The Should I Become An Engineer? Thread

Astronomyboy

Hey Guys!

Do you any of you know where a degree in engineering physics would lead? I mean would it be better to just get a degree in engineering(specifically A.E or M.E) or would EP give me the extra the edge.

DeathNinja

Has anyone ever changed engineering fields after graduating?

How much work(or rather time) would be involved to do say, complete BE Civil then do mechanical/aerospace?

I originally chose civil because I like buildings and awesome structures, also designing airports, marine structures etc seems pretty cool, but I was thinking if I join the defence force, a mechanical engineering degree would have me designing some exciting things.

tgsbeast

Hey guys, i want a bit of help.
I recently found a great interest in engineering. I have a friend who did engineering at college for 2 years but then decided to drop out so ive been speaking to him a bit.
I dont have any qualifications apart from the basic maths and science that i left school with.
I'm thinking of doing mechanical engineering because that seems more practical from what i can tell and opens up the most opportunities.

Q1. Would i have to go to college full time or part time? (I have a child and i would also like to have a part time job aswell so im not sure how i could fit in a full time course)

Q2. If i go to college, how many hours per week will i have to do and for how many years?

Q3. Will i have to go to university too?

Q4. Will i have to study some sort of science and maths?

Q5. Could i do an open university course and just learn from home in my spare time?

I'm living in the UK and was planning on moving to london for work. My girlfriend is about to move to london for work too but she will be earning a very high wage im just not sure i want to ask her to support me for 4 years while i study! It's also a 4 hour drive to collect my daughter every week so if i somehow manage to fit in an engineering course and maybe a maths/science course then im going to lead a very hectic lifestyle for many years. Not sure if this is a good idea :/

All advice appreciated!

Thanks,
John

AECenter

There are probably tons of engineers in here who have gone the hard road on this one who can tell you what that is like.

Here is my story. I just got out of the US Marine Corps and met my wife, we got married and all of a sudden I had two kids. I had no college degree, but I needed to get a job with a future. I applied to a HVAC mechanical engineering company as a drafter and started there.

I proved myself and started to learn the technical side of HVAC (equipment selection, theory, simple system design, etc.) and soon became a system designer. I did that for a couple years, while getting a business degree at an online college at night.

After I got my degree I took my resume around to some manufacturers rep companies and got a job as a sales engineer. My job at that point was to help engineers lay out equipment that I represented. Basically, a sales rep becomes a design specialist in a few different equipment applications and gets paid when the equipment sells.

Along the way I learned (2) things that might help you out with your questions:

1. You need a BSME to become a fully recognized HVAC Mechanical Engineer, but you can still make good money in HVAC and maintain an engineering type of profession without the BSME degree.

2. Graduates who enter into an HVAC engineering office don't know much at all about HVAC and are starting off at square one, just like anyone who shows up. They may understand the concepts of thermal and fluid dynamics, but they may not know how much a 1-ton FCU weighs. (about 40 pounds)


Advice: HVAC is huge with a very broad scope of professions and stakeholders. If you take to it and push yourself forward with enthusiasm you will be able to get ahead with or without a BSME degree.


There are some tutorials on this website for Novices to the HVAC industry. I recommend everyone just showing up to the trade to read some of these and learn a bit more about the basics.

www.aec.us.com


Thanks,
chris

jjng

I have been contemplating engineering for a while now, mostly bc I don't like the field I am currently in (biochemistry). I would have to go back to school to obtain another degree, but I'm not so sure if another 4 yrs would be worth it, or maybe try to get work experience. I am good at/ don't mind doing math at all, but physics was never really that enjoyable to me; all the forces, and theoretical knowledge I needed to make a hypothesis was more annoying to me than anything else. I was initially interested in Mechanical, but I started to realize that it might be all physics.

I was wondering if anyone could tell me what a job as a mechanical engineer would be like( duties, actual work), particularly in the product design realm (I realize this field is broad, and I welcome answers for other specialties as well)? Thanks a lot!

