A versatile infrastructure enables specialization. Bridges, water supply, asphalting, underground facilities, track construction, maintenance - grow into a world-class expert in your chosen sector! In infrastructure, for example, experts in law, HR, communication and responsibility are also needed.
You can study the infrastructure field at different levels of education: at a vocational school, a university of applied sciences and a university.
A vocational basic qualification is your entry ticket to the tasks performed at the construction site. At the same time, the doors open to a wide selection of professional and specialized vocational degrees, with which you can deepen your skills. You can apply for Amk studies when you have either a professional basic degree or a matriculation degree. In the infrastructure field, you can advance all the way to a higher university degree or a doctorate.
Student groups come from different backgrounds. For someone starting from an undergraduate degree, university-level theoretical subjects such as mathematics and physics can seem difficult. Similarly, those coming from high school rarely have workplace experience. Over time, the differences will even out, so boldly move towards your own dream - motivation and the desire to learn are the key!
Path 1: Undergraduate degree
To get into the infrastructure sector, choose the field of expertise in transporting earthmoving machines or earthworks.
- Construction machine operator operate and maintain construction machinery. An excavator or "excavator" is familiar to everyone, but work machines with various attachments are everywhere: for asphalting, railway works, street and road construction, building houses and dredging waterways. Advanced information technology is used to assist machine work. Both simulators and real machines are used in practical studies.
- Earthworks builder often works as a working pair of an excavator. In the task, it is essential to be able to read work plans and understand the rates of structures and practical installations. In this work role, you send messages to the excavator, for example, where soil is needed, where it needs to be removed, or in which direction the curb stone to be installed needs to be moved.
The most common job titles for a bachelor's degree holder in working life are construction machine driver or earth builder. Some of the studies can be completed with a learning contract.
Path 2: Bachelor's degree
When you graduate from a university of applied sciences, there are options available both in site management positions and in office work.
- Master builder the degree focuses on the management of construction sites. It is important to know production techniques and know how to manage costs and projects. You also need contract and negotiation skills, front-line skills and overall understanding of the entire construction site or part of it. The duration of the training is 3,5 years.
- Construction Engineer encounters more theory in his studies: mathematics and physics are studied more than in master's education. A degree is necessary especially if you want to work in design. In contractor positions, a construction engineer can be employed in, for example, work management, development tasks or general management tasks. Engineers are also needed for planning offices and for the state and municipalities. The training lasts 4 years.
The studies include lectures, group and practice work, independent online studies and an internship period. Graduates work under different titles both in infrastructure construction and maintenance: as foremen, design engineers, project managers or even technical managers.
Path 3: University degree
You can study for a master's degree in infrastructure (DI) at Aalto University, the University of Oulu and the University of Tampere. The degree consists of 3 years of bachelor's degrees and 2 years of master's studies.
Varied and versatile studies include small group work, lectures and design work, as well as exercises both in the laboratory and in the field. The use of design software is also practiced and practical problems are solved with fellow students. Critical information search, application of information and project activities become familiar, and communication and negotiation skills accumulate. At the end of your studies, you research or develop a current topic related to your field of study in your diploma thesis, usually in accordance with a company assignment.
The DI education gives a broad perspective on planning, expert and management tasks as well as training and research work. Depending on your choice of specialization, you will be qualified to work, for example, as a designer of demanding foundation structures or in railway construction or traffic system planning tasks. You can pursue a career as a technical director of a municipality, a special expert of the Norwegian Railways Agency, a geotechnical designer of a planning office, a site manager of a contracting company, or a researcher or project manager at a university. Development engineer, designer, production manager, research manager, product developer, quality engineer - there are many types of DI.