Other Becoming an Engineer: Considerations and Personal Experiences

[Topher925]

Pravada, honestly you don't really sound like an engineer to me. How many car engines have you taken apart and put back together? What are your hobbies or what do you do for fun? Good people skills is a must for everyone but expect to work alone frequently as an engineer. Also, no one does drafting or sketching anymore, its all CAD now. And why exactly do you want to design weapons when you don't want to see them used? Seems a bit contradicting to me. Engineering management might be up your ally, but as for the real hardcore stuff, sorry to say but I just don't get that vibe from your post.

 

[maryelsol]

How was your life/courses in college like when majoring in industrial engineering?

How was your life/courses in college like when majoring in industrial engineering?

I'm currently majoring in biological sciences. Throughout high school I was not interested in engineering because of a misconception. Now that I looked into industrial engineering I feel that it strongly describes my interests and passions. Although I planned to go to med school, but now I'm not too sure. Engineering might be for me, but I also like my current major.

Your help will be greatly appreciated

 

[authentic]

This may sound like a stupid question but how important is the knowledge of math compared to chemistry for a chemical engineer? I know math is the fundamental element that all engineering professions are built on but how integrated will it be compared to chemistry for a chemical engineer upon entering the work force? Will he/she be using more chemistry on a day to day basis over mathematics?

 

[spindash]

I'm considering becoming an engineer, but I still have questions that I hope you can answer.

What is the daily life of an engineer really like? A "day in the life", as it were. (I know there are lots of different branches, so just whatever one you can answer for is fine.) All I seem to be able to find are general accounts, nothing specific such as: I meet with my team in the morning, then spend a few hours going over my equations on the bridge struts, do some research on this new composite, whatever. How much do you sit at your desk doing equations? How much are you finding new solutions and how much are you using old solutions? How much "corporate interaction" is there? How much group work, how much solo projects?

What personalities are best suited? Am I suited?
Here's me: I like solving puzzles. As long as I'm making progress I'm captivated but when I get stuck I get bored. I'm really good at math when I take the time, and sort of pass when I don't. I really don't function when I am low on sleep. I don't know what else to tell you about myself, anything else just ask.

I was "smart" in high school, but average in a university setting. How hard is engineering going to be for me?

Thank you for any help you can give me, good people of the forum. :)

 

[RufusDawes]

Pravada, honestly you don't really sound like an engineer to me. How many car engines have you taken apart and put back together? What are your hobbies or what do you do for fun? Good people skills is a must for everyone but expect to work alone frequently as an engineer. Also, no one does drafting or sketching anymore, its all CAD now. And why exactly do you want to design weapons when you don't want to see them used? Seems a bit contradicting to me. Engineering management might be up your ally, but as for the real hardcore stuff, sorry to say but I just don't get that vibe from your post.

Thats what my Dad said to me and now I regret not studying Engineering for a long time. There is surely more to it than tinkering with a car engine. Friend of mine works on pumps at a dock making sure they don't catch fire due to friction generated by fuel. Sounds like fun. Never pulled apart an engine in his life, though he is cynical about being an Engineer because the pay is low and he says the pumps are all the same. Old work mate is Civil Engineer goes out to suburubs and helps design freeways, sounds boring ? He is outside for a lot and is a manager, gets to travel across Australia and make good money. Worked on bridge and tunnel near my house must have been fun. Lots of concrete.

I studied economics and practically it looks like only education I will be doing is a honours/masters in economics... and become government Economist. I need money, or live in poverty, 4 more years is too long. Make the right decision now. If you want to be Engineer you should do it and not listen to what people say about you. But listen to their specific advice on things.

 

[Kennethfaria]

So ill be applying to universities in a couple of months, and have a few questions, and instead of starting a new thread, I thought i'd start here first.

I live in Mississauga Ontario and I'm interested in doing Engineering.
My first option is Aerospace at Ryerson, but I haven't heard/read too much about their program, and their site isn't anything to write home about either.

