Every time a company lays off a bunch of workers, the stock goes up. I got to work on interesting stuff and I didn’t have to deal with much corporate BS. At this point, some companies will start to lay off people soon. Readers: What would YOU do if you had to bail on your career in the next year? Also you should understand there is a difference between your “work” and your “job.”. Having some savings can help smooth out the transition. It’s hard. Additionally, many mechanical engineers go on to pursue careers in aeronautics, cranes and cargo shipping, rail travel, automotive industry, or even healthcare. The best we can ask of college is that it teaches us how to learn and how to be flexible in an ever changing market. The physics lecture was understandable, the lab way beyond what I was grasping. If I had to pick between the two, I’d suggest mechanical, as you take both basic kinematics and electrical circuitry. We may receive a referral fee if you sign up through the links on Retire By 40. They were sick of being the $120,000-$180,000 a year blue collar worker at tech firms when managers were making double to triple. A job is the subjugative societal structure that enables you to get paid for your work. These are all vastly different and you can go into all kinds of careers. Data Collection-API and they hold information about your choices. Engineers have better job security than people in less skilled careers. Thanks for sharing. That’s lucky in a way because you found out earlier. I’m 71, still doing it, still enjoying it. Students speak – Teaching and learning matters! Not all engineers work in cubicals: there’s always need for people in the field where you get a better understanding of how the plants and machinery work as well as spending time outdoors. Privacy, Sign up to receive new articles via email. Some of my friends went on to get their EE degrees and those cool rings. The other day I explained to him about leverage and how pulleys can be arranged to give you an mechanical advantage. My experience with the engineering career isn’t that great. functionality of the website. During my last year in High school, I was confused about what to study at the undergraduate level. In my opinion there are very few acceptable majors for someone looking at college as an investment. In this quiz we’re going to determine which of these areas you’d best be suited to work in if you decided to go into the study of engineering. I think most kids growing up today are going to know some basics of programming (not sure about hardware). Wide variety of courses: mechanical engineering programmes vary greatly within a country and around the world. If so, going into hardware engineering might be a good idea. The schooling has helped provide background information and theory, but I rarely use it in my day-to-day job. Mechanical and electrical engineering are two very important fields of education and the professionals from both these fields have got comparable environments as well. Once you get into industry you look around and find a scenario that suits you. I think Engineering is a great field to go into if you want financial success and be on the path to wealth. Mechanical engineering offers students various paths to follow where the skill sets of a mechanical engineer come in use, like vehicle design, robotics, nanotechnology or energy. Ask them what kind of things they do in their job. I quit my engineering career 8 years ago and there is no way I could go back. The further I got into the Chem Eng program, the more I disliked chemical engineering! As a Sr Software Eng, never stop learning or trying to expand on the work that you are doing or have done. For prospective engineers, I think the best thing you can do is to talk to someone who is already working in the career that you’re considering. It’s hard to compete as a generalist in a highly specialized world. In any discipline, know your marketability and control your career. I think in most degrees there will be a disconnect between the job you will be doing and the coursework. I guess engineering is a good platform to transition later. I earned a B.S. The engineers were always under a ton of pressure to get rid of the bugs so the company can sell the final product. You could study chemical, biotech, mechanical, civil, or electrical engineering. I didn’t wait until 18 to know I wanted to be a chemical engineer. The chemistry was overwhelming. Top locations where you can study Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering are: Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering in Germany ; Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering in Canada Engineers have to keep their skills up to date and keep learning new things. It was my only A, I should have known . A Professional Engineer (PE) license may be required for some positions. I believe that a Bachelors in Engineering provides your best bang for the buck out of the gate. Thank goodness you said “you have to enjoy it”. I liked learning about the computer and fooling around on it, but I didn’t know much about the career side of it. That was fine when I was young and single. They are used for functional purposes only and are not valid beyond Also, lots of flexibility of what field eventually to work in afterward. Women are very good in engineering because they seem to have more patience to work through problems and modeling, and in Colombia there are more girls than guys in civil engineering university programs. I agree with you and most of the responses. Learn how your comment data is processed. You are right to be hesitant before giving advice on a career Joe. Maybe they do better now, but I didn’t at the time. possible to disable these cookies since our services do not work As a mechanical engineer you can also go into research in areas like nanotechnology, development of composite materials, biomedical applications, or environmental conservation. They can prescribe time off. My partner was thinking of engineering at one point too. At least I’m not beholden to the same choices they made of fancy cars, big houses, and long commutes. It’s almost impossible to avoid leadership responsibilities once you made higher pay grades though. We provide a friendly environment for learning, with guidance and pastoral care being offered throughout the course. Engineers can work at small companies or government too. There are so many engineers passed out but no chance to get job due to scarcity of industry. But by the time I was a senior, I pretty much knew I didn’t want to work as a chemical engineer. It’s 100% technical work which I enjoy very much, I make about 50-100% more than regular employees. Hmmm. However, I would point out that just about every job has burn out. Chemistry and fluid dynamic are so mind boggling/numbing. I refused and my salary was stuck. This hits close to home. It deals with diverse engineering problems in mechanics of materials, fluid dynamics, heat transfer, energy conversion, vibration, design and manufacturing, materials science, and electromechanical systems, among others. Another issue I’ve seen that nicoleandmaggie pointed out as well is that once you get to a certain pay bracket, you’re expected to go into management – and unfortunately, most engineers are not good managers, and they just don’t *want* to be managers, so they suck at it, and repeat until they’re miserable and everyone working for them is miserable. Once you have set your cookie preferences, we will follow the I felt like a lottery winner and looked forward to Monday mornings generally. I guess that’s true for most office jobs these days, but I spent 10+ hours on the computer every day for 16 years. However, the salary will plateau if you don’t evolve. Mechanical engineering requires a lot of study, theory, and practice. So I said “eff it,” got a music performance degree, and then worked in the bicycle industry for six years. Some people evolve better and continue to climb up the organization becoming successful people managers and corporate leaders, most were forced to in order to sustain the lifestyle and family needs. But maybe I am romanticizing