4 answers
christian
Student
Seminole, Florida
1
Question
Updated
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What is the best advice for someone going into enginering? #Spring25?
What is the best advice for someone going into enginering? #Spring25
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4 answers
Dennis Taylor
Self-employed
110
Answers
Columbus, Indiana
Updated
Dennis’s Answer
Hi Christian,
Most students start in fall semester. You might be out of sync with conventional course scheduling. Work closely with your Advisor to schedule classes where you meet the prerequisites for that course.
If you took college credit courses in high school, you might avoid taking a few "required" courses.
If you're trying to catch up and get on the same track as others, consider perhaps 1 additional class as overload. Long ago, I switched majors and took overload for 2 semesters to catch up. I also took some summer classes at a community college to get non- engineering requirements out of the way. It's difficult, but can save both time and money.
Ask questions; talk to instructors when you have trouble understanding the subject or having trouble on tests.
Good luck to you, Christian!
Most students start in fall semester. You might be out of sync with conventional course scheduling. Work closely with your Advisor to schedule classes where you meet the prerequisites for that course.
If you took college credit courses in high school, you might avoid taking a few "required" courses.
If you're trying to catch up and get on the same track as others, consider perhaps 1 additional class as overload. Long ago, I switched majors and took overload for 2 semesters to catch up. I also took some summer classes at a community college to get non- engineering requirements out of the way. It's difficult, but can save both time and money.
Ask questions; talk to instructors when you have trouble understanding the subject or having trouble on tests.
Good luck to you, Christian!
William Vvuko
Retired engineer
154
Answers
Moyo, Northern Region
Updated
William’s Answer
Hi Christian,
It's gratifying to know you are looking forward to becoming an engineer. Engineering affords you the opportunity to address some of the many challenges society faces that require engineering solutions. It's about meeting our daily needs. To get there, you need to have an open mind, eagerness to learn, diligence, commitment & passion. There are important foundational subjects you need to be good at in high school. These subjects include mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer applications, design & graphics etc.
Many options are available to aspiring candidates: civil, electrical, structural, production, mechanical, software, biomedical engineering etc. Choices are informed by inherent talent, interest, passion & aspirations.
Engineers are responsible for designing new systems and solving problems for a wide range of fields such as mining, oil & gas, construction, power generation, manufacturing, automotive, marine and agriculture.
Fundamentals of engineering include application of mathematics, electrical circuits, control systems, dynamics, mechanics, engineering design and drawing.
Internships are important as they help students get hands-on experience by applying theoretical knowledge in real life situations in addition to receiving professional mentorship. Students also get the chance to experience what the field is like and therefore make informed decisions on their career paths.
Membership in professional associations exposes members to engineering standards and best practices. Usually, opportunities are available to engineering students.
It's gratifying to know you are looking forward to becoming an engineer. Engineering affords you the opportunity to address some of the many challenges society faces that require engineering solutions. It's about meeting our daily needs. To get there, you need to have an open mind, eagerness to learn, diligence, commitment & passion. There are important foundational subjects you need to be good at in high school. These subjects include mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer applications, design & graphics etc.
Many options are available to aspiring candidates: civil, electrical, structural, production, mechanical, software, biomedical engineering etc. Choices are informed by inherent talent, interest, passion & aspirations.
Engineers are responsible for designing new systems and solving problems for a wide range of fields such as mining, oil & gas, construction, power generation, manufacturing, automotive, marine and agriculture.
Fundamentals of engineering include application of mathematics, electrical circuits, control systems, dynamics, mechanics, engineering design and drawing.
Internships are important as they help students get hands-on experience by applying theoretical knowledge in real life situations in addition to receiving professional mentorship. Students also get the chance to experience what the field is like and therefore make informed decisions on their career paths.
Membership in professional associations exposes members to engineering standards and best practices. Usually, opportunities are available to engineering students.
Justin Masse
Sr. Platform DevOps Engineer
7
Answers
Tampa, Florida
Updated
Justin’s Answer
What sort of engineering? This is going to be pretty important because chemical engineering is vastly different than mechanical engineering which is vastly different than computer science (which falls into engineering at most colleges).
Sheila Schultz
Engineering Leader
64
Answers
Brighton, Michigan
Updated
Sheila’s Answer
Hi Christian, it is great to hear of your interest in engineering.
I am a mechanical engineer. Mechanical engineering is a fantastic foundation for many roles. I currently lead a company which helps businesses operate more efficiently using software tools and artificial intelligence aids. Prior to this, I led a team for the Advanced System Integration of defense/military vehicles and projects. In addition, I had many other roles in my career in the automotive industry including thermal engineer, design/release engineer, vehicle systems engineer, system safety engineer, and a variety of engineering leader roles. The engineering foundation enabled me to have a successful and wide variety of career experiences.
There are many types of engineering – Chemical, Mechanical, Electrical, Systems, Software, Industrial, Manufacturing and more. For mechanical engineering, there are also many sub-focus areas, so you can pick the area(s) that you find the most interesting. Some examples include: Thermal systems/fluids, Mechanical Structures, Materials, and Automotive design.
At University, many people enter programs which offer co-op/internships. You may want to explore this. For these, you can work a few of your school terms. This enables work experience, different career areas to experience, and an opportunity to earn money along the way. This allows you to explore different types of engineering work and may help you identify in what area you initially want to work. For these university programs, it could take 5+ years.
Best wishes to you as you explore your future career.
I am a mechanical engineer. Mechanical engineering is a fantastic foundation for many roles. I currently lead a company which helps businesses operate more efficiently using software tools and artificial intelligence aids. Prior to this, I led a team for the Advanced System Integration of defense/military vehicles and projects. In addition, I had many other roles in my career in the automotive industry including thermal engineer, design/release engineer, vehicle systems engineer, system safety engineer, and a variety of engineering leader roles. The engineering foundation enabled me to have a successful and wide variety of career experiences.
There are many types of engineering – Chemical, Mechanical, Electrical, Systems, Software, Industrial, Manufacturing and more. For mechanical engineering, there are also many sub-focus areas, so you can pick the area(s) that you find the most interesting. Some examples include: Thermal systems/fluids, Mechanical Structures, Materials, and Automotive design.
At University, many people enter programs which offer co-op/internships. You may want to explore this. For these, you can work a few of your school terms. This enables work experience, different career areas to experience, and an opportunity to earn money along the way. This allows you to explore different types of engineering work and may help you identify in what area you initially want to work. For these university programs, it could take 5+ years.
Best wishes to you as you explore your future career.