After that, since i heard many people working in this field are mechanical engineers, i thought I'd go for that and major (?, this major/minor is something new to me) in aerospace.

My questions:
1. How is Ryerson? Especially for Aerospace eng.
2. How hard would it be to get a job in Canada as an AE?

And that's it for now, Thanks!

 

[mistermagical]

pravada63, hate to break it to u, most engineers will work in a cubicle/office setting with maybe 10% of the time out in the field either to a site or a shop

 

[mistermagical]

So ill be applying to universities in a couple of months, and have a few questions, and instead of starting a new thread, I thought i'd start here first.

I live in Mississauga Ontario and I'm interested in doing Engineering.
My first option is Aerospace at Ryerson, but I haven't heard/read too much about their program, and their site isn't anything to write home about either.

After that, since i heard many people working in this field are mechanical engineers, i thought I'd go for that and major (?, this major/minor is something new to me) in aerospace.

My questions:
1. How is Ryerson? Especially for Aerospace eng.
2. How hard would it be to get a job in Canada as an AE?

And that's it for now, Thanks!

Please don't go there for engineering. Its nearly non-existant on the engineering map. If you live in sauga, might as well go to UT or better yet to Waterloo. I have many friends in Mech @ UW from sauga.

 

[mistermagical]

Oh, forgot to mention, yes, a lot of people in AE field majored in mech. That is a viable option. Also, if you decide to change your mind while u are doing mech u still ahve the option.

 

[Kennethfaria]

Oh, can i go the mech path and major in Aerospace?

and is ryerson THAT bad for aerospace? UfT's got it but i have to go through the engineering science program, and then choose aerospace after 3 years.

EDIT: I'm looking at mechatronics. Seems to me that they're in demand and they can get jobs in various fields. I'd be going to Mac for this one.

 

[mistermagical]

its not bad for AE, its bad in engineering period. go to mac. go to UT, go to UW, anything but ryerson! :(

(waterloo's co-op should be heavily considered)

 

[whypickthree]

Hi Physics Forums. This is a tad long, but I hope you help me out; I've been thinking of this post for a while now.

Let me tell you my dream. I am obsessed with space, especially Mars. I literally think about space and Mars all day long. I want to help design and build the spacecraft and habitat that will eventually take us to Mars. I want to know the craft from the inside-out and be able to fix whatever may go wrong with said ship and eventually habitat on the surface of Mars

At first I thought I'd go for a BS in Physics then try and go for an MS in Aerospace Engineering. But as I read more and more threads on engineering and physics degrees, it looks like Mechanical Engineering would be a better jump off point for an aerospace degree.

Now here is my dilemma: I've been in school for three years now, currently taking a semester off to figure out exactly how to finish my education. I've only taken core credits, and have never taken a calculus or physics class. Math always came pretty naturally to me, I earned A's in college algebra and trig at my university. So it looks like I would pretty much start over and have to take three to four more years of school (I'm done with all of my school's core curriculum so those years would be a purely engineering and math curriculum). The three years more schooling for a BS doesn't bother me, just the amount of loans I would need to take out does. My parents are cutting me off after my fourth year of college.

I have three questions:
1) Would the amount of loans I would need to take out be typical and possible to pay off?
2) Would this degree plan (BS in Mechanical to MS in Aerospace) as well as extensive work experience would set me up to be a "crack mechanic" as experts put it when selecting a crew for a trip to the moon or Mars.
3) Is my situation at all normal or at least feasible to accomplish?

Some final notes:
Should I ease into this and do Calculus I this Spring then Calculus II and Physics I in the Summer?
I go to school at Colorado State, and hope to eventually go to University of Colorado for aerospace. Fortunately Lockheed Martin isn't too far from CU so I could maybe get an entry-level job or internship there while I complete an MS.

I apologize if this is rambling, I have so much more to write. But I'll gladly answer any questions to help you answer my questions.

Thanks Physics Forums!

