The Four Most Common Engineering Career Paths

Engineering isn’t a linear career path. It has many disciplines and is a popular career choice for people from all backgrounds. Engineers are employed to design, test and build machines, structures and processes; it’s essentially the application of science and maths blended together to solve problems. Whether you’re working on advanced prosthetics, researching alternative fuels or constructing a bridge, engineers are often the heart and soul of a project.

What makes engineering a popular profession?

There are a number of reasons why engineering is so popular among many looking for a rewarding career. If you’re interested in both science and maths, there’s pretty much no better career! By using your imagination as well as logical thinking, you’ll get to tackle real problems and find the best and most creative solutions. 

You’ll also find that engineering is popular among those who like to work in teams, as many projects will have more than one engineer working to find a solution. Teamwork is a key ingredient of a successful career in engineering, and you’re likely to be working with some of the smartest and most engaging professionals. 

The most popular reason that many venture into engineering is that you’ll be making a difference. Whether you’re helping to design and build a new energy-efficient home or life-saving medical equipment, there are so many opportunities to make a positive difference to the world. 

What are some of the most common engineering career paths?

Mechanical –

this area of engineering spans a number of different career paths, from aerospace and automotive to manufacturing and robotics. You’ll need to ensure you’re proficient in using specialist types of equipment such as plasma cutters, but once you’re there, the possibilities are endless!

Electrical / electronic –

electrical engineering is essentially the production and supply of electrical power, whereas electronic engineering is dealing with smaller electrical components such as computers. Both combine technical skills with project management skills and means you could be working on large commercial projects or smaller invention ones. 

Civil –

if you like designing and building things, civil engineering is the way to go. Here you’ll combine maths problem solving skills with design and technology skills. Another element of civil engineering is project management, where you’ll learn all about how to manage budgets and schedules for clients. 

Chemical –

this discipline within engineering looks at the use of chemical and biological processes to produce new materials. In this particular field you’ll need not only your engineering knowledge, but also maths and economics. You could be working in a wide variety of different sectors such as food and drink, plastics, energy and even pharmaceuticals.  The demand for chemical engineering degree holders, especially those with advanced degees is expected to increase over the next 10 years as the demand for products among a wide variety of industries continues to grow.

There are many engineering career paths to delve into. So it’s important to think about which one suits your set of skills best before jumping into a particular one.