Engineering is a field that covers a wide spectrum of disciplines, so picking a career path in it can be confusing. Here is a short guide on how to find your way through the early steps of exploring the possibilities that engineering can open up for you.
1. Pick the main branch, but consider a specialization as well. The main branches are chemical, civil, electrical, and mechanical engineering. While you’re at it, you should consider the sub-branches and what specialization fulfills your potential. For example, if you find that you care a lot about the environment, maybe you should follow a path in civil engineering and then take a specialization on environmental engineering. Or perhaps you should pick mechanical engineering and then focus on green energy and power systems based on renewable sources.
2. Carefully consider the university, school, college, or whatever other educational institutes you can join. Not all degrees are made equal, and it’s important to note that if you are planning to immigrate and work to a specific country, you should check their list with the recognized degrees. This will play a pivotal role in getting the immigration points that you will need. For example, the Washington Accord list contains all of the accredited engineering degree programs used by several entities around the globe.
3. Attend lectures and seminars, or watch them on YouTube if you can’t be physically present, and pick an engineer who does what you aspire to do. Then check their background, previous work, and professional experience. Can you do some of the same or even similar things as they have done? If yes, do them. More often than not, taking the same steps as another person leads to the same destination.
Of course, the world is changing fast, and engineering is a field that gets altered by technology day by day, but having yardsticks to follow is never the wrong approach.