 

[ColdSanctuary]

I live in Montreal, Canada, and I have to apply to Universities soon. After asking every person I know about engineering, I've finally decided to try Computer Engineering.

The university I'm thinking of is called McGill and is located in the island of Montreal. McGill is very famous for Medicine and Law, but I don't think it's that good for engineering. However, I've heard it's way more serious than the other English university in Montreal (Concordia). I've also heard that some French universities are pretty good, but I don't want to study in French... Not exactly my strong point...

What should I do? From what I've read here, the university of Waterloo seems really good. I can't leave the province though...

 

[Skynt]

I'm not entirely great at mathematics. I love math, I understand it, but I'm slow at it.
It's hard to describe. Currently I'm still finishing High School and I'm in my senior year, however, despite my success (like getting a 4 on the Physics AP exam) and keeping my grades up, I'm totally slow at computations and problem solving. I basically got a very low score of 560 mostly because I hardly finished any of the problems.

I enjoy understanding things and learning plus I'm great with computers (programming, C++, etc).

So, I'm sort of slow at mathematics but I think I have the potential to do well.
Would that give me any problems on my way to being a good engineer?

 

[nitinkarya]

I want to do electrical/computer engineering but I also want to do some business maybe a minor in business because I heard that if you have some knowledge of business concepts then you can advance easier into an upper-level engineering job. Do you think I should major in Electrical/Computer Engineering and minor in Business or do the Engineering Route to Business (ERB) program at UT Austin? I am most likely going to attend the University of Texas Austin next fall. I'm scared that I won't get any job offers if I do the ERB program because I won't have a degree in electrical/computer engineering as the ERB program awards the Bachelor of Business Administration degree. Any advice? Thanks

 

[NeoZeRo35]

Hi everyone. I'm new here, but wondering can Mechanical Engineering be broad enough to work for a toy company?

 

[n00bsauce]

Some final notes:
Should I ease into this and do Calculus I this Spring then Calculus II and Physics I in the Summer?
I go to school at Colorado State, and hope to eventually go to University of Colorado for aerospace. Fortunately Lockheed Martin isn't too far from CU so I could maybe get an entry-level job or internship there while I complete an MS.

Calculus II is a challenging course, even people that do well in calculus I have problems with it. I'm not trying to discourage you, but I would not recommend taking calc 2 and physics in the same summer session. I'm currently a second year engineering student taking 17 credit hours, calc 2 takes as much time as the rest of my classes combined.

 

[withthemotive]

Calculus II is a challenging course, even people that do well in calculus I have problems with it. I'm not trying to discourage you, but I would not recommend taking calc 2 and physics in the same summer session. I'm currently a second year engineering student taking 17 credit hours, calc 2 takes as much time as the rest of my classes combined.

I didn't view calculus II all that challenging besides it just introducing new ways to use the information you learned in calculus I and previous courses. I think it's calculus III which is when things start to be challenging, mostly just because of the amount of material that is required to be remembered.

The only downfall with any summer classes is that they'll be a large chunk of your life throughout the 5 or 8 weeks, or however long you college offers. You'll have to constantly do homework to keep up and never, or hardly, skip at all. I most defiantly think it's very possible to do both physics and calc II in the summer, but just be prepared for your schedule to revolve around your school life.

Including my summer semester I've now been in school for 2 years straight, and I have to take another summer semester again because of a lack of classes. 3 years straight, ugh.

 

[mbisCool]

How are job prospects in industry for physics phds relative to engineering phds? Are they about the same at this level?

 

[bowma166]

The problem I'm having is deciding on whether to do a pure science (probably physics or chemistry; mathematics might be too pure even though i love it) or engineering. I'm currently finishing up my fall semester of freshman year... I love physics and math the most, and also have a strong liking for chemistry though not as strong as math and physics. I'm just not sure if I'd enjoy what I'd be able to do with, say, a Ph.D. in physics vs. what I could do with something like an MS in some engineering. My school seems like it's pressuring us very much to decide on a major as early as possible and I'm just left here scratching my head.