AECenter

Like you said, "mechanical engineering" is pretty broad. The only thing I am familiar with is "mechanical engineering" as in HVAC. It has a lot of concepts that you would need to master, but pretty much anything you would be doing has been done a million times and there are rules of thumb and people who can mentor you. HVAC is cool because while you might find PhD's in the big offices at design firms, you will also have GED's in the field putting the stuff together. Basically HVAC has room for everyone, no matter what your degree.

You could look into it and if you want to go back for a BSME at college then you would have the good opportunity to make it as a licensed PE, but like I was saying, there are way more jobs in HVAC then being a PE.

I have a business degree and I've been in HVAC / Mechanical Engineering for 7 years.


Just some thoughts, good luck.

Check this website out for some more information on the HVAC industry:
www.aec.us.com

-chris

dimasalang

i love physics, it is an interesting subject, by my math abstraction is just average, though i want to be very good at math,, so im practising solving math problems everyday hoping to level up my math aptitude.


im an electrical engineering





i know i can passed all this formidable obstacles ahead in my choosen career

BradHodge

Engineering is litle difficult but if you try to understand and like what you do then I think nothing is impossible. You should love what your actually doing then only you'll succeed in life.

College to entry level job

cybhunter

My background:


Throughout my primary and secondary schooling, technology was something I liked. On various occasions, my knowledge would help or detract from a situation, or fall somewhere in middle and due to the annals of time become a funny story worth mentioning. In first grade I mentioned to another student you could copy a favorite tape by borrowing another VCR player, a blank tape, cables, and by connecting the two VCRs together and pressing record, you have a copy. Because of my obsession with computers in sixth grade, and a failed attempt at using a floppy disk, detention was served. A couple years later when a school computer wasn't connecting for months, it was me wanting to solve to the problem that lend me to disconnected LAN cable.

The High school I attended offer Computer/Electronics as a two year Vocational Course, that I continued to pursue at the local community college. Over four years (part time), I ended up taking course that went above the requirements for the 'Electronics Technology' degree (A.A.S). This resulted in a number of credits applying towards a BS in Electrical Engineering. Last fall, I was able to transfer into the EE program at URI in sophomore standing.

Engineering is about trying to find practical solutions to problems using the various sciences (ie Physics, Mathematics, etc). To those wanting to get into it, there are times when self doubt and frustration will overwhelm. The key is stay the course, ask questions and find a personal nmenomic or two that helps in the understanding.

RazorNapster

Hi guys,next year i will have to choose my profession and i am highly considering engineer(i am particularly interested in aerospace field) however my gusetion is how hard is it to get into one of top universities like CalTeh,MIT etc. I am not quite familliar with all details.Also is there anyone from UK,do you have any thoughts on great engineering schools there.And for engineering do you recommend USA or UK?Thanks.

Astronuc

Cambridge and Oxford have engineering programs. One could also look at Imperial College and City University in London. University of Manchester, University of Nottingham, . . . have programs.

For example - http://www.mace.manchester.ac.uk/

The Guardian has a list of universities.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/...ng-mechanical-

or see
http://theknowledgeworld.com/world-o...iversities.htm

or google "University, Aerospace Engineering, UK"

It can be rather challenging to gain entry Caltech and MIT.

Astronuc

Probably mechanical engineering, or structural engineering.

If one is undecided, one can usually take general engineering courses the first year of university.

First year engineering students usually take introductory mathematics and physics courses, as well as introductory engineering courses. Ideally, one has some proficiency in algebra, geometry (including analytical geometry), trigonometry, possibly linear/matrix algebra, and some familiarity with calculus from high school.

dimasalang

theres no such thing easy in life, no pain no gain, even natural talent can be beaten by a hard working person. its just takes a desire and passion.

love what you do

bamahabir

I don't know if I want to be an engineer. I'm 22 and just really starting college but even that is iffy due to financial constraints and very special circumstances I'm in. So trying to figure out a way to get over that hill.