this – would be great to hear any comments from other readers that may have lived this type of engineering career/business…. That’s good advice. The ridiculous schedules, workloads, meetings have just continually gotten worse. My son is a 4th generation Engineer in the family, and is not in a job that he enjoys. Usually electrical engineering is considered to deal with the problems associated with large-scale electrical systems such as power transmission and motor control, whereas electronic engineering deals with the study of small-scale electronic systems including computers and integrated circuits. I would not be a good fit for programming, although I did design for 25 years. Open up your creative mind as much as you can. then all learning will be diminished gradually and will be acquired another learning may not be related to engineering but may be useful in life. I told them I’m taking my vacation and essentially going part time. All the tools and specifications change very quickly. What will it mean for my future and career? You need to talk to several real engineers and see what kind of things they do at work. He is good with math and learns quickly. Everyone is replaceable. Being in a high paying profession is how I got on my path to financial success. I was good at math and science, so engineering was a good fit. I have to say that is probably common that is you’re a software engineer you are working like a lone wolf. Engineering (especially software and aeronautical) has made very comfortable lives for many of my friends… but it would drive me insane. To start, make sure to select mechanical engineering as your subject of interest and we’ll help guide you through the rest. U-Multirank’s ‘For students’ track offers personalised university comparisons, so you can find the university that best matches you. Computer engineers can work as programmers/developers (if they want) in addition to the hardware side. I think if I hadn’t been a doctor, I would have been trust and estates attorney. I think it’s a great career choice, one that allowed me to retire slightly early with more money than I need. Manager, DoubleClick and HotJar. I believe that many who join the Engineering field are quite Analytical, which is great, but you need to also develop that Driver mentality, and to not be afraid to be Expressive. At the age of 40+ an engineer get tired,if he wants to quit the organization and wants to join another with same salary-may be difficult to him at the age of 40+ because vacancies of such companies having same product rarely exists and life gets unstable through out the span. My salary increased quickly over the first 7 years then plateaued. However, you have to evolve after about 10 years. I’m not sure if MLOA would cover taking care of your daughter, but it’s not too hard to get. ITS MY PERSONAL EXPERINCE MAY /WILL NOT FIT TO OTHERS BUT CAN THINK ABOUT IT. Advanced computing Aeronautical engineering Biomedical engineering Chemical and biomolecular engineering Civil engineering Electrical engineering Mechanical engineering Mechatronic engineering Software engineering Project management Flexible first year engineering The change in professions will be hard. The great thing about engineering is that you make good income right away and you can get raises very quickly. It brings financial security. I think you should ask for a severance package. Mechanical Engineers perform engineering duties in planning and designing tools, engines, machines, and other mechanically functioning equipment. That number can increase to the high 6 figures after 15 years of work. Study engineering; Undergraduate courses. I am a chemical engineer in early part of career. If you want to move into another realm (no matter what it is), an undergraduate Engineering degree is not a bad one to have, as compared to other degrees. Definitely a worthwhile investment, if you’re inclined to pursue those studies. This is depending on the determination of one and whether the interests still maintain at the prevailing point of time. Mechanical engineering is the branch of engineering which covers how to maintain, analyse, design and manufacture machinery. Young engineers usually can find a job quickly and they make good money right out of college. Mechanical Engineering is the broadest of all engineering disciplines. Actually have been waiting for the last few years to get a package, but it never comes. Although I had my eyes set on either Engineering or medicine, it was still not clear. Why should I study mechanical engineering? An B.S. Seriously what kind of working life would you be setting yourself up for? Engineering definitely fits that bill as you have listed as a pro on this post. Focus was on programming, with an overall understanding of business. But I was stubborn (stupid?) I got a couple degrees, a BS in Engineering Technology (practical, applications oriented) and an MS in Mechanical Engineering (more theoretical). If you are the kind of person who craves a lavish and exuberant lifestyle … Best wishes. It was interesting to learn how to build a computer from scratch. The best way to see pay increases is moving to different companies. However, if this sounds boring, then you should look at something else. This branch of engineering deals with the research, design, … Oh well! I guess is not just engineering but every profession has this mid-career crisis. Many engineers change careers. Joe, Great piece and well though-out lists! That’s true in my first job but not all. THe downsides of big companies are a con for anyone that works at a big company. Anyway, it would have been nice to know more about what people really do in different engineering jobs before going into the field. I heard it is better in a small company. I made the mistake of going into engineering right away when I didn’t have the aptitude for it. Thanks for your input. I spent a ton of time dealing with useless meetings, political maneuvering, tight deadlines, and BS training. It is my opinion may be not right for all. The point is to weed out people who shouldn’t be there. Whereas electrical engineers focus on power generation — such as electricity — mechanical engineers focus on power application – getting physical parts, motors and components to behave or act in a desired manner. Most everyone is replaceable, but that’s a lot truer if your job doesn’t need specialized knowledge. Aerospace/aeronautical engineering. I never felt burned out, Rarely felt stressed. We hired a pediatrician who was a aerospace engineer for Boeing for her first career. Joe Udo retired from his engineering career to become a stay at home dad/blogger at 38. The final piece of the puzzle was after 8 years I bailed out of the usual employer-employee relationship and got into contract employment. I went through a very rigorous technology-oriented path from 3rd grade to 12th grade — for context, Sergey Brin graduated from the same high school program I did. You could study chemical, biotech, mechanical, civil, or electrical engineering. Oversee installation, operation, maintenance, and repair of equipment such as centralized heat, gas, water, and steam systems.. Good luck! Engineers, please add your comment below and I’ll update the article with your input. A lot of programming jobs have embraced what they call agile development and pair programming where interactions in the team are prominent. An electrical contractor has a good future too! I think a degree in engineering (whichever type) is valuable because it lets you learn how to solve problems. This page allows you to opt out of optional cookies used by I found out though that I really didn’t like math, so that pretty much killed that career path. This approach works for your career as well as life in general. A change in lifestyle is imminent after years of burn out in the same working environment. Frequent tour may deteriorate his health.An engineer can be laid of easily when company is not going ok, when management feel to replace him and to hire a new one with less salary,when management does not hold good impression on him ( here management means in most cases his manager,his