Nelly
What are some important things to know before going into Engineering?
As a high school student who wants to go into engineering, it would be helpful to know at least five things that are necessary when going into an engineering field. I want to be prepared for my future and what I will be doing in the future. #engineering
3 answers
Peter Sturtevant
Peter’s Answer
Nelly:
At its heart, engineering involves solving problems in an efficient and effective manner. This profession offers a great opportunity to do good and make the world a better place. As a result, it is usually a highly satisfying career. Add to that the high demand for good engineers and the accompanying good salaries that make engineering a rewarding career.
A prospective engineer should have a natural curiosity about how things work. You should be drawn to the challenge of fixing a problem or making something run more efficiently. A good engineer pays attention to detail for it is there that your success in evaluating and solving a problem lies. It helps if you like the subjects of math and physics, for a basic understanding of these topics is important for the engineering disciplines. If your high school offers a Technology Course, you should take it to get a taste of what engineering involves. Otherwise take an introductory course in engineering early in your college career to determine if this is the career for you.
Good luck, Pete Sturtevant. PE
Christopher Rutledge
Christopher’s Answer
Five things, huh?....well I think my colleagues have touched on Curiosity...that's a good one....the Best IMHO. 2) The desire to find a solution (or fix things). 3) Good Interpersonal skills to listen to and articulate problems/solutions, 4) the passion for (or love of) learning new things and 5) you must possess the desire to help 'the greater good'. You see it's not always about getting paid well to do something (that helps). But you just may find awesome reward in getting a food or water supply to someone...or internet connection to a group of folks...or a faster/safer mode of transportation to a city...the list goes on.
Any way you slice it, you're looking into a field full of promise, reward and satisfaction.
Nicole Baillie
Nicole’s Answer
One that I will add to the awesome list already provided. A focused mind. There is a lot about engineering curriculums that have to do with precision...specifically, being precise in your measurements, your coding, your steps to solving a calculus problem, as some examples.
Being able to focus on what is in front of you could help ensure that you don't have to do lots of rework. Re work adds to the stress level especially when you have deadlines like exams and projects.
Also, giving yourself time to think through a problem will also be helpful. Know that you may not get the right answer the first time...BUT...you will get to the answer if you allow yourself to have the right level focus and time to think through the problem.
Best of luck to you!