4 answers
Kaysan
Student
Schaumburg, Illinois
1
Question
Asked
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How can I explore myself to get experience working under a mentor to find myself fit for Engineering major fit and as a career?
I am a high school senior and I am looking for some type of voluntary work or internship to get experience working under Industrial Engineer / Engineering department or a company in exploring and learning about day to day responsibilities before getting into college-major of my studies as an Industrial Engineer or shadowing.
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4 answers
Kathleen Tremblay
Lawyer
2
Answers
Falls Church, Virginia
Updated
Kathleen’s Answer
If you are unable to find a mentoring or internship opportunity in industrial engineering before you start college, you should not worry about it.
Many engineering programs at Colleges use the first year of college to help their engineering students discern which major they are most interested in. For example, first year engineering students will be exposed to civil engineering, chemical engineering, industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, etc before they will declare their major. As you decide which college you want to apply to and attend, make sure to attend their engineering tours and information sessions and ask what exposure you will get to the various majors available at the university.
Many engineering programs at Colleges use the first year of college to help their engineering students discern which major they are most interested in. For example, first year engineering students will be exposed to civil engineering, chemical engineering, industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, etc before they will declare their major. As you decide which college you want to apply to and attend, make sure to attend their engineering tours and information sessions and ask what exposure you will get to the various majors available at the university.
Thank you for sharing your perspective.
Kaysan
Michelle M.
Entertainment Industry
1865
Answers
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Kaysan !
This is a good question so that you can become familiar with Engineering since it is a career interest of yours. You wouldn't be able to work as an Engineer until you first decide that it is the career for you and have gone the education and certification path. Since you are exploring because you're not sure if this is a career for you, there are some things you can do this school year before college.
The first thing to consider would be to find out if there is a STEM or engineering group at your high school. This would be the best way to explore it at no cost or much extra effort to you. Join a club, activity or group. Yes, as you've mentioned, shadowing is a possibility, too. You would have to phone or visit engineering firms and ask if you can shadow one of the engineers for two or three days. I recommend visiting the offices in person as opposed to e-mailing because if you go in person, you will get a response the quickest.
Contact the following places. Their contact information can be found by doing a search online. Fullerton Engineering Consultants, Haeger Engineering, Village of Schaumburg Engineering and Public Works Department, Chastain Associates, Tecma Associates, Pietramale and Associates, Corbett Engineering, Epiq Design Solutions, Sac Engineering, JTD Engineering, AGC Engineering, RTM Engineering Consultants, Engineering Power Solutions, Nederveld, Inc., Continental Engineers and Surveyors and DTSI Inc.. These are all located in your town of Schaumburg, IL There are more that you can discover by going to Yellow Pages dot com on the internet. You are sure to find a shadowing experience as there are many engineering firms in your town.
What would also help is to start reading engineering books. Visit your high school Library and your public Library and read about the subject. This will also be a learning experience as well as watching people talk about the career on videos at You Tube. Go to You Tube and in the search field, type "what is it like to be an engineer". This is a very quick and easy way to get an idea of the career until and after you obtain the shadowing experience.
Visit your high school guidance counselor because there may be some special programs or experiences that the guidance counselor may know about. Try to find community events focused on engineering.
I hope this helps and I wish you all the best !
This is a good question so that you can become familiar with Engineering since it is a career interest of yours. You wouldn't be able to work as an Engineer until you first decide that it is the career for you and have gone the education and certification path. Since you are exploring because you're not sure if this is a career for you, there are some things you can do this school year before college.
The first thing to consider would be to find out if there is a STEM or engineering group at your high school. This would be the best way to explore it at no cost or much extra effort to you. Join a club, activity or group. Yes, as you've mentioned, shadowing is a possibility, too. You would have to phone or visit engineering firms and ask if you can shadow one of the engineers for two or three days. I recommend visiting the offices in person as opposed to e-mailing because if you go in person, you will get a response the quickest.
Contact the following places. Their contact information can be found by doing a search online. Fullerton Engineering Consultants, Haeger Engineering, Village of Schaumburg Engineering and Public Works Department, Chastain Associates, Tecma Associates, Pietramale and Associates, Corbett Engineering, Epiq Design Solutions, Sac Engineering, JTD Engineering, AGC Engineering, RTM Engineering Consultants, Engineering Power Solutions, Nederveld, Inc., Continental Engineers and Surveyors and DTSI Inc.. These are all located in your town of Schaumburg, IL There are more that you can discover by going to Yellow Pages dot com on the internet. You are sure to find a shadowing experience as there are many engineering firms in your town.