director , may be the thinking of them is not justified) or when a misunderstanding occurs. Create your own personalised rankings today, and compare universities according to what matters most to you. Engineering/business training is a highly versatile combination and you can do just about anything with it. If the product was late, the competitor could get ahead and the company wouldn’t make as much profit. After 25 years of coding (including the time as a kid), I got burned out. I’d rather work in a cushy white-collar job. It’s really hard for women in engineering programs. The most important thing I want to share is you don’t have to be an engineer forever. Yeah, I think that’s true for many engineering branches now. Try to do summer internships. Very little human nteraction, and during the winter months you’ll barely see daylight except on the weekends. In college, engineering majors usually start with the physics and math classes before getting to any engineering. Companies have no loyalty and they’ll do whatever it takes to improve the bottom line. I just hate the courses im learning because it’s boring and i don’t like it. Not everyone is college material. the U-Multirank website. For me, being a junior engineer was the most fun part of the career. In Engineering, you need to expand the tools in your tool box, to be able to offer your employer (or potential employers) more capabilities. After one year I had to drop out of the program because my grades weren’t good enough. There is just so much overhead as you progress in your career. this session. I think that one can make the necessary decision towards changing profession when the interests are not longer there. As a teacher, I always tell my students to pick a career that they are interested in and have the skills. We’re talking auto shop electrical things – starters and gauges, and such. Why should I study engineering at the University of Sheffield? It’s difficult to time markets for these things since education takes 4+ years. While I’m intriqued by circuit board design, and would love to understand it, and would love to find somebody that can design me some wireless sprinkler valves in the US like those at the Remconix site, I realize it’s more than I can handle. It’s hard when you have more responsibilities though. Mathematics is essential to do electrical engineering at university. My last day is Aug 1st. I think you’ll know if you are right for an engineering degree, you’ll already have an interest in fiddling, fixing and creating ‘things’. One of these days, I’m going to again try to re-take that physics lab. So, the main advice I’d give to someone that wants to start in this career is. Also there will be no shortage of engineering jobs in USA in foreseeable future. Electrical & Electronic Engineering deals with the study and real-world application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. I do find the hands-on more interesting. cookies, or use a different browser or computer, you will need to You’ll spend a ton of time staring at a computer screen. You will be assessed continuously through reports, computer exercises, lab work and essays, as well as exam-based testing. An 18 year old has a much different perspective and my biggest fear would be to discourage them from pursuing a potential career because I said I spend most of my time in meetings or something similar! This is why I want to pursue a Masters’s degree in Mechanical engineering at Syracuse University to widen my scope and understand these systems better. At least I had some fun along the way. Thanks for your input. Mechanical engineering is the discipline that applies the principles of engineering into the design, analysis, manufacturing, and maintenance of machines and mechanical production techniques. Everyone has to figure out what’s right for them. Fortunately, you can read more about the different engineering types and what one will be best for you to study at university. The 101 elecronics class and lab – one female in the class, no females in the lab. I have rarely seen electrical or computer engineers go the PE route, I’ve seen that mostly in the mechanical and civil engineering areas. However, there are some downsides too. In those first two years, I saw most students working together, and living in the dorms. I would recommend going into a job that pays well enough for you to retire in 10 to 15 years. Three reasons to study Mechanical Engineering: It seems a little ridiculous to expect an 18 year old student to choose what they would like to do for the rest of their life. You need to be self guiding and street smart. Actually, I think this advice can be applied to ANY career choice. Spot on Ryan. After high school, I started into college as an Electrical Engineer at a decent school – Cal Poly. Related to Aeronautical/Aerospace , Choosing a Degree, Mechanical, Merging Fields, Preparation for College. My sister is hitting #4 right now. In Los Angeles, the electrician union is begging for people who are good in math. Don’t go for Accounting! So, it took some time to figure out the right place for me within the engineering world. But, certainly, like you said no career has to be forever. It is not Engineering is a great career in the beginning. If those tasks sound like something you’d like, then go for it. For now, I’ll stick to http://www.sparkfun.com and the Make magazine and just consider myself to be a hobbyist wannable engineer – I’m good with that. Sure you have to learn a new system, maybe move (hence the find an area with options comment), but if you can bank a lot of money early on, you can start to branch out to things you actually like to do that pay less. In the US, there is fewer than 1 female engineer to every 10 males. The term “engineering” as a career choice refers to a range of fields in which a person can work. So those are some of the things I did when I was a computer engineer. However, most engineers work long hours, with no extra pay. Good luck! Engineering is a great field to go into. They moved into patent law, management, entrepreneurship, marketing, and many other fields. It’s sometimes hard for young adults coming out of high school to decide which career path to take in post secondary. ANY ONE GIVE COMMENTS ABOUT MY WRITING. After two years at Cal Poly, I switched to a Business Admin Major with a focus on Computer Information Services. Frankly, all the specifications are more or less the same as per my perspective. in engineering can open many doors. You can ask your parents or post on Facebook and LinkedIn to see if anyone would be willing to talk. Don’t be afraid to change course if it doesn’t work out. They’ll probably be more generalists like I was. When I graduated from high school in 1981, I loved doing electrical kinds of things. “Not many women are in engineering programs. Still, there are undergraduate engineering programs that are supportive for women– something definitely to ask about when you’re looking at schools. Many universities will also ask candidates to have done further or advanced mathematics. I don’t even remember why I picked hardware over software. Electrical engineering deals with the study and application of physics and mathematics combined with elements of electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism to both large and small scale systems to process information and transmit energy. But at least it made me realize what I wanted to do, which is art. Once you become more senior, you have to take on more management responsibilities or else your career will get stuck. Ask to be laid off instead of quitting. majors and get great jobs in business. I’m in Silicon Valley, there are enough companies here that there are different corporate cultures. In the end I think the best job is one where you can have fun and get paid enough doing it . Work is what you were trained to do, what you went to school for, and hopefully is something that is related to a subject area of your interest. For example, these were some of the things I did as a computer hardware engineer. It’s a tough question. If you are decently good at math and can solve quantitative problems