David
What sort of specific careers does the major Mechanical Engineering involve ?
I am asking because I would like to know what exactly I am in store for with this major, as this may be my focus in college. Though I do have other possible choices for a major in college as backup. #engineering #science #mechanical-engineering #math
2 answers
Ryan Bonaparte
Ryan’s Answer
David, it's great that you're thinking about this ahead of time, before you decide on your path forward. Mechanical Engineering is one of the most diverse engineering majors available and has wide-ranging career paths.
While in school, you'll have the opportunity to determine which area of mechanical engineering to focus on, from learning about the structures that hold large buildings up to the growing nanotechnology applications. Cars, planes, robotics, medical devices, and many other areas are all relevant for mechanical engineers.
Additionally, many companies look for people with engineering degrees not so much for their technical know-how, but for their analytical abilities. These include consulting firms, financial institutions, and many other places.
This is just a few of the career paths available, not to mention all of the non-technical areas that you might decide to pursue, so it really is a great place to start. The downside is that mechanical engineering is not an easy major, as is the case for most engineering, so be prepared to work hard. However, if you are successful, there are plenty of opportunities following graduation for you to work in a variety of fields.
Madison Bonovich
Madison’s Answer
Some of the areas where mechanical engineers are expected to be in high demand in this coming decade include:
The Electric Vehicle Industry will need mechanical engineers to design mechatronics to support new electrical systems & design robotics and assembly lines.
Like Ryan mentioned in the above answer: Nanoengineering is a rapidly growing field for mechanical engineers.
In the years ahead, mechanical engineers are expected to be integral in using nanotechnology to:
Create stronger composite materials
Develop superior renewable energy storage systems
Create advanced biomedical devices
Manufacturing is another industry you will have plenty of opportunities in. Mounting pressures to increase production efficiency while minimizing operating costs have fueled demand for new and innovative automation and robotic technologies (an area in which mechanical engineers are crucial).
There is also the exciting industry that will require the skills of the best mechanical design engineers – AI design. Artificially intelligent programs and machines will soon be doing a large part of the design of the future. First, they have to learn and be complemented by actual mechanical design engineers.