Other Becoming an Engineer: Considerations and Personal Experiences

[kote]

I am currently in my last year of schooling in south africa and i was looking for advice, i really want to study engineering but I am not sure which to do. I am really interested in aeronautical but the thing is, my country doesn't make airplane parts or things so the job opportunities are scarce, should i pursue it or should i go with the more practical option of civil? is it hard to emmigrate with an aeronautical degree?

Hi magecaster. Have you considered mechanical engineering? Aerospace engineering is a sub-discipline of mechanical, and almost any company hiring aerospace engineers will hire mechanical engineers for the same jobs. I have no idea how the mechanical opportunities are in your country, but in general mechanical is more generic. Mechanical engineers can often (but not always) find jobs with civil engineering firms as well.

 

[vegetto34]

I am enrolled in electrical engineering (and will specialize in bio-medical in 3 semesters). My career that I think I'll be involved in is within the field of medicine. However, I am interested in other fields of engineering especially mechanical.

Having said that, have any engineers here taken an engineering course outside of their discipline? For instance, taking fluid mechanics or statics as an EE. I wonder if just taking its equivalent in the physics department is a better idea.

Help me out!

 

[comp_math]

i am above average at math, i am also very lazy. can i become an environmental engineer?

Nobody cares if you are above average in math or not - if you are lazy, you won't get far.

 

[rutherdbrown]

First of all, it depends on you what are you want to do.. i mean what are your interests... If you have an inclination towards technical perspective then you should opt for engineering. And probably you will feel engineering easy. On the other hand if you are more inclined towards other fields then you should probably check out your interests.

 

[krish1]

hai friends i have number



http://www.google.com"

 

[DR13]

Hello. I am currently a senior in high school. I am currently taking AP Physics C and will be through calc III/diff eq by the time i graduate. I am interested in going into nuclear engineering but i do not just want to work at some power plant the rest of my life. I am interested in theorhetical type physics but i also enjoy the practicality and reality of engineering. So my idea is to go into nuclear fusion (as opposed to fission). I feel like this way i can work on a tangible solution to a real life problem while also working with something that is on the cutting edge of science.

So, my question is:
Does this make sense? (I hope some of you have some personal experience with this). And, as an undergrad, should i major in physics or nuclear engineering? (The other major i could do is engineering physics with a concentration on nuclear engineering)

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated

 

[magecaster]

Hi magecaster. Have you considered mechanical engineering? Aerospace engineering is a sub-discipline of mechanical, and almost any company hiring aerospace engineers will hire mechanical engineers for the same jobs. I have no idea how the mechanical opportunities are in your country, but in general mechanical is more generic. Mechanical engineers can often (but not always) find jobs with civil engineering firms as well.

I have considered mechanical, mechanical and aeronautical are the same for 2 years and then they differentiate in terms of course work ect so i can follow either. Would it be wise to get a mechanical degree and then emmigrate to a country that offers aerospace? because mine does not

 

[viscousflow]

Hello, I found a very excellent site for engineering disciplines. I think this link should be given special attention since it covers mostly everything that is done in these careers.
http://online.onetcenter.org/find/family?f=17&g=Go

 

[kote]

I have considered mechanical, mechanical and aeronautical are the same for 2 years and then they differentiate in terms of course work ect so i can follow either. Would it be wise to get a mechanical degree and then emmigrate to a country that offers aerospace? because mine does not

In the US there is very little advantage to holding an aero specific undergraduate degree over a general mechanical degree when applying to jobs in the aerospace industry. It is not worth going out of one's way in the states to get an aerospace engineering degree when a mechanical degree is attainable. In the US, I would not recommend that someone transfer from a mechanical program just to get an aero degree. Your mileage may vary.

Every course I took in mechanical engineering was directly applicable to aerospace engineering: Dynamics, Mechanics of Materials, Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechanics, Heat Transfer, etc. Aerospace companies know this. You should be able to choose an aerospace specific design project if you are interested, but that probably won't even matter much. I did my project on cardiovascular modeling and still received an offer from a large jet engine manufacturer.

 

[erok81]

After reading some of these posts I am getting pretty discouraged with my choice to return to school. I've held many different management positions, but with no real marketable skills besides different positions, I decided to return to school for an EE degree. I love math and physics, both subjects come natural to me. My last round of college (had to stop due to work) I was A's across the board in both subjects.

The bad news...I am 32, considerably older than most people posting in here for academic advice. I've heard all of the “do you know what happens to an engineer after 40" jokes so I know there has to be some truth to them. Is there any point to pursing an EE degree at my age? I'm pretty sure I could have everything done by 36 at the latest. Is this too old? I know it is never too old to learn, but is it too old to get a job?