How did all of you decide which way to go?

Then I guess there's the problem of deciding exactly which field to go into (aerospace vs. electrical vs. chemical vs. computer etc.) but that can come later I suppose.

Thanks!

 

[Gogsey]

Hi,

I'm a 2nd year student in physics at McMaster University, hamIlton, Ontario, Canada. I was always strong in Physics and Chemistry, but my Math was lacking. It deffinatley takes a lot of hard work to do physics and engineering, as I found out the hard way.

Firstly you must ask yourself, science or engineering. If you need to see something real, like a product of some sort, then engineering is for you. If you like the more theoretival pprach, and like to ask big questions, then science would be a better choice. Do be honest I'm in that boat right now. Thinking of switching to engineering but not sure, plus I like aerospace, but its not a very common degree in Canada.

Next, its choose yur discipline time. This is totally what your preference is. Only you can make that descision. I suggest researching all of them, because soem are not what they seem. eg. chemical engineering is not chemistry, quite different, aerospace is not astronomy and materials is one of the more science based disciplines and has more chemistry then chem eng. Also its like a field such as automotive, microdevices or chemical production, its more like materials for other enginers, so it has a hand in all industries, but its mor production and processes rather than working specifically in the aerospace industry, for example. You make materials for aeospace , automotive, biomdiacl enginerrs etc.

As for schools, MIT Caltech, Berkely, Georgia Tech, Stanford, U of Michigan, are all top quality engineerign schools. There is also UCLA, Texas A&M too. In Canada Queens, Toronto, Waterloo and McMaster are as good as it gets, in Ontario, but I don't know much about the rest of Canada.

 

[PhysicalAnomaly]

I'm in an engineering and science double degree and I'm actually thinking of dropping the engineering side. I've only taken very basic chem eng units and feel that they're too easy and unchallenging in the intellectual sense (too much plugging of values into formulae and other very structured stuff). I know it won't be same in later years but I'm not sure if I can spend years studying something I like but don't feel passionate about. So I'm thinking of switching to just science (pure maths and physics).

So I'm in pretty much the opposite position. How do I know if I will come to love engineering?

 

[L62]

How are job prospects in industry for physics phds relative to engineering phds? Are they about the same at this level?

it depends entirely on your specialty and skills. You will probably not get an industry job that is exactly related to your phD topic, but you may get a job because of the skillset or tools you used to get your PhD .

at the phd level there are relatively few jobs to begin with, regardless of your field.

most jobs in industry do not require a phd, nor does it help you to have one. unless you are in R&D.

 

[missmerisha]

Do you think somebody who is average at maths and physics can do engineering?

In my maths and physics class I'm an average student in both subjects. I enjoy maths and physics and I aim to study an engineering course. I don't know if it is possible because engineering is a difficult course.

 

[cdotter]

I'm interested in mechanical engineering, but I'm afraid of ending up as a CAD jockey. How much mechanical engineering is hands on work? If I were to, for example, get a job doing jet turbine research & development, would I be working with the engine hands on? Or is it all CAD and computer simulations?

 

[mynick]

Hello,

This is my first post.I read many posts on this thread.I am an electronics engineer student at a technical institute. After years of attending classes i realize that all engineering disciplines are strenuous and demanding.

When i get in a class i feel stupid,because i barely understand the lectures due to lack of sleep or other factors, i take notes and get back home to start the painful,time-consuming research to find relative material to study.I don't know how or if people manage to remember maths(calculus,algebra etc) after 3+ years they have completed their math modules,for me it is impossible to remember all of that stuff(too many formulas and details...).

Here is the critical question:you study maths,pass them all,after a few years,fatefully,you start to forget...what do you do then?!Eventually,as an engineer you are doomed to study lots of books and revise a lot,for life!Thus, think twice before enrolling in an engineer degree,because post-graduate study is endless and if you don't keep up HARD(studying)somebody else will do it and you will be soon out of job!

