University of Portsmouth Civil Engineering: Ethics and Careers Essay

This essay, prepared for a Professional Development 1 assignment at the University of Portsmouth, delves into the critical role of ethics within the civil engineering and surveying professions. It explores the three areas of ethics: Meta-Ethics, Normative Ethics, and Applied Ethics, and emphasizes the importance of professional ethics, including honesty, respect, and accountability. The essay highlights the functions of various professional bodies, such as The Engineering Council, in regulating and ensuring adherence to ethical standards. Furthermore, it provides an overview of diverse career paths within the construction industry, including plumbers, civil engineers, site managers, plant operators, and electrical engineers, detailing their respective responsibilities and contributions to construction projects. References to supporting information are provided to validate the statements and arguments presented in the essay.

Running head: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 1 1
School Of Civil Engineering and Surveying
First Name Last Name
University of Portsmouth

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 1 2
Ethics forms a critical aspect in every profession with bearings on social, political and economic
implications within and without. Similarly, in the field of civil engineering and surveying, such
implications cannot be neglected since it encompasses a variety of careers interrelated and
working best in liaison with other fields of studies, profession and career development.
Ethics refers to a set of concepts that guide us in defining what behavior helps or harms sentient
creatures hence guiding our professional and working relations ("Ethics and Professional
Standards", 2016). Ethics can be composed into 3 areas namely: Meta-Ethics, Normative Ethics,
and Applied Ethics.
Meta-Ethics concerns the hypothetical implication and allusion of moral preposition and ways of
determining the respective truth values. Normative Ethics concerns applied ways of determining
a moral sequence of feat/ response. Applied Ethics concerns what an individual is obliged to do
in particular domain of action or circumstances.
Professional ethics incorporates the individual, administrative and corporate principles of
behavior expected of professionals ("Conduct policy", 2016). Components of professional ethics
include but not limited to: honesty, respectfulness, accountability, loyalty, integrity, objectivity
and transparency. Locally, a number of bodies have been formulated to ensure and update on
ethical provisions in various professions such as The Universal Ethical Code for Scientists, the
UK Research Integrity Office (UKRIO), The National Research Ethics Service (NRES), ESRC
Research Ethics Framework, The Engineering Council etc. The engineering Council is solely the
regulatory body for engineering profession in the UK. These bodies not only regulate but have
the mandate to license individuals and supervise their professional practice hence ensuring
adherence to the set ethics (Seresht & Fayek, 2015). According to the works of Gorse, Johnston,
& Pritchard (2012), among the various career paths in the construction industry, the following
careers perform roles such as:
i. Plumbers responsible for installation of pipes for water in both commercial and
residential spaces.
ii. Civil engineers responsible for planning, designing, and supervise construction and
maintenance of infrastructures and building structures.
iii. Site managers including project coordinators, schedulers, construction assistants,
project manager, safety director, construction supervisor, contract administrator,
estimator, cost estimation coordinator, construction foreman etc. a site manager

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 1 3
primarily conceives operations on a day-to-day basis, and make sure that work is
completed carefully, timely and within budget and to the correct quality criteria.
iv. Plant and equipment operators responsible for the proficient use of the variety
equipment used in construction such as pavers, loaders, cranes, skid steers, dozers,
graders, excavators etc. in performing specific and respective tasks in site
appropriately and safely.
v. Mechanical engineers responsible for instance, installation, repair and maintenance of
elevators, escalators, cable shafts, lifts and conveyor systems in buildings.
vi. Electrical engineers also have major contributions and hence responsibilities in
construction industry. Such responsibilities include planning, testing, installing and
maintaining extensive electrical systems that transmit and generate power, costs
estimation for projects and scheduling dates for electrical supplies delivery, design,
installation, and maintenance of ventilation, heating, and lighting systems etc.
vii. Building surveyor are responsible in providing advice and recommendations subject
to the construction and property and furnish detailed reports referred to as building
surveys.

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References
Conduct policy. (2016). Retrieved February 5, 2019, from
https://www.ice.org.uk/about-ice/who-runs-ice/how-we-work/conduct-policy
Ethics and Professional Standards. (2016). Retrieved February 5, 2019, from
https://www.rics.org/uk/upholding-professional-standards/standards-of-conduct/ethics/
Gorse, C., Johnston, D., & Pritchard, M. (2012). A Dictionary of Construction, Surveying and
Civil Engineering. doi:10.1093/acref/9780199534463.001.0001
Seresht, N. G., & Fayek, A. R. (2015). Career paths of tradespeople in the construction industry.
Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering, 42(1), 44-56. doi:10.1139/cjce-2014-0213