Mechanical Engineer Interview Q&A

[manmelvin]

Hello,

I need to conduct an interview for a research paper i am writing on mechanical engineering, and i was wondering if you guys could answer a few questions about mechanical engineering?

1) What High School/College classes would you suggest taking to become a mechanical engineer?

2) What is a typical day for a mechanical engineer look like?

3) What is the best/worst part of being a mechanical engineer?

4) Is their a demand for mechanical engineers?

5) Is mechanical engineering very math involved?

6) What is the most important skill that a mechanical engineer can have?

7) What advice do you have for aspiring engineers?

8) Could you please post you name and job title so that I can quote you.

 

[jaap de vries]

1) What High School/College classes would you suggest taking to become a mechanical engineer?

Calc I II III and statistics physics and maybe economics


2) What is a typical day for a mechanical engineer look like?

That is a pretty generic question it makes a difference if you are self employed, work for a large company, or work in a reasearch lab. For most companies you will work on projects so you will be asked to solve specific problems and communicate those through meetings teleconferences etc. to the rest of your teammembers/PM

3) What is the best/worst part of being a mechanical engineer?

That is also a personal question, best is that you are usually pretty free and the pay is good. Worst for me is that almost everything you do has to be done by some kind of code, (ISO ASME) so you spend a lot of time going through manuals etc.

4) Is their a demand for mechanical engineers?
Yes

5) Is mechanical engineering very math involved?
Yes

6) What is the most important skill that a mechanical engineer can have?
Auto didactive (Able to teach yourself and find aswers on your own)

7) What advice do you have for aspiring engineers?
Work hard, be curious, communicate well with others

8) Could you please post you name and job title so that I can quote you.
Jaap de Vries
Combustion Research Assistant / PhD Student
http://turbolab.tamu.edu/"

 

[RabitHolRules]

1. Get a strong background in math and science - calculus and physics, especially. But also do your best to learn how to write and write well.
2. For most mech e's, you will spend a lot of time in meetings consumed by trivia and office politics. You will spend a mind-numbing amount of time stuck in traffic, stuck in airports, stuck in meetings.
3. Working with other engineers.
4. There will always be a need for people who can solve problems.
5. Yes. Don't even think of studying engineering without getting your brain bloated with the magic elixirs of math.
6. Imagination, mathematical ability, and good communication skills.
7. Do something where you get your hands dirty building stuff - learn to weld, take a course in machining, get in on a group project trying to build robots, subs or something. The difference between those that get their hands dirty and those who only learn from books is astounding.
8. No. It would probably lead me to get called into a meeting in which I would have to answer trivial questions and avert office politics.