Does it worth struggling for an engineer degree plus the endless post-graduate studying while you can find ,a non-cubicle, decent job?A decent job which will allow you to enjoy different aspects of life apart from studying?I don't know.However,You can be an athlete(good athletes are multi-millionaires before the age of 23,some are married),a celebrity,an actor,a bus driver or whatever and leave a HAPPY life.They do not hold university degrees.

My point is,nobody will give you back your lost youth, it is not worth struggling to get a university degree and regret it later because it did not pay off,see universities as companies:they do not really care if you succeed,you pay for your education so as to graduate and work as a<<slave>> 8+ hours daily for industries in addition to post-graduate endless studying.I believe industries should always pay your education,not you,they have extravagant demands,let them pay for!

Time never reverts,second chance is a bit of a utopia.That hurts the most,even me...

 

[PhysicalAnomaly]

I guess that's the problem with maths for the sake of engineering. If you love maths to bits, not a single hour of doing maths will be considered work. You'll remember every formula, every theorem without trying.

Likewise with engineering. People who study engineering not because they love engineering will have unfulfiling lives. That simple.

Athletes train for hours every day until they are sore to the bone. A celebrity slogs through years of work as a mere extra, going for hundreds of failed auditions. A businessman works for years in the field they wish to do business in. They have to perfect it before starting out on their own. Some of them go bankrupt multiple times before turning millionaire. There's no way to avoid hard work. But it's not work and your youth is not wasted if you enjoy it.

 

[viet_jon]

Hello,

This is my first post.I read many posts on this thread.I am an electronics engineer student at a technical institute. After years of attending classes i realize that all engineering disciplines are strenuous and demanding.

When i get in a class i feel stupid,because i barely understand the lectures due to lack of sleep or other factors, i take notes and get back home to start the painful,time-consuming research to find relative material to study.I don't know how or if people manage to remember maths(calculus,algebra etc) after 3+ years they have completed their math modules,for me it is impossible to remember all of that stuff(too many formulas and details...).

Here is the critical question:you study maths,pass them all,after a few years,fatefully,you start to forget...what do you do then?!Eventually,as an engineer you are doomed to study lots of books and revise a lot,for life!Thus, think twice before enrolling in an engineer degree,because post-graduate study is endless and if you don't keep up HARD(studying)somebody else will do it and you will be soon out of job!

Does it worth struggling for an engineer degree plus the endless post-graduate studying while you can find ,a non-cubicle, decent job?A decent job which will allow you to enjoy different aspects of life apart from studying?I don't know.However,You can be an athlete(good athletes are multi-millionaires before the age of 23,some are married),a celebrity,an actor,a bus driver or whatever and leave a HAPPY life.They do not hold university degrees.

My point is,nobody will give you back your lost youth, it is not worth struggling to get a university degree and regret it later because it did not pay off,see universities as companies:they do not really care if you succeed,you pay for your education so as to graduate and work as a<<slave>> 8+ hours daily for industries in addition to post-graduate endless studying.I believe industries should always pay your education,not you,they have extravagant demands,let them pay for!

Time never reverts,second chance is a bit of a utopia.That hurts the most,even me...

I'm in first year ENG, and I'll agree, it's tonnes of hard work.

First half of the semester, I thought I could not make it through four years because I was studying 24/7 trying to absorb everything. LIfe was very stressful. I got to a point where I told myself 'f*k' it, I'm not going to try and ace everything, I'll just absorb whatever time permits. So I did that.

I started to go workout again, playing sports, and taking one day off on the weekends. With all this time away from the books, somehow I was able to absorb and understand the material more easily. Instead of 2 hours trying to understand a calc proof, it took me only 30 minutes etc.

So, moral of my story... balance is key. Dedicating all your awake hours to studying is not effective as one might think.

 

[walk_w/o_aim]

Sci/Eng or something else?

Hello.