 

[j450n]

After reading some of these posts I am getting pretty discouraged with my choice to return to school. I've held many different management positions, but with no real marketable skills besides different positions, I decided to return to school for an EE degree. I love math and physics, both subjects come natural to me. My last round of college (had to stop due to work) I was A's across the board in both subjects.

The bad news...I am 32, considerably older than most people posting in here for academic advice. I've heard all of the “do you know what happens to an engineer after 40" jokes so I know there has to be some truth to them. Is there any point to pursing an EE degree at my age? I'm pretty sure I could have everything done by 36 at the latest. Is this too old? I know it is never too old to learn, but is it too old to get a job?

I returned to school full time a year ago. I did one year part time at CC, then the 2nd year full time. I am now a 3rd year at UVa studying EE. I am about to turn 35. I had previously held management a management sales position with a company I had worked at for 9 years. I am working harder now than at any other time in my life, but I do not regret my decision. Yes I feel old on occasion, but it's really hard to stop and think about my age when I focus on the tremendous amount of work and difficult material I have to tackle every day. Good luck with whatever it is you decide to do.

Jason

ps - what happens after 40?

 

[kote]

After reading some of these posts I am getting pretty discouraged with my choice to return to school. I've held many different management positions, but with no real marketable skills besides different positions, I decided to return to school for an EE degree. I love math and physics, both subjects come natural to me. My last round of college (had to stop due to work) I was A's across the board in both subjects.

The bad news...I am 32, considerably older than most people posting in here for academic advice. I've heard all of the “do you know what happens to an engineer after 40" jokes so I know there has to be some truth to them. Is there any point to pursing an EE degree at my age? I'm pretty sure I could have everything done by 36 at the latest. Is this too old? I know it is never too old to learn, but is it too old to get a job?

There is a lot you can do with an engineering degree, especially with other management experience. With an EE degree you don't have to work in engineering. How would like you supervising or working in process improvement in manufacturing at a high tech firm, for example? I love my job in operations management and would recommend you check out all of the sorts of companies and departments that hire engineers besides straight engineering departments.

See http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos016.htm.

Technical sales and other types of jobs could also be a fit.

 

[erok81]

I returned to school full time a year ago. I did one year part time at CC, then the 2nd year full time. I am now a 3rd year at UVa studying EE. I am about to turn 35. I had previously held management a management sales position with a company I had worked at for 9 years. I am working harder now than at any other time in my life, but I do not regret my decision. Yes I feel old on occasion, but it's really hard to stop and think about my age when I focus on the tremendous amount of work and difficult material I have to tackle every day. Good luck with whatever it is you decide to do.

Jason

ps - what happens after 40?

"What do you call an engineer after 40? Hey Cabbie" Or something like that. I've heard the question asked a few times, but only that answer once.

Sounds like you are in the boat as me. Like you said, I am putting in way more effort now than when I was going the first time. Thanks for the advice, I definitely feel better about it. I thought a bit over the weekend as well, and why put myself down before I've even started. :)

There is a lot you can do with an engineering degree, especially with other management experience. With an EE degree you don't have to work in engineering. How would like you supervising or working in process improvement in manufacturing at a high tech firm, for example? I love my job in operations management and would recommend you check out all of the sorts of companies and departments that hire engineers besides straight engineering departments.

See http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos016.htm.

Technical sales and other types of jobs could also be a fit.

Thanks for the link, I'll give it a look over. And you are right, there is more to do than just engineering. I'd really like a job one day that uses math above what I'm doing now. I really like solving problems and disecting stuff to see how it works. My current job there isn't much. A lot of problem solving, but nothing technical unfortunately.

 

[magecaster]

My biggest fear is that i get an engineering degree and sit behind a desk for the rest of my life doing sums, is it really like that? I am the type of person who needs a dynamic environment, change all the time, new challenges all the time, in that knowledge, is engineering a good career path for me to follow?

 

[j450n]

My biggest fear is that i get an engineering degree and sit behind a desk for the rest of my life doing sums, is it really like that? I am the type of person who needs a dynamic environment, change all the time, new challenges all the time, in that knowledge, is engineering a good career path for me to follow?

I imagine it would depend upon the particular type of "dynamic environment, change all the time, new challenges all the time," that you need. I am not an engineer but I don't think I need to be in order to make this claim: These needs of yours neither exclusive nor inclusively provided for in an engineering position. I think your needs simply match with the price of admission into any career in the 21st century. What specifically gives you enjoyment?

