CurtisH
What kind of careers can you pursue with the different types of engineering?
I am a high school senior who wants to major in engineering at college. I am not sure what kind of engineering I want to do, so I would like to know what kind of careers are possible with the different types of engineering. #engineering
3 answers
Conor Myhrvold
Conor’s Answer
If you are not sure what type of engineering, Mechanical or Electrical Engineering, in most universities, offers a broad engineering degree which you can apply to a variety of industries afterward.
Basically anything that involves gadgets and electronics, and (to put it bluntly) designing and manufacturing things that go clank and clonk.
Brian Schunck
Brian’s Answer
There are many types of engineering: electrical, mechanical, and so many others. Most types of engineering are associated with some type of science. For example, chemical engineers do engineering work that requires a knowledge of chemistry. What interests you in school now? Like mechanical gadgets or fixing cars, consider mechanical engineering. Programming computers? Consider any of the engineering disciplines that involve software. Interested in electronics, like cell phones for example? Consider electrical engineering. Some type of engineering was critical to designing every product you see around you. Follow your curiosity. Another part of the answer to your question is that there are many ways to use engineering skills. Most engineers design products, but that is not the only way to practice engineering. Some engineers are managers, helping other engineers do their jobs. Some engineers work in sales, explaining complex technical products to customers who are also engineers helping their company to purchase complex products. So there are many different engineering specialties and many different engineering careers. Pick the engineering school that matches your interests in science. You can change your mind in the first year or two if you wish. Taking a few courses in one type of engineering and the rest of your course work in a different speciality can actually be very beneficial. Knowledge of more than one engineering speciality broadens your job opportunities. As you get farther along in school, you will begin to get ideas about the way you want to practice engineering and a better idea of the type of company you want to work for. Some engineers travel all over the world, others rarely leave home. Some work with people, others work mostly by themselves. There is a career in engineering for any kind of interest in science and any type of personality.
Riddhi Gandhi
Riddhi’s Answer
I believe Engineering is one major that a great major with a lot of flexibility in job opportunities. It opens up opportunities and can be applied in various professions. If one does Engineering, one can still also apply to medical school and in long run the engineering thought process and techniques learned during school will definitely help long-term in the medical field in thought processes, applications, and especially in surgery if you end up using mechanical devices to better understand how they are used. Biomedical Engineer can work in Corporations designing engineering devices, research lab scientist, or in clinical engineering aspect at hospital. Similarly If you choose Mechanical or Electrical Engineering, the options and careers are also endless. Engineering can be leveraged into any profession and allows you to move fields and careers even down the path.
Riddhi recommends the following next steps: