So you are thinking of majoring in engineering, but how do you know if you should? The truth is, this a very normal thought, one I know all too well.
When I was a senior in high school I completed a career aptitude test because I thought that might help me determine if I should major in engineering or something else.
What I did not expect to happen was me leaving in tears…
The results came back that I should be a social worker! I was devastated. Then, I told the guidance counselor that was explaining the results to me, that I was thinking of majoring in engineering. He just made matters worse by saying my SAT scores were not high enough for someone looking to get into an engineering college. Next, he noted that because the test showed I was a nice person, I would never play sports in college either. People who are nice, usually aren’t very good at sports he explained.
I left really upset because not only did engineering seem out of the question, but now playing softball in college was also not going to happen either?
Well it turns out I ignored that man and the test.
I went on to a great engineering college, had three successful internships, and landed my dream job out of college. Also, I played softball all four years.
So why am I telling you this story? I want to let you know, that YOU are the only person that can determine if engineering is right for you. No career aptitude test, guidance counselor, or teacher can tell you that you can be an engineer or not, it comes down to you. If you have the drive and perseverance, you can become an engineer too!
My hope is to help make that decision a little easier for you by assessing yourself against the criteria below. Hopefully I can help provide information that highlights whether you should consider majoring in engineering.
Before you start, there are three truths about engineering you should know.
- Engineering majors have some of the highest starting salaries out of all bachelor degrees.
- Studying engineering takes a lot of work, more work than most other majors. Therefore, if you put in the effort, you will be rewarded with a great paying job after graduation.
- You should have done well in your math and science classes in high school. If you could barely get by those, then majoring in engineering is going to be much more challenging.
Why do I throw these three things out there right away? Well some people are drawn towards engineering because of the money. However, if you are not passionate about it and willing to put in the work, the high paying job won’t matter because you would have probably changed your major before even graduating to the high paying job.
So if you do not want to put in the work or you really struggled in math and science in high school, engineering may not be for you.
Now that that is out of the way, below are the things you should consider!
1. Understand The Engineering Skill Set
There are many different types of engineering majors and even more jobs engineers can obtain. These jobs range from highly theoretical, such as quantum engineering to more hands on, such as a field engineer that is responsible for fixing machines on site.
Before you dive into what type of engineering major you want to pursue, first you must understand if engineering is right for you.
There is a vast skill set needed for engineering. To illustrate this, I created a list of technical and soft skills. When people think of engineering skills, your mind automatically goes to the technical skills. However, soft skills are equally as important. The soft skills often differentiate an okay engineer from a great engineer. Soft skills are also referred to as interpersonal skills.
Below is a breakdown of technical skills and soft skills to show you all the different traits that make a good engineer. Technical skills are dependent on the job. The list below are examples of technical skills for a job you could get with a mechanical engineering degree. However, most of these skills are the same across all engineering majors. Soft skills are universal, so they would be applicable to any type of engineering you go into.
Technical Skills:
- Use of lab equipment
- Statistics
- Data analysis
- Analytical or CAD software (Minitab, SolidWorks, MATLAB, Excel)
- Part, Process, and Product design
- Root cause analysis
- Test method development
- Technical writing
- Ability to read and create technical drawings
- Analytical skills
- Ability to create specifications, BOMs (bill of materials), and drawings
- Mechanical Aptitude
- Job specific:
- Understanding of specific processes (i.e. extrusion, metal working, injection molding)
- Certain types of analysis (i.e. structural, dynamic, fluid)
- Understanding of how specific products work (anything from medical device to automobiles)
Soft Skills:
- Leadership
- Time management
- Ability to prioritize tasks and multitask
- Oral and written communication
- Attention to detail
- Organization
- Resourcefulness
- Decision making
- Negotiating
- Influence
- Ability to work independently and with a team
- Problem solving
- Understanding the processes of the company to get things done
- Presentation skills
- Perseverance
- Ability to give and receive feedback
- Attitude (enthusiasm, commitment, and motivation)
- Ability to justify and defend your logic
Get a printable version of the skill set list above here!
