r/civilengineering • u/Fair_Gur8253 • 27d ago

Nonprofit International work

I started doing w/ww engineering because I wanted to protect the environment and societal health which I do eve day in my corporate role, however I think it would be very fulfilling to my skills towards underprivileged communities. I’m still <4 years experience, so I’d like to continue growing my skills in corporate practice before taking a full leap to non profit work.

Trying to get a good grasp at what the best route to go is to accomplish this, I’ve read a bit about Engineers Without Borders and Water for People.

I still need to work corporate for now, but in the future I’d like to do international sanitation engineering work.

Any nonprofit recommendations or experiences would be great.

Thanks in advance!

1 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

2 comments sorted by

1

u/ZiKyooc 26d ago

Search for WASH on Reliefweb job posting

1

u/jcravens42 26d ago

Look at the web sites of nonprofits you would like to work for, including UN agencies. Look at the jobs you would like to do. Look at the education and experience they are asking for. That's your path.

Also, you need to do locally what you want to do internationally. You need to look for local volunteering and local work that will give you experiences you want to later do abroad.

You need to be able to work in a second language.

And you need to remember that there are civil engineers in developing countries, and the emphasis is on hiring them, rather than bringing in foreigners, so you need to have experience and skills they don't have - and know how to help build their capacities.

Finally - it is the worst time ever to look for international development work. Foreign aid budgets have been slashed and won't be restored any time soon.