The discussion centers around the enjoyment and practicality of pursuing a career in mechanical engineering. Participants emphasize the importance of physics and applied mathematics in the field, highlighting that engineering involves problem-solving, creativity, and hands-on experience. Many contributors recommend job shadowing engineers to gain insight into the profession. Overall, mechanical engineering is portrayed as a fulfilling career that significantly contributes to society through the design and creation of essential products.
PREREQUISITESThis discussion is beneficial for prospective mechanical engineering students, current engineering students, and professionals considering a career shift into mechanical engineering. It provides insights into the skills required and the rewarding aspects of the profession.
jehake12 said:Go job shadow a few engineers. Do it.
I really like mechanical engineering. I enjoy CAD, analysis, critical thinking, building prototypes and testing. The autonomy is fantastic.
I don't like giving weekly presentations and having unrealistic milestone dates for R&D work.
xxChrisxx said:You have the rest of your life to chose and pursue a career. Don't think you are going to be locked down to something in the next three months.
But, yes being an engineer is fun. You get to solve problems, ther eis a degree of autonomy (depending where you work). And every machine you see has been designed at some level by an engineer.
Maths is a big one for engineering, although I tend to avoid it as much as possible.
AlexES16 said:Do you get to see a lot of physics and math? Becouse i really like those.
xxChrisxx said:You must be mental, maths isn't remotely fun. You can use as much maths as you like, certain jobs require more, others less.
It's all applied maths though, none of that pure maths rubbish.
xxChrisxx said:You must be mental, maths isn't remotely fun. You can use as much maths as you like, certain jobs require more, others less.
It's all applied maths though, none of that pure maths rubbish.
Cyrus said:I don't think that's a good statement or example to be telling this kid. Without that 'rubbish math' engineering doesn't move forward.
Turbodog said:Yes, it is fun being a mechanical engineer. For a year and a half so far I've really enjoyed my job. In my short experience I've had to find solutions to open ended tasks. You enjoy physics now, like myself you may find that you enjoy mechanics, dynamics, and elements of mechanical design which all involve physics. I really enjoy the fact that I get to contribute to creating something real. Some of my company's customers are well known and create products like gasoline and plastics that we all use every day, so this is valuable to society.
Turbodog said:Yes, it is fun being a mechanical engineer. For a year and a half so far I've really enjoyed my job. In my short experience I've had to find solutions to open ended tasks. You enjoy physics now, like myself you may find that you enjoy mechanics, dynamics, and elements of mechanical design which all involve physics. I really enjoy the fact that I get to contribute to creating something real. Some of my company's customers are well known and create products like gasoline and plastics that we all use every day, so this is valuable to society.
RandomGuy88 said:I just graduated as a mechanical engineering and I love it so far. You just have to make sure that you do more than just class work. I spent the last 4 years designing/building RC planes and other flying vehicles, and friends of mine built race cars. Class work can sometimes get a little repetitive and boring but working in a lab, building and testing things and solving real problems is a lot of fun.
xxChrisxx said:All of engineering is aplied maths and physics. That's the techincal side. If you say becomes a desgin engineer, you need the maths and physics for calculations but there is an element of creativity in your designs. So it's a nice blend of skills that you need.