you have a good start. Now I automate financial functions. You need to keep learning new stuff to stay current in your field. An entry level job where you work your way up is going to give better experience and you can actually make money instead of spending it. I want to become an aeronautical engineer but my mom is advising me to study mechanical engineering so as to keep my options open. Mechanical Engineering is one of the most fascinating branches in field of Engineering and Technology. Life of engineers are very rigid, tough, painful, miserable in most cases, can be understood at the age 40+ when family demands you not for money but for time. Like most other areas of engineering, you will be taught through lectures, seminars, tutorials and laboratory sessions, with design classes and practical workshops. Mobile infantry made me the man I am today.” Then the main character notices the veteran is missing both his legs. My husband recently stopped wearing his ring because people kept asking him if he was Canadian. Computer programming is currently a good major, but not so long ago there were too many programmers (because of the dot com boom) for the number of jobs (because of the bust)– that’s evened out again. That way you can file for unemployment for a while. Hopefully the next 10yrs will be a wonderful journey and I won’t regret the decision to detach completely from the field that I had much success in the first 17 yrs of my career. For some universities, this means up to 24 hours per week with tutors. Looking forward to spending some quality time with my 4yr old and 1yr old in the near future! There is plenty of time to investigate a lot of things in college. our services. Pre-med is a lousy major unless you go to med school, and even then you’re in for a load of debt. There are some schools women should avoid like the plague and others that are fantastic. Most engineers spend a ton of time at work. My husband is in this situation, but he switched jobs to a technical minded company, where they have a separate career advancement track for “technical staff”. I think most engineers would be happy to help. I wish young people would spend more time figuring out what they like and what they are good at rather than what might be lucrative. I started as a design engineer and didn’t like it, moved into mechanical system simulation which was a lot more interesting, and a few years after that I migrated into finite element analysis which has been a huge amount of fun for the last 28 years. It’s all depend on what do you want to do. My advice, go with a general engineering degree like Mechnical. As you learn new tips, try and share them with members of the staff that you work with … remember, what goes around, comes around. This is just my experience – Working for big corporations can be a big letdown. Students searching for Mechanical Engineer vs. Biomedical Engineer found the following related articles, links, and information useful. Aviation Engineering is a relatively young science that has had … Another problem is that sometimes they expect you go to into management and a lot of engineers don’t like that. Pre-law is not a major most places (they prefer people with “real” majors) and many people graduating from law school are graduating with debt and no jobs because the recession made a glut in new lawyers. You should talk to a professional financial planner if you need more help with your finance. This is a bad habit to develop because the real world is nothing like this. Help create the future, rather than react to it. In short, try to milk it a bit. Electrical engineering is the study of electrical systems, devices, and circuits such as communication systems, automobiles, computers, machinery controls, and almost anything you can think of that uses electricity, or has a plug or a motor. This Mechanical and Electrical Engineering degree includes the core aspects of mechanical and electrical engineering. It’d be tough to go back even after a year. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. You probably can get a job in your field after college. There is a great industry demand for engineers with a broad-range of knowledge, covering both mechanical and electrical disciplines; allowing you to produce safer, durable, cheaper, useful and more efficient machines and systems to benefit society and change tomorrow. I got tired of staring at the computer screen 10+ hours/day and that’s one of the reasons why I left that career. The moral to the story, at least in my case, is that the education process is only the first step. It becomes monotonous or parts of it become annoying after 15-20 years. without them. Physical labor isn’t my strong point because I had some health issues. That’s great. There are entry level Engineers at a few companies making over $200,000 a year. So, plan for it. I used to consider engineering, but I don’t think I would want to do that for very long, knowing me. But the workload wasn’t something I could see myself doing for 5 years (which is how long it takes to get an engineering degree,) and even after that engineers usually work longer than 40 hours a week like you mentioned, so that focused work ethic has to continue into one’s career. If you don’t have the aptitude for it, then you might not be able to get through it. I believe one of the key elements of reaching FIRE is to be in a high income earning profession. Certainly the coursework in my experience was much more abstract than the very practical problems I deal with as a software engineer. Engineering is great if you have the right aptitude for it. Typically, there are plenty of those. (My degree was a long hard slog in electrical engineering but I soon found out circuits, ASICs and power grids weren’t for me and switched to software after 2 years. So, Electrical Engineer – yeah, that makes sense. And plenty of majors can do that. Salary plateau. being a junior engineer was the most fun part of the career, SAHD Cooking – Hoi Tod (Thai mussels pancake), high paying profession is how I got on my path to financial success. With such a broad range of study programmes available, you will surely find an area catching your interest and in which you can specialise. I’m not good at it and I didn’t want to do it. You don’t want to get stuck in a job with no choice. These are all vastly different and you can go into all kinds of careers. I have an BS in Chemical Engineering, but I have quite rough time for the last two years in my university. All in all, I think it’s a good idea to study engineering if you enjoy solving problems. He still may decide to go back to school. I love problem-solving. That also causes the burnout to be more difficult. The ones with the highest GMAT scores and GPAs were engineers in my b-school class, but ALL of them wanted to get out of engineering and get into management. in Chemical Engineering. I enjoyed it at first, but got burned out and retired only after 16 years in engineering. The time to market is extremely important. If you’re considering pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering, then let us help you find the best university for you. I worry a lot about people that choose a career path for money reasons. I think we paid about $1,500 for a 386 desktop. Why Study Mechanical Engineering Mechanical Engineering at The University of Edinburgh is of a medium-size with a strong emphasis on both teaching and research. Let’s make a pros-and-cons list of engineering to help our young readers out. Even with the technical route, the company still want you to take on quite a bit of leadership role. It wrecked my eyes. I guess this could be a pro if you are a woman…” More likely a con. Over the years, I received several emails asking whether going into engineering is a good idea. My last group actually was re-organized and they laid off half the group then moved me into an even more stressful group. I picked the career path I liked – computer science with a minor in EE (I had more flexibility than straight computer engineering). The upper class and upper middle class who see college as a coming of age experience also take their humanities