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How do I know if Mechanical Engineering is the right career for me?
I am currently interested in pursuing the field of engineering in college, specifically mechanical engineering, but I am still uncertain. How do I know if it's the right career for me, and would it be too late to change my major later on?
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6 answers
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Brian’s Answer
Hi Melody,
Do you enjoy building things, fixing things, playing with legos, or working on cars?Do you like solving physical problems? Are you good at math, or do you enjoy solving mathematical problems? If so mechanical engineering may be a good fit for you.
As far as changing your major goes, alot of people change their major during college. But that depends on the specific school you go to.
Hope this helps,
Best regards
Brian Swain
Do you enjoy building things, fixing things, playing with legos, or working on cars?Do you like solving physical problems? Are you good at math, or do you enjoy solving mathematical problems? If so mechanical engineering may be a good fit for you.
As far as changing your major goes, alot of people change their major during college. But that depends on the specific school you go to.
Hope this helps,
Best regards
Brian Swain
Updated
Frances’s Answer
Doing a job shadow would be very helpful. That way, you can follow a professional engineer and see what they do on a daily basis. That could help you determine what’s best for you.
Updated
David’s Answer
Pathful Connect allows high school teachers to schedule industry professionals for a virtual presentation to the specific teacher's class of students.
Typical questions by the class to the mechanical engineer include but are not limited to the following:
What is it like to be an engineer?
What are the best and worst parts of the job?
What steps does a student need to take if he or she wants to become an engineer?
What does a typical day look like?
How does what students are learning now connect to this career?
Typical questions by the class to the mechanical engineer include but are not limited to the following:
What is it like to be an engineer?
What are the best and worst parts of the job?
What steps does a student need to take if he or she wants to become an engineer?
What does a typical day look like?
How does what students are learning now connect to this career?
Updated
Rich’s Answer
There are certainly a lot of opportunities for mechanical engineers. If you like building things, working with digital models/designs, and doing math this may be a good career choice. However, only you know what you like to do . And when you do something you enjoy, you always do better. A good rule of thumb is to look at your hobbies and how you spend your free time to know what really resonates with you. Good luck!
Updated
David C’s Answer
Compare these to determine if you fit.
https://whizstorm.com/blog/how-do-i-know-if-i-am-suited-for-mechanical-engineering
https://me.stonybrook.edu/admissions/whatmakegoodmec#:~:text=Mechanical%20engineers%20are%20typically%20very,engineering%20may%20be%20for%20you.
https://www.gcu.edu/blog/engineering-technology/5-signs-you-will-enjoy-career-engineering
https://whizstorm.com/blog/how-do-i-know-if-i-am-suited-for-mechanical-engineering
https://me.stonybrook.edu/admissions/whatmakegoodmec#:~:text=Mechanical%20engineers%20are%20typically%20very,engineering%20may%20be%20for%20you.
https://www.gcu.edu/blog/engineering-technology/5-signs-you-will-enjoy-career-engineering
Hi David, thanks for posting your answer here. Would you be able to elaborate on your advice here? Any thoughts as to each of these for Melody and other students that might lean one way compared to the others?
Jordan Rivera, Admin
COACH
Updated
Nick’s Answer
The first 2 years of engineering school are usually general engineering studies and you study your major in years 3 and 4. This gives you a chance to examine your strengths and interests to choose your final studies. Its not uncommon that your actual job and career can take you on a slightly different path than you expect based on job offers. Engineering can be applied in a huge variety of ways. Engineering graduates are understood to be smart hard working people which would be preferred for many kinds of jobs.
For example, my original interest was in naval architecture. I initially studied civil engineering because there were no naval architecture programs available to me and it was close to the study of structures, shapes and how things work. I switched to manufacturing engineering because of my basic understanding of science and how things work.
I also got a tech management masters degree attending night school. I was a manufacturing engineer in the electronics industry for many years, then became an engineering manager of a global team of printed circuit board designers because I knew all aspects of how they are fabricated and electronics manufacturing.
In the latter stage of my career I established a digital design process and digitized business workflows to transition from paper based engineering to cloud based engineering, enabling global design collaboration. This was due to my understanding of the value of processes and continuous improvement.
There is a logical thread through this and I hope it explains my original point.
For example, my original interest was in naval architecture. I initially studied civil engineering because there were no naval architecture programs available to me and it was close to the study of structures, shapes and how things work. I switched to manufacturing engineering because of my basic understanding of science and how things work.
I also got a tech management masters degree attending night school. I was a manufacturing engineer in the electronics industry for many years, then became an engineering manager of a global team of printed circuit board designers because I knew all aspects of how they are fabricated and electronics manufacturing.
In the latter stage of my career I established a digital design process and digitized business workflows to transition from paper based engineering to cloud based engineering, enabling global design collaboration. This was due to my understanding of the value of processes and continuous improvement.
There is a logical thread through this and I hope it explains my original point.