Our mechanical engineering information website will provide you with all the related information you need: from program information to salary expectations and the best schools in which to get an engineering degree.
Mechanical engineering, being the rewarding career choice of career that it is, can lead to a really extensive choice in career fields upon graduation. Statistics show that when it comes to future employment opportunities, engineering certainly looks promising but then again, the extent depends on where you specialize.
Studying mechanical engineering can be a costly educational and career investment as you do need a bachelor’s degree to get an entry-level job, nonetheless, the starting salaries for fresh graduates in this discipline tend to be quite a step higher than those from other fields of study. With this industry though, keeping up with the latest in science, and technological advances is crucial, so going back to school for advanced education is quite the norm.
Is This the Right Career Choice For Me?
What mechanical engineers do in general is either develop, design or supervise the manufacturing or operational aspects of machinery.
Working in this field with today’s computer-based technological advances definitely makes being a mechanical engineering an exciting choice of career. With the latest developments in simulation software, 3-D computer modeling, and other art design tools, the they are able to more easily design and develop systems and tools as well as products to benefit our modern society.
From roller coasters, heating/cooling systems and cars engines, to massage chairs, shoes and even toys for kids, a mechanical engineer would have had a hand in its creation somewhere along the line.
Therefor, if you see yourself as an individual who thinks, “outside the box”, likes to pull things apart and put them back together just to learn how things work, and you have that creative spark, mechanical engineering might just be the career path you seek. Here are just some examples of career fields to consider:
- air conditioning and heating systems
- plant maintenance & engineering
- medical industry designing artificial organs and medical devices
- agricultural engineering
- aircraft design
- hydraulics
- automotive industry
What to Expect During Employment
You will need to prepare yourself if you are going to consider becoming a mechanical engineer because the working conditions can be quite hectic at times, and doing overtime is going to be necessary in many positions, especially when project deadlines loom near.
Their work environments are quite varied as well. Depending on which field they are in, mechanical engineers may find that they spend a portion of their time working indoors in an office, and the rest of the time would be onsite possibly at a factory supervising maintenance or construction work – this is especially true if they are part of the industrial sector. So if you’re looking for a cushy office job, mechanical engineering is not for you.
Good verbal as well as visual communication is an important trait to have as a mechanical engineer, since much of the time is delegated to cooperate with other engineers and people from different disciplines in order for projects to be successful. You must be a team player. Engineering definitely holds more true to the team approach rather than the soloist approach, large projects are rarely ever completed by a single individual.
Lastly, you should be good with numbers. Having a strong foundation in mathematics and science is a given. You should also enjoy working with computers and also machinery and using these tools to problem solve.
For more specific details, please view the other pages concerning salary, job prospects, and degrees on our Mechanical Engineering Information website.