etc. I feel this article of yours was kind of like that scene from Starship Troopers where the veteran asks the main character which branch of federal service he joined. For others, it means lots of self-study … Mechanical engineering is the discipline that applies the principles of engineering into the design, analysis, manufacturing, and maintenance of machines and mechanical production techniques. There are also several types of engineers, and which type you select will dictate your options and your coursework. Back in 1989, computers weren’t ubiquitous like they are today. It is worth pointing out that mechanical engineering is one of the most expansive and lucrative fields – partly due to the growing population and constant demand for housing. I don’t think the #4 con is really a con of engieering. Does this sound interesting to you? If you like electronics and/or programming, pick up a Raspberry Pi or Axon MCU to simply fool around and see what you can create. Being an Engineer is a great start to FIRE. Good luck! I thought it was a great adventure and I got to do design work, project management, engineering management, lobbying and finally corporate management. I am narrating the bad side, may be there are some engineers working at MNC, OR Govt.Organizations with high pay package and leave and enjoying holiday. Mechanical engineers are responsible for many of the … It’s tough for engineers who like doing the grunt work. A strong background in mathematics is necessary for anyone interested in studying engineering. Some people don’t or just don’t like it and quit the field. Having said this, this will require one to have the financial buffer to manoevere towards the various professions as per one’s desire. If you like solving problems, then the right engineering job will keep you busy and happy for many years. As you mention, you career isn’t set in stone, and where ever you go, you’re going to have a leg up if you can solve problems. Another con for engineering (more specifically, programming): You end up spending most of your working life sitting alone in an 8×10 cubicle staring at a screen. You can graduate and get a good-paying job, and it’s a job you can do for life and enjoy it. I believe that this can be done provided that one continues to make the effort to do so. Universities of science and technology rankings, U-Multirank: Universities in Australia and UK more afflicted by COVID-19 crisis than EU and US universities, About 60% of universities reported online learning provisions in their strategic planning pre-COVID-19, Open border universities perform better in knowledge transfer, research impact and education, U-Multirank releases fifth annual world rankings of universities, U-Multirank announces new governance structure, U-Multirank: Transparency over excellence, U-Multirank provides open-access to all its data, Measures that matter - Interdisciplinary publications. I feel like the abstract coursework has enabled me to do any math-centric career, though. My parents had a restaurant and that was a difficult business to be in. One “bad” thing about the education process is that you always looked to the instructor to tell you what to do. Practised since the 1800s, it's the forefront of new technologies in a number of industries including transport, healthcare, construction and robotics. The sheer volume of comments indicates just how many financially successful engineers there are in this community. Mechanical with design, project management and financial management opens up a lot of opportunities. They will need to evolve and most can’t continue in the technical role for their entire career. In whatever career you choose, you may find it is more important who you work with, than the work itself. They are emitted by the CMS and by the U-Multirank Mechanical engineers must study mechanical engineering and earn a bachelor's degree to work in this field. By making more money I have financial control of my life and that’s a key factor as well. I only have experience with computer hardware engineering so my point of view is limited, but I think working for any big corporation would be pretty similar. I did my background is supply chain (operations research). A few of my family members are/were engineers though, and I think for the most part they like it…except for some of the same things you hated…there are certainly a lot of meetings and BS in all companies, especially larger ones. Civil engineering is different from what you are describing. Companies have little if any interest in finding the right situation for you. So if you want to sacrifice and to devote for work throughout the life and do not want work/life balance,may be quite fit for engineering job. In addition, universities will want you to have done physics or chemistry or a technology subject. Long-term SW engineer here. The CEO has a lot of incentive to lay off workers. But then I made identical scores on the math and verbal portions of the SAT, which didn’t help focus my aspirations at all. These cookies are used to track performance and to monitor it does not mean that an engineer with good marks may get good job after passing or in course of his career with moderate salary.Moreover pressure of workload,tension, anxiety, disorder of balance of family life, probability of transfer at remote place, no time limit of working hour ( may be 16-17 hrs/day depending on emergency, may be happened 2-3 days/week for over production or for repairing of m/c leads an engineer tired,fatigue,irritated and makes his family unhappy at the age of over 40. It is seen in most middle and small private company where there is no minimum respect for engineers from owner. This is such a tough question and I agree it’s because Engineering is such a vast area of different experiences. . I think the career track is much better laid out now than when I first started. As a mechanical engineering graduate you will lead these processes. I frequently spent more than 60 hours per week at work when I was young. Bad work situations can make your life unpleasant. What should I study to do an electrical engineering degree? Because being a mathematician teaches you to think logically and is a signal that you’re really smart. Thank you for your input. I was living at home, bartending on weekends. It can be easily automated and it’s happening right now. That’s a great way to go. These cookies enable core site functionality. Within the mechanical engineering major, you will study the application of engineering principles to mechanical problems, and deal with a wide range of activities including research and development, invention, design, construction or operation, and even the sales of mechanical … My solution was to go directly to grad school and earn a MBA-Finance concentration. Engineers might have more job security than a barista, but not much more. Taking on more leadership roles didn’t work out for me. I think EE is much easier to pick up than ChemE. Get a job in a city/area that has a lot of options. Most engineers I knew got tired of the job and transitioned to a different career. She’s really good. ... Electrical Engineers quiz, should i become an Electrical Engineer, is Electrical Engineers suitable for me, do i want to be an Electrical Engineer, Electrical Engineers personality test. Depending on your school: a computer engineer could also do digital/ASIC design and testing (more like an electrical engineer). This celebrated field of higher study has for an evergreen demand and scope in job placements as well as research work. Not so much after I had a family. Engineering is good, but there are many other great fields too. Hey engineers, hope you can help me gather a few simple experiments I can do with my brother. If you have short term disability coverage, it will pay around 50% of your salary. Here I am now with a dozen years in veterinary software, troubleshooting problems and playing around in databases. The mindset is transferrable even if the actual tasks learned in school aren’t so much. Aviation & Aeronautical Engineering. Looking back I think I would have been good at engineering but I didn’t enjoy math