2. Identify Your Interests And Strengths
Now that you know the skills required for engineering, you need to focus on your skills and interests. How many of your strengths and passions align with the list above?
Engineering projects are made up of teams and the best teams are the ones with individuals who have all different skills sets. Therefore, do not get stuck on the skill that you think engineers must have to succeed. Instead, focus on your abilities and interests. How many of them align with the engineering skill set above? If a lot of these skills are clicking with you then engineering is probably the right major for you!
One of the things that surprised me about engineering was how important soft skills are. They are the ones from the list that come easily to me, some of the other technical skills were the ones I had to work at. However, my soft skill set is what set me apart from my colleagues and helped me get promoted quicker. My leadership and communication skills were highlighted in meetings and giving presentations.
Take note of any of the skills from the list above that you dislike. If the majority of the items you find yourself disinterested in or things you hate doing, then engineering may not be for you. Therefore, it is important to assess both your interests and disinterests.
3. Get Industry Experience
Try to spend time with an engineer if you can (in person or virtually). This way you can ask them specific questions you may have and understand what their job entails. Below are some of the ways you can do this:
- Job shadow
- Talk to family and friends
- Informational interviews
- Blogs
When I was in high school I was debating between engineering and pharmacy. I knew I liked math and science so I was interested in fields involving those skills. My mom’s cousin was the only engineer I knew. I reached out to her to see if I could shadow her for one day to see what the daily life of an engineer was like. She was an aerospace engineer. I knew I did not want to do aerospace engineering, but I thought I could still benefit from going on the job shadow.
The thing that surprised me the most was the amount of people she interacted with. We attended many meetings. There was a great team atmosphere.
I did not know any pharmacists, so I went to CVS and asked if I could set up a meeting with the pharmacist to learn more about what they did. They agreed and I am so glad I did this. Most of the day the pharmacist was working by himself. Also, he looked a lot of things up on the computer. It seemed like it was more memorization than problem solving involved.
These experiences made it very clear that engineering was a better fit for me. I wanted to work in a team environment and I really enjoy problem solving. It gave me more clarity for which major was right for me.
4. Assess The Time Commitment
How long do you want to go to school for? One of the great things about majoring in engineering is that you only have to go to school for four years, and you enter your first job with a fantastic yearly salary. This was one of the draws for me because I really did not want to go to graduate school. Most other great paying jobs you need a master’s degree or a doctorate for, but not engineering.
Also, most engineering businesses will pay for you to get your master’s degree while you are working.
If you really want to get it before starting work, then there are opportunities for that as well. Some colleges offer a five year program where you can get a bachelor’s degree in four years and stay an extra year to get your master’s degree.
This is a great option because it will save you time and money. Usually master’s programs are longer than a year. If you know you want to do this type of program, you build your schedule so that senior year you are taking graduate level courses. These get double counted for your undergrad and graduate degrees.
5. Evaluate The Employment Outlook
Going to college to obtain a degree is an investment. It is an investment in yourself and your future, as well as a financial one. The hope is that it pays off in the future. Therefore, you must consider the salary, job placement rates, and job growth in the major you choose.
Luckily if you are interested in engineering, all of these factors are very positive. Eight out of the top 20 majors for starting salary and job growth are engineering majors!
When you are comparing colleges for engineering, you should consider the cost of college vs the salary you will make and job placement rate. Most colleges list the average starting salaries of their graduates as well as the job placement rate. Sometimes it is worth it to spend a little more on college if you are going to come out making more or if you have a higher likelihood of obtaining a job.
Hopefully this helped you feel less overwhelmed with the decision of choosing a major. To summarize, the things you should consider include:
- Understanding The Engineering Skill Set
- Identify Your Interests And Strengths
- Get Industry Experience
- Assess The Time Commitment
- Evaluate The Employment Outlook
Still debating on if engineering is right for you? Reach out to me at meagan@engineeringexpectations.com! I’d love to answer your questions about engineering. I have helped many students so let me help you!
