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Unveiling My Journey into Engineering: Seeking Your Valuable Input 3

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Jakahitri

Student
Nov 3, 2023
1
Hello Engineers

In this text, I am going to number statements with question marks and I would kindly ask you if you can just say if they are right or wrong. I would also like to hear your comments or opinions on my plan to study Engineering. I will happily accept positive and negative comments.

I am 18 years old, and I have less than a year to start university.

I am 100% sure that I am going to study Engineering. At first, I wanted to study Mechanical Engineering because it's the most versatile (1?), but after talking to my counsellor and talking with my parents they mentioned why I don't go study something more specific in Engineering eg. Chemical Engineering or Aerospace Engineering, because they are more specific and you are here an expert compared to if you are a Mechanical Engineer where you are jack of all trades, but master of none, and they said salary is better in more specific types of Engineering (2?).

I don't like electrics or chemistry too much, so I think electrical and chemical Engineering won't be for me. But I find great interest in big things eg. aeroplane engines, ship engines, oil rigs, big valves... I don't care whether it's on an aeroplane, oil rig or just a big ship engine. To me the bigger the better. I find the most interest in Mechanical Engineering because it's the most versatile, I also like Civil Engineering and Marine Engineering, but I don't find those 2 so interesting that I would be ready to devote my whole life to them. I would much rather start with Mechanical Engineering and then see where the road takes me. I also like the idea of a Mechanical Engineer because I can work basically everywhere.

I did 2 short quizzes on which type of Engineer I should be and they both said Mechanical Engineering.

I am from Slovenia and I plan to go and study in the UK. I plan to do a bachelor's for 3 years in Mechanical Engineering and then go work for 1 year. During those 3 years and then 1 year just working I will be able to see where I find the most interest and then maybe do a Master's in what I find the most interesting. Do you recommend I do Masters or are more years on the field better? (3?)

I heard that in Engineering the thing that matters the most with employers are the experiences and not which level of degree you have (Bachelor, Master) (4?). During my Bachelor's, I plan to work as much as the time will allow me in different engineering companies eg. a summer job... If everything goes well I also plan to do MBA. (just in case ;).)

If I graduate as a Mechanical Engineer with just a bachelor's degree, will the employers employ me or not because I would be a jack of all trades but a master of none? Is it better I do a Master's in Mechanical Engineering or I specialize in something else? (5?)That is my biggest concern if I graduate with Mechanical Engineering I wouldn't be highly desired because I don't know anything specific.

Thank you very much, I am looking forward to your answers ;).

Sorry for grammatical mistakes, English is not my first language.
 
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If I graduate as a Mechanical Engineer with just a bachelor's degree, will the employers employ me or not because I would be a jack of all trades but a master of none?

Says who? Do you really think that BSME graduates are all unemployed, or employed as street sweepers, etc.? While there is an obvious synergy in continuing on to an MS directly after graduation, that's only if you actually know for sure that you wish to specialize to that degree. As a BSME, I would argue that you aren't even a jack of all trades, perhaps more like a seven of all trades; you might eventually become a jack of all trades, but that takes time and experience.

Unless you have a burning passion for something that you might want to get an MS for, I would suggest holding off from that. As a specialist, you would ostensibly command a higher salary, and there would be fewer opportunities to start with, and you might find less work sent your way, because you're a specialist and you cost more to the company.

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert! faq731-376 forum1529 Entire Forum list
 
Get a BSME degree (I have one, but ended up in aerospace). It’s probably the most versatile. But you will sort of need to specialize within that degree, as its not possible to take all of the junior/senior year ME classes (unless you have rich parents who will fund you for 7-8 years to get a BS degree).

Get a Masters degree after you have worked a short while and have found a specific area that you like. An often employers will pay for the MS if you go part time while working.

There is no degree field that will make you even remotely close to an “expert” when you graduate. The BS degree teaches you how to become an engineer. It is the first step in a lifetime of learning engineering skills.

Employers value practical experience outside of classrooms, such as engineering internships, hands on jobs, student design/build organizations (robots, autos, rockets, etc) that have competitions. Engineering involves a lot of teamwork, so those type of skills need to be developed.
 
if you don't have an absolute passion for a field, it doesn't really matter; mech eng is as good as any, more versatile, less specialised . A colleague of mine (working in aerospace) had a civil degree. Use your electives to dabble in fields that look interesting. As above, try to get practical experience. But above all, apply yourself (geeze, I sounds like an olde fart) ... in university you're learning the foundation of your career.

"Hoffen wir mal, dass alles gut geht !"
General Paulus, Nov 1942, outside Stalingrad after the launch of Operation Uranus.
 
There is no grand plan in the universe, or, if there is, it's not a straight path
> An actual coworker at McDonnell Douglas, Andrew Cherng, was an engineer who ran a Chinese restaurant as a side gig, before that was an actual thing. It was called Panda Inn, and was pretty good, and he and his wife, who also worked at McDonnell Douglas, quit to work it full time, and expanded. He called his chain Panda Express, and they are now basically billionaires. We, and their coworkers who stayed in engineering, not so much ;-)

> Had an ophthalmologist once who started out as EE.

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert! faq731-376 forum1529 Entire Forum list
 
There may be more graduates in the specialist fields than there are specialist jobs for them to do and the specialist jobs don't always land in the laps of those with specialist qualifications: Ten years out of my Electrical Engineering degree, my job was defining the flight envelopes for Fast Jets. Last week,I was crawling round the bowels of a ship in the company of an Aeronautical Engineering graduate.

I smiled when I noticed you hadn't numbered (and asked our opinion about) the MBA idea.

Do what gets you excited and make yourself good at it.

There are plenty of exciting opportunities for Mechanical Engineers.

A.

 
Do what you enjoy, then it’s never really work. For me, it was math and chemistry, therefore Chemical Process Engineer.

Good Luck,
Latexman

 
I'd love to see a survey of aerospace grads to find out how many use their aerospace superpowers at work, and compare that with the number of ME grads who do aerospace type stuff at work. My suspicion is that the degree is not that relevant. Having said that if aero is what you are interested in, then you will enjoy an aero degree more, and be more enthusiastic about it. That is worth it in its own right. The difference in course content between aero and ME is not all that great, and you can check it for yourself by looking at the curriculum at your universities.

Cheers

Greg Locock


New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376
 
Ugh, I missed the part about doing an MBA. DON’T!!! It will ruin you as an engineer.
 
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