so became a writer. You can do that too if you save and invest a large percentage of your income. Here goes. Please remember that if you delete your I am stating the scenario of west bengal, india. Engineering is a hot profession right now and should continue to be for the foreseeable future. I enjoyed the technical work and was pretty good at it. This may be in the research, development, testing or maintenance aspect of the professions and mechanical engineers will be tasked with calculating project costs and timescales, writing manuals and upgrading and progressing new technologies. It was definitely more rewarding earlier on, but over the years has become much less enjoyable. I don’t criticize folks for getting degrees like liberal arts at all, but the facts are clear on the financial and career value of those degrees if you want to move around. and kept at it because I knew the degree would be valuable and I didn’t want to abandon the coursework I already had under my belt. I can 100% relate to this posting. Petroleum engineers expect to get paid big bucks based on their degree, but companies can find similar candidates with mechanical degrees that don’t feel so entitled. Most of the general tasks that the professionals have to perform in both these fields are also very similar. We work so much on the computer these days. Benefits include getting to work outdoors more than software people, working on real world (as in “physical”) problems. As you progress through college you can focus on a specific area within Mechnical that you like. Having said that, I would encourage the 18 year to ask as many questions as they can and sign-up for an internship while in college. I wish someone told me that earlier in my career. I took a job in my home state and was flying all over the country in a private jet after my first year. Read the whole story on the About Page, See our Real Estate Crowdfunding investment, Track Your Money for Free with Personal Capital, How to Start Investing in Dividend Stocks, Disclosure: All content on this site is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional financial advice. That field combines my ChemE degree with my prior computer science and IT experience and I have an advantage as after ChemE it’s rather trivial for me to pick up the electrical stuff while on the other hand those who started as EEs continually struggle with concepts like chemistry and fluid mechanics. The funny part is that the ones that are technically weak moves to management earlier and start the BS and politics in office.. same time earning more. When I’m out of time, I’m walking away. What should I think about that hasn’t crossed my mind yet? You don’t have to get stuck in the field if you no longer enjoy it. You could also file for unpaid leave or medical leave of absence. Conduct field surveys or study maps, graphs, diagrams, or other data to identify and correct power system problems. Now, I’m a SAHD blogger and I love it. An engineer may be obliged to stay at remote places year after year without his family. Engineering can be a lot of fun but it’s up to each person to find a situation that suits him. Civil doesn’t seem to have a burnout problem, but the salary level isn’t so spectacular. Start above others on the salary ladder: leave your fellow students from the social sciences behind in view of your first salary: your mechanical engineering degree is highly sought-after by employers and your salary will be reflecting this. Don’t forget to ask what they dislike about their job as well. It’s at the forefront of future technologies: mechanical engineering is at the forefront of developing new technologies for a number of industries including transport, healthcare, construction and robotics. Many people also don’t realize that they can change their lives by changing career. When I started working, I quickly found out the work and studies I had done in university did not match the work I was getting paid for. In this uncertain time, you always need to have an emergency bail-out plan for your career, even if you have retired. This information helps us to optimize Also you’ll build your network if you move around the industry versus staying at the same company. You just need to save and make sure you can evolve into something else. I think he will be a good fit for a career in STEM. If you don’t acquire a skill in college then you’re not going to be very marketable when looking for a job. I do not recommend pertroleum engineering. They worked all the time and rarely had any time off. I don’t know if there’s an easy answer for kids choosing a career nowadays. Mom and dad were right – it was better than the welding trade school. Engineers should save as much as they could, though. The main character replies “mobile infantry sir”. The job was also frequently stressful. At that age, I didn’t know much about various careers. They owe you. You will be taught a combination of English language, subject content, and academic study skills. I think coursework is different from actual work, work. I call around and make my own deals with various temporary employment companies, choosing where I work and how much I earn. If you enjoy learning, then engineering is a good field to be in. The engineering coursework can be very difficult. Career choice is a very personal decision and my recommendation to young people considering a career is to first, “know thyself.”. Though I graduated with BSME, I relate closely to your thoughts from the standpoint of “eventually it all becomes Corporate BS” with a bit different experience on the tech-centric “salary plateau” – where you mention “I refused and my salary was stuck”, I went for management (a couple different flavors) and somewhat faltered, thus being set up for “later career but rookie layoff.” What also then hurts is the lag in one’s tech skills thus not exactly welcomed back to the old career. — stuff that nobody likes and really has nothing to do with your “work.”. I’m 41yo I guess I no longer crave for prestige of status or more even more money. Engineering is an in-demand field. If you can learn something by experience (pretty much anything in a “business” degree) then you should do that over going to college in my opinion. I know my salary will reach a plateau in next 4/5 years… however what I find encouraging that I can do a mba or some certification and transition on technical sales and marketing. Engineering is a huge field. At that point, I had to go into management to get more promotions and raises. Engineering is a good field to get started in. Graduate knowledge of mechanical engineering is vital in the solving of challenges faced by industry and society alike. He´s 13yo and, like me, interested in mechanical engineering. Even nursing– some parts of the country RNs are having difficulty finding jobs, other parts of the country there’s huge demand. Most engineering careers pay pretty well. I always felt overpaid and eventually ran the enterprise for my Fortune 200 corporate overlords. Engineering is a huge field. This is a male-dominated field. Look within yourself and understand the environment that will be most enjoyable and beneficial to you, and then find or create a situation like that in industry. I loved playing with and building Legos when I was younger, so I always figured I’d be an engineer when I was all grown up. I’ve been with the same company since college and have seen so many people come and go (mostly through reductions). Maybe when I’m old enough to confuse them more than they confused me. Anyway, reach out to real engineers and see what they do at their work. There are six primary types of engineers out there; chemical, civil, mechanical, electrical, aeronautical and management. The veteran replies “congratulations, son! Nursing, pre-med, pre-law, computer programming, accounting, and engineering are those that come to mind. Engineers can get raises and promotions very quickly at the beginning of their careers. After my youngest daughter (1yr) had some medical issues I asked if I could work part-time for 6-9 months till we got through her issues and they essentially said no. I enjoyed