 

[Mechmama]

My biggest fear is that i get an engineering degree and sit behind a desk for the rest of my life doing sums, is it really like that? I am the type of person who needs a dynamic environment, change all the time, new challenges all the time, in that knowledge, is engineering a good career path for me to follow?

I am an engineer. I also need a dynamic environment, but I'd say I don't find that environment at my company. I have had 4 positions in the same company in 4 years, so I've created my own dynamic environment, but it hasn't been very advantageous promotion-wise. I'm calling things like "estimating ME" and "operations ME" distinct positions - it's really the same stuff reporting to a different boss. Basically, I sit at a desk and do stuff on my computer all day. Eventually, if you stay in the same company and maybe even industry, you run out of new stuff to do. Most jobs aren't R&D (new, innovative) and the point is to get good at something and get promoted to managing that same "something." After 10 years or so, it's difficult to start over in a new industry to get that change you crave.

On the other hand, on the other side of the company I work for, we have the construction field engineers. Those guys are at different job sites every couple years and get to manage multi-billion dollar projects from the ground up. That seems pretty dynamic to me, but I don't want to move all the time. There are 'dynamic environments' out there, but you have to really research the jobs you take to see if it meets your needs.

 

[magecaster]

I am an engineer. I also need a dynamic environment, but I'd say I don't find that environment at my company. I have had 4 positions in the same company in 4 years, so I've created my own dynamic environment, but it hasn't been very advantageous promotion-wise. I'm calling things like "estimating ME" and "operations ME" distinct positions - it's really the same stuff reporting to a different boss. Basically, I sit at a desk and do stuff on my computer all day. Eventually, if you stay in the same company and maybe even industry, you run out of new stuff to do. Most jobs aren't R&D (new, innovative) and the point is to get good at something and get promoted to managing that same "something." After 10 years or so, it's difficult to start over in a new industry to get that change you crave.

On the other hand, on the other side of the company I work for, we have the construction field engineers. Those guys are at different job sites every couple years and get to manage multi-billion dollar projects from the ground up. That seems pretty dynamic to me, but I don't want to move all the time. There are 'dynamic environments' out there, but you have to really research the jobs you take to see if it meets your needs.

I imagine it would depend upon the particular type of "dynamic environment, change all the time, new challenges all the time," that you need. I am not an engineer but I don't think I need to be in order to make this claim: These needs of yours neither exclusive nor inclusively provided for in an engineering position. I think your needs simply match with the price of admission into any career in the 21st century. What specifically gives you enjoyment?

The dynamic environment i am talking about is a job in which i am not doing the same thing day in and day out, i want to travel, to constantly learn new things and apply previous knowledge, i want to be able to handle many different projects simultaneously, basically constant change. My area of interest is astronautical engineering.

 

[T.O.E Dream]

because they want to see their product - to be able to look at it and admire it with all the 5 senses.

LOL, I don't know why but I found this sentence funny.

 

[T.O.E Dream]

i am going to be a civil engineer like my daddy (:

 

[nominal]

I'm doing my first year at RU. Engineering...

And i really don't like it.

The first reason is Calc2, a complete garbagety class where I learn nothing at from the professor. I know people over exaggerate that statement, but a number of the kids don't learn either. I'm doing terrible in the class, and I do all the homework and I study. It's all crap.

The second reason is, i feel as if I can do everything else about engineering, but I don't enjoy it? I can do physics if i put effort into it, computers too...but I'm not happy? I guess I like bio more, but that comes easy to me. Computers come really easy to me too, but I hate working with them. (As much as I know, one and a half languages on computers and I'm great with windows, hardware, everything) I still don't like them.

I do like video games though. And music. I love listening to music. It just sucks that I'm not very good at making music (I'm kinda afraid of theory). BUT, I'm going to stick with it...maybe for four years, my parents are the ones paying for my education anyway (uh, most of it)--the least I can do is attempt to pass.

 

[note360]

I'm doing my first year at RU. Engineering...

And i really don't like it.

The first reason is Calc2, a complete garbagety class where I learn nothing at from the professor. I know people over exaggerate that statement, but a number of the kids don't learn either. I'm doing terrible in the class, and I do all the homework and I study. It's all crap.

The second reason is, i feel as if I can do everything else about engineering, but I don't enjoy it? I can do physics if i put effort into it, computers too...but I'm not happy? I guess I like bio more, but that comes easy to me. Computers come really easy to me too, but I hate working with them. (As much as I know, one and a half languages on computers and I'm great with windows, hardware, everything) I still don't like them.

