Hi,
My background is also Engineering - Electronic & Electrical. I however, went into I.T and the Financial sector and haven't really used my Engineering background much. More recently though, I have as I've moved myself over to niche automotive manufacturing and some of the technical aspects have been much easier to understand and grasp.
From what you've mentioned, I'd say look to other countries if you are wishing to leave the US. For the most part, the 'Cost of Living' is high, the 'Salary levels' are significantly lower than compared to the US, the 'Standard of Living' is lower too. You've mentioned that your other half would earn the equivalent of a quarter of your combined income currently, so worst case scenario if you weren't able to secure a position within the Civil Engineering sector, how long could you both survive on your current level of 'standard of living'? in that scenario, I'm sure you'd take any job outside your Engineering background to help with your combined income levels, where consideration to the salary level will be an important factor.
As already mentioned, the UK is currently embroiled in the mess that is Brexit. All the 'leave' campaign are saying that 'We welcome and will want highly experienced and knowledgeable specialists in medicine, engineering, entreprenuers, businesses' etc to come to the UK but certainly for the forseeable few years it's looking like it's a very 'uncertain' place to be given the potential things could deteriorate quite quickly. This all means people's jobs and businesses will be under threat and confidence and stress levels will reduce and increase respectively. Many companies are on hiring freezes, company benefits are being cut/reduced etc. Hiring a foreign specialist costs a company a substantial amount which of course cuts into company profits and operating expenditure. Also, there's perhaps a significant pool of Civil Engineers within the UK workforce so they'll always get looked at first over a foreign candidate.
The above is all 'higher' level views and reports of things in the UK. I don't know your personal situation or circumstances, however my overall advice would be for you to look to other countries where opportunities in Civil Engineering/Infrastructure planning and construction are greater than here in the UK. The middle and far East would be areas to look at, perhaps some European countries then as far as Japan, possibly Australia (I say possibly as I've not looked much into their current economy and infrastructure projects)
If you have a specific reason(s) that it *must* be the UK, then I fully understand that and would echo what's been previously said. It may well take you time to get a foot in the door, a far higher chance that the level of pay at that time and into the future will be significantly less than what you'd earn remaining in the US or going to other countries. If that's the case then to help you evaluate now, then as a couple, have open and frank discussions into what you'd both like to have/achieve here and what you may well have to cut out of your current lifestyles to best make it happen.
I know the above sounds gloomy and there'll be others who'll perhaps shout me down there, which is fair enough.
In other similar threads, I've mentioned the same and also, given that my background is Indian, I have a very.. very large extended family and all their friends too and quite a lot of contacts in various sectors of jobs and businesses. I will ask one who has his own Construction sector specific recruitment agency about how many roles he's currently got which might suit you - are you looking to go into Consultative or Contracting Civil Engineering? I'll ask him about current trends he sees in this sector too. He's based in Central London though so not sure how that will suit you if you wish to be in Leeds! There are many construction projects happening around London and the South East as well as other areas of the UK for sure, I'm just not so convinced there's 'enough' as it were looking longer term in the future aside from everything seemingly being blocks of flats everywhere with a some commercial property developments thrown in!
Hope this helps a bit!
Cheers, DtM! West London & Slough UK!