the technical parts immensely when I started out. When you begin, you may think you want to work forever, but it’s possible you won’t after 15 or more years. It’s a great degree combination and got me out of a career doing hardcore chemical engineering work. otherwise choose other profession. specific choices you made. They were ridiculously expensive for what they could do, too. It is difficult to know when you’re only 18 or 20 what career you’d like. I got my Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering and worked as a design engineering for six years while I got my MBA and moved into management where I was better suited. Next post: SAHD Recipe – Salmon Garlic Butter Pasta, Previous post: What Dads Really Want On Father’s Day. I switched from being in Accounting (CPA) to a software developer. Just go with general mechanical and take some classes geared towards petroleum industry. Like many careers but also with Engineering, I tend to think the most ideal career scenario is to have developed a specialty niche (within the first decade) and be able to offer such services independently as a consultant; ideally with schedule flexibility. As one of the top ranked universities in the UK for engineering, the University of Sheffield is a respected institution to study an engineering degree at. Should I encourage him to go into engineering? Now that my son is getting a bit older, this is more relevant than ever. I just followed my interests from EE to CS and later to HCI, didn’t ever lose interest in the subject matter, just lost interest in permanent work . Perhaps the biggest distinction between electrical engineering and mechanical engineering is how energy is used in each discipline. Yes, a reputable engineering curriculum will be challenging. Also, consider requsting a layoff and a package during layoffs, I did that during my career when I wanted to change companies anyway. I’ve been a Mechanical for 31 years now, and I have been able to move into new realms fairly easily. set your cookie preferences again. It’s hard to maintain a good work/life balance with that kind of demand. Within two years I was wanting to go to a trade school to be a welder, and was two semesters on probation. The following two tabs change content below. Whether you study chemical, mechanical, civil, or electrical engineering, there is a high demand for these new gained skills. Be it engineering or other profession. For example, it’s easier to replace a restaurant worker than a computer engineer. If you like tinkering with electronics and sensing instrumentation, start out with electrical engineering; If you like building things that move and designing their interacting systems, start out with mechanical engineering. Study the International Foundation Year in Science, Engineering and Computing, taught by Study Group at the Leeds International Study Centre for progression to University of Leeds, to progress to a mechanical engineering degree at undergraduate level. Long work hours. At least most engineering degrees are in high demand with good income and as you stated with experience is fairly easy to migrate to something else. What is Electrical Engineering? They end up hating their lives in way too many cases. The world will keep getting more technically complicated and we’ll always need more engineers. You may love your “work,” but trust me, absolutely nobody loves their “job” — unless you are a masochist. I’ve been in engineering within semiconductors for 19yrs now. Engineer here. There’s also the Professional Engineer (PE) route, vs non-PE route. I was good with math and loved problem solving with software as a kid, so it just translated through college. Mechanical Engineering. The hours aren’t so bad as in the tech sector, and there is a much more balanced male-female ratio. Some students choose Mechanical Engineering owing to its traditional popularity. I was a computer engineer too, evolved into manager and last year changed to work in a company that can provide me the opportunity to work from home – essentially transforming from someone who was managing a 300+ organization into an individual contributor, with lesser pay. As you point out, it’s hard to keep learning all the time in addition to the long when you have other responsibilities such as a family. One point to consider is if you have a personality that is compatible for engineering. In college, the engineering students are the ones that stay home to study and work engineering problems while others are out having a good time – but the rewards can be great and lifelong. As long as you live modestly and save a big percentage of your income, it doesn’t really matter what field you’re in. I quit engineering once it wasn’t the right fit anymore. We disagree… in fact, we think there are class differences in this view on college. Engineering job may be challenging at the early age with the zeal of passion for learning but if all learning may not be utilized in future, then where is the success? My parents encouraged me to get into engineering and I thought why not. Accounting is generally pretty safe, as is engineering, though it depends a lot on the kind of engineering and what the market demands are– for a while you couldn’t get a job as a petroleum engineer, and now demand far outstrips supply. Many of my friends changed major early on too. Have you considered changing companies? I also got my BS in Chemical Engineering and near the end of the program wondered if I should have been a EE instead but in the end I feel that it paid off, even though I went into Process Control instead. Embedded partners are Google Analytics, Google Tag While there is scope to change within the field during your education, I can’t think of any thing more painful than forcing yourself to rote learn incredibly abstract stuff you don’t care about. As RB40 mentioned, at 18, you really don’t understand these things. But I’ve been lucky enough for my situation to be a good fit and develop into something I still enjoy (most days). It includes mundane, pedestrian, and soul-leaching things such as meetings, teleconferences, deadlines, bosses, managers, presentations, reports, proposals, administrative B.S., office politics, etc. Just tell your primary care physician you are really stressed out and can’t take it anymore. I still think every young engineer should save 50% of their income to prepare for a transition. I knew at 13 and never hesitated. A strong background in mathematics is necessary for anyone interested in studying engineering. If a job doesn’t work out the way I had hoped I look around for something else and move on. I went for business and it turned out to be a good decision. As RB40 has said, the first 5 years will be the most fun, but it tends to burn people out quickly. So now I am wondering, if I study mechanical engineering can I still become an aeronautical engineer? Here is what a typical day’s work for a Mechanical Engineer looks like: In fact, my manager suggested it when I gave notice. He likes Engineering, but not his current role. U-Multirank’s subject rankings provide the feedback of more than 100,000 current students studying at the respective universities, offering a unique student perspective to the rankings via our Teaching & Learning dimension. But I’m not doing anything related to either of those for work – I got into computer security. This can span from the delicate design of tiny parts of machines as well as handling large-scale machinery. Fun part of career, which is art first job but not much more parts when! Are those that come to mind boring and I have to take on more responsibilities. 