Mechanical Engineering Career Path

[Adam Rienzie]

Hi Physics Forum,

I know the question is broad, but I do wish for advice on this matter. I will be graduating in one month with my degree in Mechanical Engineering and I was hoping for some guidance based on my education and experience.

I have completed three internships and one senior project. However The majority of these have been designing and drafting using Solidworks, AutoCad, and other 3D modeling programs. I'm only worried due to the fact that some opportunities require more manufacturing and hands on experience.

I plan to take the FE/EIT exam in the fall and I plan on eventually taking the patent bar exam afterwards.

Any advice or guidance is greatly appreciated.

Thank you again

 

[fss]

Ask more specific questions. Asking for "guidance based on your education and experience" is so broad it's borderline pointless. "Make a lot of money and increase your responsibilities as you move up in a company or organization" is pretty general advice, but doesn't help anyone.

 

[Adam Rienzie]

True here are some more specific questions related to this article.

1. When applying for jobs, most wish for at least 2 years experience working in a related field (i.e manufacturing, automotive, etc). My experience is mostly centered around CAD work and the only job opportunities that seem to
respond are just more CAD work. Should I try to start out with a tech job to increase my experience working with specific machines? I am looking into working with HVAC systems because I enjoyed my thermal systems class.

2. Is choosing a job that usually involves a different degree for future advancement a bad career choice? If I am working with for a company that usually hires electrical or civil degrees but I qualify for a basic position (such as drafting, CAD, 3D modeling, etc), will that affect my career outlook as to me advancing and taking on more responsibilities? I feel that this is so due to specifics in job requirements.

Thank you again for responding