What would also help is to start reading engineering books. Visit your high school Library and your public Library and read about the subject. This will also be a learning experience as well as watching people talk about the career on videos at You Tube. Go to You Tube and in the search field, type "what is it like to be an engineer". This is a very quick and easy way to get an idea of the career until and after you obtain the shadowing experience.
Visit your high school guidance counselor because there may be some special programs or experiences that the guidance counselor may know about. Try to find community events focused on engineering.
I hope this helps and I wish you all the best !
Thank you for the advice, Michelle.
Kaysan
You're welcome, Kaysan !
Michelle M.
Kelly Coffey
Interior Design
3
Answers
Arvada, Colorado
Updated
Kelly’s Answer
My advise to you is to start networking. Do you know anyone in this field? Maybe someone you know knows someone. See if they can help you to connect with these people. Whenever you meet these people, offer to take them to coffee and ask if you can pick their brain. Often times this leads to more opportunities! People want to help young individuals especially when they are driven, direct, and curious.
You can also use LinkedIn to build a profile for yourself and look into internships in the industry. Another thing you can do is look at job opportunities in various fields of interest for you. Read the job postings and see if they excite you. It’s also a great way to get an idea of how much experience is needed for these types of positions. In addition, if you make a solid profile and connect with people in the industry, you can post what you’re looking for and someone might see it and offer to help you. If you message people directly, you are even more likely to get responses. People are what make the world go round and people are your best advocate in your career!
You can also use LinkedIn to build a profile for yourself and look into internships in the industry. Another thing you can do is look at job opportunities in various fields of interest for you. Read the job postings and see if they excite you. It’s also a great way to get an idea of how much experience is needed for these types of positions. In addition, if you make a solid profile and connect with people in the industry, you can post what you’re looking for and someone might see it and offer to help you. If you message people directly, you are even more likely to get responses. People are what make the world go round and people are your best advocate in your career!
Thank you for the advice.
Kaysan
Cory Yeager, PE, SE, MsC, PPM
49
Answers
Updated
Cory’s Answer
Watch YouTube.
Yes I am serious.
Your question seems to be rooted in a very surface level assessment of “what does an engineer do”.
If you have watched some videos on great engineers bios, great engineering projects, great engineering feets, etc… and like watching the videos then do the next step.
Ask yourself “Do you want to be the person who made that or did that?”.
If you don’t have an answer that’s fine but then ask “Do you want to know more?”
If you don’t then it’s probably not for you. If you do it may be for you in some form. Just because we like stuff doesn’t mean we will do that for a job.
Start small. Reading books can be a good way to measure your interest and commitment cause it will take time. You do it or not.
Googling and visiting websites are good but are too easy to be “the itch to scratch” without effort. Yes look up firms or companies or people in the field of interest but you also need to measure your commitment as much as your interest.
This is not to turn you away from engineering but it can be a thankless job at times and this includes time at college.
If you’re really serious find something you love, architecture, Oreos, goldfish crackers, etc…. And look up what is engineered in making that.
If you want or would be willing to do that work maybe it’s for you. If not then try another product should it suit you.
Asking the question is a good start.
Good luck. Hope you find what you need.
Yes I am serious.
Your question seems to be rooted in a very surface level assessment of “what does an engineer do”.
If you have watched some videos on great engineers bios, great engineering projects, great engineering feets, etc… and like watching the videos then do the next step.
Ask yourself “Do you want to be the person who made that or did that?”.
If you don’t have an answer that’s fine but then ask “Do you want to know more?”
If you don’t then it’s probably not for you. If you do it may be for you in some form. Just because we like stuff doesn’t mean we will do that for a job.
Start small. Reading books can be a good way to measure your interest and commitment cause it will take time. You do it or not.
Googling and visiting websites are good but are too easy to be “the itch to scratch” without effort. Yes look up firms or companies or people in the field of interest but you also need to measure your commitment as much as your interest.
This is not to turn you away from engineering but it can be a thankless job at times and this includes time at college.
If you’re really serious find something you love, architecture, Oreos, goldfish crackers, etc…. And look up what is engineered in making that.
If you want or would be willing to do that work maybe it’s for you. If not then try another product should it suit you.
Asking the question is a good start.
Good luck. Hope you find what you need.