Options for Engineering Courses
‘Believe
that success is your option’
Engineering contains a large number of job opportunities and
specialties. We’ve selected a list of specialties below. With each specialty,
we look at the definition and nature of the work, the specialties employment
trends, possibly career advancement opportunities, and hope that it is helpful
for you in determining whether or not the career is right for you.
Electrical
Engineer
Electrical engineers work with the most versatile and
important type of power, electricity, in all its forms from the electrons to
large-scale magnetic fields. In addition to designing new products, electrical engineers
construct, operate, and maintain a variety of electrical systems and equipment.
Some specialize in electronics, others in even more specific areas such as
space communications or industrial robotics.
Electrical and electronics engineers can specialize in
different areas such as power generation, transmission, and distribution;
communications; and electrical equipment manufacturing, or a specialty within
one of these areas such as industrial robot control systems or aviation
electronics. Many electrical and electronics engineers work in areas closely
related to computers. However, engineers whose work is related exclusively to
computer hardware are considered computer hardware engineers.
Mechanical
Engineer
Mechanical engineers like to take things apart or conversely
to build and maintain all kinds of machines – from robots to cars to space
exploration vehicles.
Mechanical engineers spend their time researching,
designing, manufacturing, and testing all kinds of mechanical things: tools,
engines, machines, and other devices. They study materials, heat and energy
transfer, manufacturing technologies among other things to design machines and
tools that will meet all the requirements for a particular job.
Related engineering fields include: hydraulics – designing
new and improved ways of applying fluid control to ensure machinery operates
smoothly; pneumatics – using air pressure to control machines; thermodynamics –
using heat energy transfer and related machines turning heat energy into
mechanical power; automotive – research, develop and test innovative vehicles.
Civil
Engineer
Civil engineers are involved in building things such as the
Melbourne Cricket Ground, the Sydney Harbour Bridge and high-rise buildings
such as The Rialto in Melbourne.
Civil engineers design and supervise the creation of
structures. They work on everything from buildings, tunnels and dams, to
highways and airports, to water and sewerage systems.
They use computer technologies and advanced materials to
design structures that meet the needs of a growing population while protecting
the environment, reducing the dangers from natural phenomenon like storms, and
considering future needs of the community.
Industrial
Engineer
Industrial engineers often imagine how they can improve
something by making it work better or faster.
Industrial engineers develop and implement plans to maximize
the efficiency and effectiveness of an organization. They look at how people,
machines, energy, resources and information are used to accomplish management’s
goals and devise ways to improve those methods.
Industrial engineers have sometimes been called
“productivity people” and “efficiency experts”.
Aerospace
Engineer
Aerospace engineering is the study of the design,
development, and production of air and spacecraft. This engineering discipline
is often divided between those who pursue careers on the aeronautical side and
those working on space craft. Both air and space vehicles contain complex
subsystems that require specialists from many engineering groups such as
electrical, mechanical, and computer engineering.
However, the broad knowledge of air and space craft
possessed by aerospace engineers best equips them to serve as systems engineers
or engineering project managers on most aerospace projects. Aerospace engineers
functioning as systems engineers or engineering project managers on projects
manage aerospace development and upgrade efforts from an enterprise
perspective.
Chemical
Engineer
Chemical engineers utilize their knowledge of the physical
world to manipulate the interactions of individual atoms and molecules.
Their talents are generally employed in the research and
development of new materials and are critical to numerous fields including
nanotechnology, energy storage, and computing.
Often working alongside other engineers in interdisciplinary
teams to solve humanity's greatest problems, chemical engineers are guaranteed
to remain key leaders in securing our future prosperity whether on this planet
or any other.
Computer
Engineer
Computer Engineers develop and improve the software programs
and hardware that make computers run. Computer Engineers may specialize in
either software or hardware.
From operating system software, such as Windows and Linux,
to individual computer programs, such as Photoshop and Microsoft Office,
Software Engineers turn piles of hardware into fully functional computers.
Hardware Engineers develop the hardware of computers, including the
motherboards, graphics and audio cards and drives that are later programmed by
Software Engineers.
To become a Computer Engineer, you should consider pursuing
a degree in Computer Science or another closely related field. While some
Computer Engineers manage to learn the skills they need to succeed without a
formal education, the vast majority of competition in the work force have
college degrees.
In addition to a formal education, aspiring Computer
Engineers should use their free time to keep up on the latest trends and
changes in software and hardware development. Familiarity with recently developed
software programs, patches, and computer chips is essential because the
knowledge base of the Computer Engineering field is constantly evolving to keep
up with new technologies.
Software
Engineer
Software engineers are specialists who are in charge of the
testing, design, development and maintenance of computer software for business
and personal use.They apply the principles of mathematics, engineering and
computer science in creating managing software. These professionals are
responsible for programming computers to make them operate as they should.
Engineers focused on developing system software are involved
in creating the systems and software that make computers work.These are
primarily the operating systems for computers used in businesses or at home.
Programming software involves debugging, maintenance and support of computer
programs.
Application software involves the design of computer
programs and applications. This includes word processors and commercial
software that is sold to consumers.
Environmental
Engineer
Environmental engineering studies can lead to a bachelor of
science (B.S.) degree, master's degrees (M.S. and M.Eng.), and a Ph.D.
A solid curriculum can include breadth courses in civil
engineering, focus courses for additional skills in environmental engineering,
a science course extending environmental knowledge, and a design course. The
B.S. is a 4-year degree, and graduate degrees can add 18 months to 5 years
additional study.
Graduate studies give students advanced skills to solve
existing environmental problems and avoid creating more. Students gain
practical experience from hands-on laboratory training, and they participate in
and conduct research on environmental problems.
To become an engineer, you need to be educated ! ! !