Cyrena Lafronte
Policy and Engagement Officer, Institute of Highway Engineers
Cyrena has been a Policy and Engagement Manager at the Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE) since April 2024. She has several years’ experience in shaping and delivering policy, from working at Transport for London to teaching policy to apprentices. Cyrena is dedicated to delivering evidence-based policy that is impactful, accessible and can reach and benefit the wider public.
Dare to discover the world of highway engineers
Have you ever wondered how the roads you travel on every day actually get there? From the roads and bridges we drive and cycle on, to the traffic lights helping you across the road, none of it happens by accident. They’re all planned, built, and maintained by a group highway engineers.
This year, Tomorrow’s Engineers Week is all about daring to discover, and highway engineering is the perfect way to do that. If you like solving puzzles, being outdoors, using computers, or building things with your hands, there’s a place for you in the world of highways.
What is highway engineering?
Highway engineering is all about keeping the country moving. From country lanes to motorways, highway engineers make sure people and goods can travel safely, efficiently, and sustainably. But highway engineers don’t just build roads, they improve lives as roads connect schools, hospitals, workplaces, and families. Every time a road is built or repaired, it helps communities grow and stay connected.
And that’s not all. Highway engineers also help shape the future. They design cycle paths, improve safety for pedestrians, and use new materials to make construction more environmentally friendly.
What jobs are there in highways?
One of the great things about highway engineering is the variety of roles. Here’s a list of just some of them:
- Construction and maintenance operatives build and repair roads, lay pavements, install drainage, pour concrete, or spread asphalt
- Plant operators and drivers control huge machines like excavators, rollers, or gritters in the winter
- Traffic management teams are experts at making sure roadworks and events run safely and keep traffic moving while the work gets done
- Engineers and technicians design, construct, and maintain highways, roads, bridges and drainage systems using computer-aided design (CAD) and clever calculations
- Environmental specialists guard nature, making sure projects protect wildlife and reduce carbon impact
- Surveyors and quality technicians measure, test and make sure everything meets the right standards
- Electricians and lighting technicians install and maintain lighting, signals, and electrical systems on our roads
- Transport planners figure out how people and traffic move around and how to make travel safer and smoother
- Support roles such as administrators, finance staff and control room operators ensure every project is well organised behind the scenes
This is only a small number of the roles available. No matter what you’re interested in, there is definitely a role for you.
Where could you work?
Highway engineers work everywhere! You could find yourself working in:
- local councils or national authorities, helping to plan and manage roads
- utility companies, installing cables, pipes, or drainage systems beneath roads
- contractors, from small family businesses to massive international firms
- consultancies, with teams of engineers to design and plan new infrastructure
- training organisations, helping the next generation learn the ropes
Wherever you start, the work is varied and you get to see the results of your efforts every time you travel on our road network.
How can you become a highway engineer
The good news is, there is more than one route just like our road network!
- Focus on maths and English while you are at school
Engineers use numbers for measurements and calculations and need great communication skills to share their ideas clearly. If your school offers design and technology, geography or science, these will give you a great start into your engineering journey. You can also try to get work experience with a local engineering firm or council. This will give you the opportunity to see real projects and find out what you enjoy most. - After school, you could start as a trainee technician or apprentice
Here you earn as you learn, working towards a qualification such as National Certificate (NC), Apprenticeships, Higher National Certificate (HNC) or Higher National Diploma (HND). Apprenticeships also allow you to build experience, while working towards becoming an engineer. - If you prefer you can take a fully academic route
You can take A levels (or equivalent) in maths, physics, and other technical subjects, and study civil engineering or a related course at university. A degree apprenticeship, BEng (Hons) or MEng degree, can lead to professional qualifications like Chartered Engineer (CEng) or Incorporated Engineer (IEng)status later on.
Progression in highways
Many people begin as a trainee or apprentice, then progress through roles such as technician, foreman, supervisor, manager and director. As you progress, you can join the Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE). The IHE supports you throughout your career, helping you develop skills, find mentors, and gain qualifications recognised across the UK and internationally.
When you build enough experience, you can apply for professional registration through IHE to become EngTech (Engineering Technician), IEng (Incorporated Engineer) or CEng (Chartered Engineer).
The engineering world changes fast. New technologies, materials, and ways of working appear all the time. Engineers are encouraged to stay up to date, and can do so through Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programmes.
Why become a highway engineer?
Being a highway engineer allows you to solve problems, help people, and build a connective world. Every road, bridge, junction, and streetlight tells a story and one day, one of those stories could be yours. So, if you are creative, inquisitive and want to make a difference, dare to discover highway engineering and the heights you can reach.
Wherever you start, the work is varied and you get to see the results of your efforts every time you travel on our road network.
— Cyrena Lafronte, Policy and Engagement Officer, Institute of Highway Engineers
