineering & Civil Engineering, CEPT University (2017)
Originally Answered: How can I get a civil engineering job in America with a degree from India?
I can think of two ways. Both of them will require intense dedication and considerable amount of time
Before we begin assessing these options. Lets see what qualifications a typical Entry Level Engineer with a 2 year work experience look like
- Bachelors in Civil Engineering
- Masters in Civil Engineering (optional)
- Passed Engineer in Training (EIT)
In these 2 years an engineer in USA would have gained the following experiences
- Made several contacts with Clients and on the way of building some potential relations with them.
- Acquired knowledge of Codes and Standards in practice.
- Oversee Construction.
- Design projects at least 4 per year. (Depends on the size of the project).
- Attend various meeting with the client though out the project life. (most of them are at the clients office)
and many more.
Of the 5 I can say that you can gain 2 of these. So, your score is 2/5 as of today. (this is an arbitrary score. please do not take it seriously)
Now lets assess the options.
- Work for an US based company in India and after 5 years move to US with an L1 Visa.
Option #1 : This is by far the most time taking of the two. However, the upside is you will have already created good relationships with the folks in USA and the transition would be easy.
It also depends on the type of the work you have done for the company back in India. By the time you get approved for an L1 Visa you will have about 5+ years of experience.
An engineer who has acquired the same experience in USA will have many other qualities to offer. (Considering that you have only design experience and have never interfaced with the clients in USA.)
Also, you need to be a certified Professional Engineer (PE ) which gives you license to practice and sign/stamp Civil Drawings. This will be required to justify the amount of money spent by your company to bring you from India to US
Option #2 Do Masters in USA
Since you have 2 years of work experience in India, this could be an advantage in getting an admit from good colleges in USA.
There are programs that allow you to complete Masters in a year or year and half if you choose to not do thesis.
Most of the companies when looking of a candidate will consider the year(s) spent in Masters as some sort of experience.
I strongly suggest you to strategize and have a plan before coming to the US.
The 2 years experience will help you in getting an internship in USA. I strongly encourage you to get an internship in your summer. This allows you to understand how these companies function. An internship in the US will be an added advantage when searching for your full time job up completion of your studies.
While doing your internship or even before, give the EIT exam, its pretty easy if you prepare well.
Lets see the time line now.
If you have started your Masters in August 2016.
A typical semester ends in December 2016.
1st Semester Ends.
I would suggest you to study hard and get atleat 3.5/4 GPA.
As the 2nd Semester Starts in January 2017. Start looking for internships. Glassdoor, Indeed, dice should be your best buddies. Use LinkedIn to network with your Alumni.
Land an Internship with a company for the Summer 2017
Create good relationships the company. Typically if you perform well you will be given a full time position.
One month after you begin your internship start applying for full time job.
Start your Fall Semester 2017.
Keep at applying jobs. Its difficult not to get an calls from companies or be told that they do not hire international students. Trust me . Persistence pays . I applied for more than 200 jobs. Few of my friends applied for over 500 jobs.
About 3 months before your semester ends, apply for OPT. This allows you to work for full time.
If every thing works, by Winter(December) 2017 you land an entry level job in an engineering company.
I understand that you will probably not maximize the benefits of your 2 years work ex from India. Trust me, this will certainly help you be a better professional than a lot of your colleagues who might be straight out of college.
The advantage is you will learn the ropes and reach your destination faster.
Hope this helps.
Thanks for reading.
