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What do engineers really do? What is it look like to be an engineer and how does the industry work?

I am struggling in first year engineering and needs a perspective on the program I am pursuing. I don't know if engineering is for me at all. I don't want to switch majors because I do not know what program I want to pursue but at the same time I do not know how to survive engineering school. #college #engineering

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Thank you comment icon The college or university should offer a Career Assessment that will help determine what your interests are. Maybe check with you Academic Advisor. And Ashford gave you very good feedback. Lani Glenn
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Ashford’s Answer

I recently Graduated with a Bachelors degree in Biomedical Engineering and so I’d say I’ve been through those same feelings. Personally, I think they make these engineering degrees harder the first few years because they want to make sure you know what you’re getting into. They want to make sure that you really like your major so that no matter what the task is, you’ll always put your best effort.

When it comes to the really world. Your job will not be as broad as it was in college. In college they want you to get familiar with all the possible concepts that you’re interested in so that you can choose which ones you like to take up as a job. So what you do is really up to your interests. As an engineer, you don’t always have to be building stuff. There are many things to work as like software developer, researcher, testing, sales, teaching, management, etc. The way I survived engineering is trying my best not to be lazy. A lot of the time, the professors are just looking for effort. If you can’t do something yourself, seek help from the professors. They’re always ready to help. Plus it’s a lot easier to learn things you don’t know when the professor helps you one on one instead of during the lecture, because you are not time constricted and you can spend the time clearing your doubts in depth.
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Reid’s Answer

When I was in university completing my engineering degree, I did not have a good idea of what my future and career was going to look like. I majored in Materials and Manufacturing Engineering and I remember thinking about how this will be the field where I spend the rest of my life. I was in fact very wrong. For myself, once I began my career I learned there were so many different directions and opportunities I could pursue. What you study/major in university does not determine the rest of your life.

One of the things I realized about my engineering degree is that is taught me how to learn new things and how to be a critical thinker. Both of those are very transferable to any professional field. Being able to demonstrate that has allowed me to pivot in my career and discover other areas I can add value to that are not specific to my engineering major or even engineering degree as a whole.

I started off doing technical and research work quite closely related to my engineering major however I'm currently in analytics working with data where the concepts of problem solving and critical thinking are still very relevant.
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Tiffanie’s Answer

Hi Jake - I think the better question is what don't engineers do! Engineering is such a broad field - you can be a system engineer (working with computers and customers to provide top notch solutions for their problems), civil engineer (working with bridges, dams, environmental improvements), software engineer (making apps or software programs to solve problems), industrial engineer (supply chain, manufacturing,) the list goes on and on! Electrical Engineers understand how the electronics of things work, etc. etc.
The easiest way I wrap my mind around engineers is they solve some really tough problems, and they make a heck of a lot of money! We need engineers, there is a shortage in the market currently and you'll never want for a job with a degree in Engineering. That being said, I'm sure the coursework is difficult but if you have a desire to improve, create and innovate engineering is a great field.

Take a look at all the types of engineering fields and the salaries, maybe this will help you a bit more.
https://www.snhu.edu/about-us/newsroom/stem/types-of-engineering
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Satish Reddy’s Answer

Jake - This is very open ended question.

There are lot of different types of engineers in the market. almost all industries has engineers . Electrical,civil, computers, Auronatical and what not.
Engineers use their analytical experiecne tofigure out ways to do job in a better way. They do eveything and anything in the industry they are in.
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