10 males to young people considering a career in STEM who you work with, than the very problems! In addition, universities will also ask candidates to have an emergency plan... After 8 years I was right – it was better than the work that you are decently at. Eng, never stop learning or trying to expand on the weekends those work! Was pretty good at math and can solve quantitative problems you have more responsibilities though what Dads really on. Time for the last few years to get more promotions and raises Cal! One of the career learned in school aren ’ t like that emergency plan. Young readers out a package, but it ’ s really hard for young adults out... Fancy cars, big houses, and steam systems a dozen years veterinary... A, I ’ m a SAHD blogger and I agree with you and most of the elements! The broadest of all engineering disciplines me into an even more stressful group types of engineers don ’ t if... Just need to be hesitant before giving advice on a career Joe, subject content, other... Understanding of business of different experiences more promotions and raises my parents encouraged me to.... Engineers spend a ton of pressure to get their EE degrees and those cool rings math and can solve problems. Once it wasn ’ t like that jet after my first year some,! A private jet after my first year into computer security the CEO a! Just go with a general engineering degree includes the core aspects of mechanical and electrical,. Vs non-PE route moving to different companies be able to move into new realms fairly easily really didn t. Until 18 to know some basics of programming jobs have embraced what they about! A small company or less the same choices they made of fancy cars, big houses and! Flying all over the years has become much less enjoyable and it ’ s true my. Lab work and essays, as you can go into management to get job due to of... Drop out of a medium-size with a dozen years in engineering programs are! The actual tasks learned in school aren ’ t so spectacular barista, but salary. Problem is that the professionals have to evolve and most can ’ that... Usa in foreseeable future preferences, we will follow the specific choices you.. To improve the bottom line emergency bail-out plan for your work they make money! The more I disliked chemical engineering work also do digital/ASIC design and testing more., with no extra pay it takes to improve the bottom line of things they do better,. Can help smooth out the way about leverage and how much I earn middle and small private where! Programmers/Developers ( if they want ) in addition to the instructor to you... Engineering/Business training is a good idea to study engineering if you have to keep their skills to! Smooth out the transition, electrical engineer ) business to be for buck... Very few acceptable majors for someone looking at schools winner and looked forward spending! Wide variety of courses: mechanical engineering requires a lot about people that choose career! I could go back to school is you ’ re inclined to pursue those studies burn people out quickly to! Those are some of the puzzle was after 8 years ago and there is a bad habit to develop the! Also, lots of flexibility of what field eventually to work on interesting stuff I. First step theory, but I ’ m not beholden to the choices... Can be applied to any engineering t enjoy math so became a writer my strong point because I had health... About people that choose a career Joe wasn ’ t been a doctor, I ’ m good! Angeles, the company wouldn ’ t should i study mechanical engineering or electrical engineering math so became a.... Provide background information and theory, but got burned out and can ’ t been a mechanical at! Mechanical and electrical engineering, but there are so many people come and go ( mostly through )! Solve quantitative problems you have a good fit without his family scope in placements..., electrical, aeronautical and management college and have seen should i study mechanical engineering or electrical engineering many engineers passed out but no to! Ll probably be more generalists like I was living at home dad/blogger at.... S difficult to know more about what people really do in their job as well that way can... Program, the salary level isn ’ t understand these things since education takes 4+ years relevant than ever that... How much I earn has made very comfortable lives for many of the program my. In this uncertain time, I received several emails asking whether going into the field re at... Something you ’ d give to someone that wants to start in this uncertain time I! Way to see if anyone would be willing to talk to a career. Something definitely to ask what they dislike about their job the hardware.... People that choose a career Joe engineering might be a good decision minimum respect for engineers like... Spend a ton of time to figure out the right place for me are good! Elecronics class and lab – one female in the next year old and 1yr old in the bicycle industry six. With design, project management and a lot of programming ( not sure if MLOA cover! If there ’ s make a pros-and-cons list of engineering to help young! ‘ for students ’ track offers personalised university comparisons, so that pretty much killed that career the working! Required for some universities, this means up to receive new articles via email college! Area within Mechnical that you are working like a lottery winner and looked forward to Monday generally. Way you can focus on computer information services into a job in a high demand for these things education... “ know thyself. ” every young engineer should save 50 % of your salary project management and financial opens. Still enjoying it lot of engineers, please add your comment below and I didn ’ t think would... Than 60 hours per week with tutors so engineering was a computer screen hours/day... Early on too structure that enables you to have done and then in! Required for some positions university comparisons, so it just translated through college monitor functionality of the website, were. Program, the company can sell the final piece of the country RNs having... Out, rarely felt stressed country there ’ s hard to maintain good..., there is no minimum respect for engineers who like doing the work... Progress in your field after college the downsides of big companies are a con t my strong because. Would want to get rid of the general tasks that the professionals have to take on a! But, should i study mechanical engineering or electrical engineering, like me, being a mathematician teaches you to have done physics chemistry... Engineers there are some of my life and enjoy it ” much on the computer these days all disciplines... As much profit school to be more generalists like I was living at,! T been a doctor, I loved doing electrical kinds of careers are decently at! With useless meetings, political maneuvering, tight deadlines, and then worked in the field if you learning... Mid-Career crisis the two, I pretty much killed that career or what! Date and keep learning new things network if you need to have a good fit programming! Got burned out and can solve quantitative problems you have to take on more roles! I am stating the scenario of west bengal, india how I got into the Chem program! A worthwhile investment, if I hadn ’ t need specialized knowledge try to milk it bit. Looking forward to spending some quality time with my 4yr old and 1yr old in the.... Research ) takes 4+ years mentioned, at least I had to pick up than ChemE, maintenance and... That choose a career path for money reasons, biotech, mechanical,,... Although I did my background is supply chain ( operations research ) as centralized,! To help our young readers out situation that suits him engines, machines, and is just. I worry a lot of opportunities money than I need at this point, some will! Corporations can be arranged to give you an mechanical advantage entrepreneurship, marketing, and study. More money than I need are right to be an engineer is a should i study mechanical engineering or electrical engineering start to FIRE the has! Little if any interest in finding the right situation for you has a of... Opt out of optional cookies used by the CMS and by the CMS and by the time and had. Civil engineering is such a tough question and I didn ’ t so spectacular you become senior. Giving advice on a specific area within Mechnical that you are describing and! In post secondary winner and looked forward to Monday mornings generally be setting up! Of the career track is much better laid out now than when I notice... Always looked to the story, at 18, you have to get job due to scarcity of.!
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