In the meantime I think I've found what I like to do best. Build things. I was 16 when I decided I wanted to build my computer, and while I did a year later I found it too easy. When I started playing guitar on a cheapo $100 strat knock off I decided my next guitar I was going to build myself (never did do it though no $$ =( ) Same thing happened when I was looking at houses and cars. Recently I was helping my sister move and taking apart the furniture and putting it back together, I thought she paid so much money for such poorly made things?? It hit me then that I could make better things for that kind of $$.

Did anyone get that feeling when decided to become an engineer?

EBENEZR

I know only a few people are ever involved in the work of engineering these, but how would one get involved in working with landers and spacecraft like Curiosity and New Horizons? Would that be engineering? If I did a physics course, would I still be able to get involved in these sorts of things? I will be a mature student, so I know how to put in the time (I've learnt the hard way after leaving my last non-science course) and being older I am also more experienced at being efficient with my time. If I did a physics degree, what contributions could I make? My main interest is what is going on with the extraterrestrial bodies and the idea of being on the forefront of learning the geology and environment of a Saturnian or Jovian moon makes me go all sparkly eyed... Honestly I couldn't give a monkey's backside whether or not there is life there. Could I be a real contributor to this doing just physics or would an Engineering degree get me a lot closer to being a part of the machine? I'll say now that the actual robotics: the programming and coding of the robot, I would likely not be very good at. Math and building things, yes. Writing in computer languages, not so much.

mdmartin

My background: 2007 BSEE in USA. I've worked in the aerospace industry since I graduated with two companies.

My responses:
Is engineering hard?-I choose to look at it as challenging. The curriculum pushes your limits in terms of learning, math, science, time-management, etc. I don't like using the word hard because it creates a mentality in some folks that it is automatically too hard which means beyond a persons skill. I would like to point out that sometimes the math and science are not as challenging as learning time-management for some students. In my industry I rarely use the math and science aspects of my education and, when I do, it is usually as a part of a larger team. The time-management skills, though, are practiced at the individual level.

Which type of engineering?-It depends. Although I would like to recommend "whatever you enjoy/like", etc. the harsh reality that I've seen in these uncertain economic times is that it depends on what type of living you want for yourself and your (possible) future family because, although engineering pays well in general, there are disparities between fields and location.
I have seen hundreds of engineers be laid off. Have they found new jobs? I don't know. Doubtful given the current situation. Is physics or some other pure science in a better position? I don't know but I would imagine that's doubtful as well. Other factors to consider: where would you like to live? is there a particular industry that grabs your attention? If I could go back I would focus on having a larger breadth of skills as opposed to specific skills. In other words, I would choose mechanical, electrical, or chemical over the others.

Should I become an engineer?-To me the answer to this question has so many "it depends" statements that it (obviously) needs to be tailored to the individual. I became an engineer because of the math and physics. But I hardly use that these days so it seems I made a mistake. Except that I do enjoy job from time to time and I get paid relatively well for it. And money is an important factor because I have a family now. If I were asked now what I would like to do I couldn't answer because I haven't tried it yet. I still like learning math and physics but that hasn't translated too well to my job. Then again I know of others who do practice their discipline on a daily basis. Although I don't regret my educational decisions up to now (because I'm in a good position in life) I don't think I would do engineering again. I would want to be more hands-on (such as a mechanic) or try to start my own business.

Azriael

Hi there. I have some questions that are need to be answered. At this moment I'm choosing the university and I'm not sure what should I do. Here is a dilemma: I love physics and robotics, but in my country we don't have great engineering universities, but have very strong physics universities. I want to work in robotics field, so Mechanical/Electrical eng. degree would be great. I will get B.Sc in my country and after that I'm planning to move in Germany or US, pursuing PhD in engineering. So, should I get a bachelor in Physics (which is a great school) or bachelor in engineering (which is not the best in my country)?

As a career option, I'd like to be an engineer-researcher, messing around with advanced technologies, creating absolutely new things.

P.S. Sorry, if you see some mistakes, english is not my native language