I'm sure this is a question that has been asked countless times in- and outside this thread, but I couldn't find anything that specifically matched my current circumstances.

I'm a student that just completed high school, and am going to start in a college this January. I plan to do first year university studies there (tuition fees are cheaper), and then transfer to a university in Canada (the plan is UBC, right now) in 2010. I'm a relatively good student when it comes to academics, and I am typically able to always score at least 85% in all courses I've ever taken in school (mainly English, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths, History, Computer Science and Geography). Among the bunch, Math is probably my weakest.

Until recently, I've never really worked hard or did my homework or anything. I was always attentive in class, but I never did any sort of revision and always left assignments and studying for exams till the last minute.

That had to change when I started having trouble in a Math course. My grades crashed, and I literally had to work hours and hours everyday doing the homework just to understand the topics in the course. In the end, though, it was worth it since I passed the class with over 90%. I mention this because I earlier stated that I rarely work hard, but I can and will work hard if I have to. I probably spent thrice the energy on the aforementioned course than I've ever spent on any other course. Ever.

Since then, my interest in Math has gradually increased and I tend to think I'm somewhat better in the subject than I used to be, since I understand more of why things work rather than just applying a fixed method to solve a particular type of problem.

I think that I'm decent in both Physics and Chem -- I'm very interested in both, especially Physics.

I've always wanted to get a bachelor's degree in Engineering (until now, I'm still torn between Mechatronics, Engineering Science, Aerospace, Chemical and Electronics), work as an engineer for a few years, and then get a Master's/PhD in Physics. After reading this thread, however, I don't think I have what it takes to be an engineer OR a scientist. Several reasons:

1. I'm introverted (although I've felt that I've become slightly more sociable in recent years), and I generally dislike working in groups. I often find it difficult to take initiative and begin a conversation with someone. If the other person starts to talk first, though, I usually have no trouble in the ensuing conversation. In some cases, I have no choice but to talk first -- I can do this, but it feels really awkward and uncomfortable for me. If the other person is chatty, the feeling often disappears, otherwise, it may remain. Regarding groups, I sometimes feel that the group members bring me down or hold me back. I'm not arrogant, honest, but that's the way I feel. On the other hand, sometimes I get into a great group, where everyone participates and the workload is equally shared -- I often enjoy these experiences a lot, since there's someone to talk to and ease the monotony of the tasks at hand.

2. I like designing things, and understanding why things work, and often want to improve pre-existing things, but I'm really clumsy when it comes to doing the handywork. I'd probably weld my hands together if I had to use a welding machine (or whatever the proper term is...). As such, I often prefer the theoretical part of things rather than the application. On the other hand, I enjoyed whatever physics and chemistry lab work I had to do for my courses - it was great to see how theory is in practice. :)

3. I like abstract concepts, even those that might have no real application whatsoever, but I really want to "change" things, like, make a difference in the world.

4. If I get a science degree, I'd probably be involved in research. What happens if I don't discover anything or the research is a complete failure? I'm not very good at teaching either, so a university lecturer is out of the question, I think.

I considered the double degree in Engineering and Science, but I'm not sure if I can handle the load. I'm afraid I'll degenerate into cramming for exams if I don't have enough time or something.

Does anyone have any recommendations on what I can do? Any particular branch of Engineering or Science that I can go to that (even remotely) matches my profile? Thank you.

 

[mabs239]

and yes ...for about difficult studies regarding engineering .. I never found anything that was "difficult" .. although I needed a lot of practice .. but the studies are volumes and volumes like vast oceans ... enough to keep u busy from making anything u really dreamt to make during ur 4 years degree course!

I am Electronics Engineer. I did not find the study to be very difficult. I hope if you are good at maths, there sjouldn't be any big problem. However the homework assignments were the real trouble for me.

I had been electronis hobbiest since my early schooling. However during my degree program really had no time to do anything interesting. But I was satisfied that now I was going to know how the things acutually work. It was fun to know of my earlier mistakes and misconceptions.