7. Careers in Engineering

By John Marcheggiani

What does an engineer do?

Old saying “An engineer can do with one dollar what any fool can do with two!”

Trained to use science, technology, and mathematics to solve problems in a systematic way

What types of engineer are there? Civil Engineering Structural (buildings, bridges, tunnels) Transportation (highways, railroads, canals) Environmental (air pollution management) Water resources (flood control) Geotechnical (mining) Surveying & Construction

What types of engineer are there? (continued) Mechanical Engineering Energy (power plants, heating and air

conditioning, alternative energy) Structures and motion in mechanical

systems (cars, planes, machine tools, medical systems)

Manufacturing (tools and processes, automated assembly lines, robotics)

What types of engineer are there? (continued) Chemical Engineering Design and operate any plant that involves a

chemical process Plastics and other petroleum products Building materials Food products Pharmaceuticals Clothing Fertilisers Environmental cleanup

What types of engineer are there? (continued) Electrical Engineering 36 technical societies with broad areas Electronics (circuits, microchips, lasers) Communications (cell phones, antennas,

networks, fibre-optics) Power (transmission and distribution of power,

electric motors, and generators) Controls (automated control systems, aerospace

control systems) Instrumentation (test equipment)

What types of engineer are there? (continued) Computer Engineering Hardware (computers, data storage) Software (programming, operating

Systems) Digital systems Computer architecture Networks

What types of engineer are there? (continued) Industrial Engineering Industrial Engineers determine the most

effective way for an organisation to use its resources (people, machines, materials, information and energy)

People oriented engineers Must know computers and management

practices

What types of engineer are there? (continued) Other Major Special Types Aerospace Materials / Metallurgical (removing metal from

the ore, refining, alloying) Bioengineering (engineering and medicine) Agricultural (genetic engineering) Mining / Geology Many - many - many - specialties

How Do You Become An Engineer? High School Study maths, sciences and physics Learn communications and people skills (engineers

work in teams and must be able to sell their ideas) University Not all universities are the same Co-op program offers practical experience while

you study First two years are common specialization in the

third and fourth year

How Do You Become An Engineer? (continued) After graduation Work under supervision as a junior engineer After two years experience you can write the

professional engineer exam and can practice as a registered engineer

May take further training (master's degree in engineering or progress to another degree)

There will be lifelong learning Many engineers go on to become project

managers and business managers

How Does An Engineer Do Things Client has a problem or sees an opportunity The engineer:

defines the problem and collect information and data about the problem

develops alternative designs or solutions (Usually more than one way to solve the problem)

identifies and compares the pros and cons of each solution

How Does An Engineer Do Things (continued)

helps the client determine the best choice for the best price

designs and manufactures the selected product trains others to use and support the new product continues development and improvement of the

product finds other uses for the product

What Types of Jobs Would a Junior Engineer Do? Normally will be assigned as a member of a

project team Research (analysing and solving problems

using scientific skills and logic) Designing (need imagination and creativity) Testing (lab work, conducting experiments) Development (improvement or adapting

existing products)

What Types of Jobs Would a Junior Engineer Do? Sales (must have a very good

knowledge of the product, because the marketing people may not be engineers)

Management – organising and expediting projects

Consulting Teaching

AND ALMOST ANYTHING ELSE … Some engineers that went on to other things: Neil Armstrong – astronaut and politician Alfred Hitchcock – writer and filmmaker Boris Yeltsin – premier of Russia Lee Iacocca – President of Chrysler

Corporation Yasser Arafat – Palestinian Leader

What can you expect from an engineering career? Varied opportunities (opens the door to many

areas) Challenging work (brain exercise) Social impact (improving our way of life) Prestige (engineering is a well respected

profession) Lifelong education (always new things to learn

about) How do they do that (curiosity) Creative thinking (dreaming)

What can you expect from an engineering career? Good Salary (From PEO 2003 survey)

Graduates in 2003 are now making between $40,000 to $55,620 - average $48,304

Graduates in 2001 are now making between $43,000 to $60,384 - average $52,396

REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF OTHER TECHNICAL CAREER FIELDS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND THE TRADES

Careers in Engineering WEB Sites

http://www.peo.on.ca/ http://www.eir.ca http://www.greatachievements.org/

Questions