Your desire to achieve in the field of Civil Engineering Technology is admirable.
I am a licensed Professional Engineer (Civil) in the state of Oregon in the United States. I began my career in 1977 doing manual structural drafting using a parallel bar, triangles, lead holder pencils, lead sharpner, and a scale. I have worked under the direction of a gradutate from a civil engineering technology program who is now a well respected structural engineer practicing in Oregon and also licensed in California and Washington, USA. I was able to take the required Fundamentals of Engineering Examination in Oregon based on experience without a BS degree in Civil Engineering. I was mentored by civil and structural engineers as an engineer in training for a number of years. While I was drafting and designing, I enrolled in a civil engineering program at Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, USA. When I had completed a number of "core" and design courses and had enough experience approved by the state engineering board, I wrote the professional exam and passed. I became licensed and a few months later I graduated with a BS degree in Civil Engineering. I believe that eduation through course work is an essential part of becoming a Civil Engineer, whether you design highways, bridges, water treatment plants and distribution systems, wastewater treatment plants and collection systems, building structures, or any other engineering area in which you achieve competence. I also believe working under the direction of a competent engineering is also necessary to gain experience.
I have work for "academic" engineers and found them lacking "real world" experience. Engineers who offer services coming directly from an academic institution without knowing how to put a set of construction documents together should be prevented from practiceing engineering.
None the less, I believe Civil Engineering is a noble profession and ranks with doctors of medicine, attorneys, and architects.