I do like video games though. And music. I love listening to music. It just sucks that I'm not very good at making music (I'm kinda afraid of theory). BUT, I'm going to stick with it...maybe for four years, my parents are the ones paying for my education anyway (uh, most of it)--the least I can do is attempt to pass.

Music theory is not difficult at all. If you like music take an introductory class in Music theory you will enjoy it, but this is not a course of study I would follow full time.

Maybe it is best if you experiment with bio, there is plenty of bio research going on right now. It is not a staid field at all.

 

[wisvuze]

Hello, I am currently a student in physics. I really love physics but I don't think that I will have the intellectual capacity to be the next Einstein.. Could I possibly go into engineering even though my Bachelor's degree will be in Physics? It seems that people must take a bachelor's in engineering to do engineering. Or should I try switching programs?

Thank you for your input.

 

[qspeechc]

Yea engineering is difficult, but so is most things you'll study at university. What, you think engineering is significantly more difficult than law, or actuarial science, or bio-chemistry? I think not. The point is that if you want to go to university to get a good degree you must be prepared to work hard. Probably much harder than you did in high school. And this goes for many of the disciplines you could learn at university. I don't happen to think engineering students get the most difficult work. I'm a math student btw, but my father is a civil engineer, and I have several friends doing engineering, and other things too.

 

[CheckMate]

My parents want me to go into engineering. I kinda like it but I think there is too many engineers today even if we're growing technology wise.

I like Math and Physics and I get a pleasure from solving problems and reading about theories but I don't want to teach so I'm thinking about going into engineering.

What I dislike about engineering is the fact that they invent their own words and terms. Next thing that happens is universities application and the deadline is February.

So yeah I am kinda "screwed" ... I don'T even know what I want to do.

 

[story645]

I like Math and Physics and I get a pleasure from solving problems and reading about theories but I don't want to teach so I'm thinking about going into engineering.

You know that there are a thousand other ways to use math and physics, right? Just about every job is going to have at least a little problem solving, some of which will be applied theory. You can be an actuary, physicist, architect, hedge fund manager, statistician, computer programmer, accountant, market analyzer, etc. Even engineering is incredibly diverse, so don't knock the whole idea.

What I dislike about engineering is the fact that they invent their own words and terms.

Every industry does this to some degree. I don't think engineering is anywhere near the worst.

So yeah I am kinda "screwed" ... I don'T even know what I want to do.

Apply and take the core courses, 'specially the ones that can be used in everything. Majors aren't set in stone, and it's not difficult to switch in your first year or so.

 

[CheckMate]

Apply and take the core courses, 'specially the ones that can be used in everything. Majors aren't set in stone, and it's not difficult to switch in your first year or so.

Thanks for the help and advice.

I live in Canada and the universities make you apply to programs (set of courses) I'm not sure if I can change courses but I'll see what I can do. I wish I was smart enough to become a theoretical physicist or an astronomer...

 

[story645]

I wish I was smart enough to become a theoretical physicist or an astronomer...

How do you know you're not? Passion and hard work are far more important then talent, which you very well may have anyway. Personally, I think if you're smart enough for engineering, you're probably smart enough for astronomy.

 

[CheckMate]

How do you know you're not? Passion and hard work are far more important then talent, which you very well may have anyway. Personally, I think if you're smart enough for engineering, you're probably smart enough for astronomy.

Thanks for the advice, I think I am going into engineering since I am more into applied mathematics and physics. I am not sure into what branch of engineering I am pursuing but anything that involves lots of maths and physics will do for me. :)

 

[Sankaku]

I live in Canada and the universities make you apply to programs (set of courses) I'm not sure if I can change courses but I'll see what I can do.

Yes, in Canada, you can switch your major. Many people really don't know what they are going to do until the end of their 2nd year.

That is the important reason to do core courses that are used in many majors. Do the important prereqs and you can switch between engineering/math/physics/comp-sci/chem... IF you plan it right. If you switch too late, it just means you stay in school a little longer catching up on the courses you need.

 

[wisvuze]

Yes, in Canada, you can switch your major. Many people really don't know what they are going to do until the end of their 2nd year.

That is the important reason to do core courses that are used in many majors. Do the important prereqs and you can switch between engineering/math/physics/comp-sci/chem... IF you plan it right. If you switch too late, it just means you stay in school a little longer catching up on the courses you need.

it isn't that easy at some schools. For example, at UofT, engineering is a faculty of its own - so you'll have to deal with faculty transferring