Why did you decide to become an engineer?
Why did you decide to become an engineer?
(OP)
Why did you decide to become an engineer and what was the biggest misconception that you had about what an engineer does before working in the profession?
For me I started taking automechanics at community college and realized quickly that I didn't need to pay someone to teach me how to repair cars. I also wanted to know how engines were designed but didn't know that mechanical engineering was what I needed to study until already in college.
I thought that the work done my most engineers in industry couldn't be completed without the knowledge gained in school.
For me I started taking automechanics at community college and realized quickly that I didn't need to pay someone to teach me how to repair cars. I also wanted to know how engines were designed but didn't know that mechanical engineering was what I needed to study until already in college.
I thought that the work done my most engineers in industry couldn't be completed without the knowledge gained in school.





RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
as far as misconception, none really to write of as my college classes and past work experience closely coincide with current professional activities.
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
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RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
I started building model rockets when I was 10. Loved it, until I started getting into the nitro cars when I was 12. I studied every little piece as I love it so much. I remember trying to calculate the max speed by counting the teeth of the 2 speed gear box when I was 13. I didn't know if that's how you would do it as I was never taught it, but it made sense...haha (turns out it can be a way). I still occasionally build these little machines, 3 engineering degrees later.
Closed the deal as I was also constantly top in math and science classes.
Do what you enjoy, that's what matters. What the above indicates is that I love the field, that's all.
Fe
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
As for was I ever disappointed about anything, since I had the opportunity to work summers (and even during a 2 year break between my 2nd and 3rd year when I got married) for a multi-national company manufacturing capital machinery for the food and chemical processing industries, this allowed me to not only get a head start on my career (I was given 25 months employment credit when I started full time in 1971 after graduation) I was also able to demonstrate my skills and capabilities to my future bosses while still working as a sort of unofficial co-op, so that when I did join the company full time there was no need for a probationary period so I was able to start on big projects immediately.
I wouldn't trade my technical education or experience for anything although I do tend to look at everything without as much wonder and awe as most other people do as I either already know how and why something works the way that it does, or else I know enough to spend the rest of my time trying to figure out how it does work. Of course the downside is that you're always thinking that some 'idiot' designed whatever it was that you're looking at and that you could have always done a better job yourself
John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
http://www.siemens.com/plm
http://www.plmworld.com/museum/
To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
My first "job" involved spending 3 months at Acton Technical College, learning metalwork and other cerebral things. I really questioned whether I had done the right thing.
However, a few years later I had some University education going on and some really fascinating work placements.
I can't really imagine doing anything else these days. When a new car comes out, I want to know what's under the hood. And it's quite likely that I know the people involved.
- Steve
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
When I asked my careers advisor at school, she suggested I take Maths, IT and Chemistry as A-Levels, she thought it horrendous that my father 'wanted' me to study Physics. I did fairly bad in GCSE maths and they wouldnt let me study it at A-level, so I found a college who said their engineering course is accepted by the particular university I wanted to attend. 2 years down the line I discover it isn't but I somehow talked them around anyway. Its a wonder I ever made it.
So I got shoved down the route by my father really, I'm glad he did, my own ignorance at the time would have led me to something really stupid.
Biggest misconception - Engineers and salespeople dont have anything to do with eachother.
Will
Sheffield UK
Designer of machine tools - user of modified screws
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
The biggest misconception? That it'd be mostly technical, with no mention of politics or budgets...
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
A boatload of Heathkit trainer kits, three degrees, and a smattering of coffee later, I'm now a practicing engineer.
Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
What would you have ended up being if not an engineer?
- Steve
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
I'm a tad different than most. I was highly mechanically disinclined as a child (actuall, still am), but but was a stand out student in the sciences. I thought I was going to be a chemistry major in college, but then my chemistry teacher told me about his college roommate that had been in materials science and it sounded cool to me.
Additionally, if I majored in an engineering program, I didn't have to take any more foreign language classes (I would have if I had gone into chemistry).
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
A History professor, but Engineering looked like it paid better
While in Engineering school I had to take 15 elective credits of humanities or social studies, but only 12 credits could be in any one area of study. So I took 4 history classes and one psychology class. I'll admit that long term, what I learned in the psychology class was probably more valuable, but I enjoyed the history classes more and besides, I think it's important for people to have a perspective on the world around them and a study of history helps to provide that. Later on I discovered that there have been a lot of books written on the history of engineering and technology as well as the impact that these have had on society and the world in general, so in the end there was an intersection of sorts in my professional versus personal interests. And besides, as I've traveled the world (am up to 30 countries visited) I'm always looking for the local museums, many of which have dedicated sections on technology.
John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
http://www.siemens.com/plm
http://www.plmworld.com/museum/
To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
Plus I was pretty good with a wrench and enjoyed building things. So after much grinding and gnashing of teeth - I graduated with a BSCE specializing in structural. So that's what I do. Also have a "minor" in computer science - so I do some of that too. I always figured if I had to do the same problem more than once a week - I would just write a program to solve it for me. Has worked out pretty well.
Just remember your first two years will be just about the same for any engineering discipline. But you will get exposure to just about all of them. Then you need to make your decision. Sort of started out as an AE - then the Apollo program shut down leaving all kinds of AEs looking for jobs. So switched to SE.
Good Luck and have fun.
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
Now don't get me wrong, having additional skills, like meat cutting, can come in handy. We save money by buying whole chickens and I cut them up myself (I can still do about two a minute if I really need to
John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
http://www.siemens.com/plm
http://www.plmworld.com/museum/
To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
"Good to know you got shoes to wear when you find the floor." - Robert Hunter
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
Parents were journalists.
Oldest sister was writer/romance novelist.
Next sister got her Ph.D. in Pyschology.
Brother ran a YMCA & then became a massage therapist.
As the fourth of four kids, God gave me all the technical ability. I had "the knack", just like Dilbert.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmYDgncMhXw
TygerDawg
Blue Technik LLC
Virtuoso Robotics Engineering
www.bluetechnik.com
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
I found High School Science a breeze and wondered why people had to do extra study to learn something so obvious. Same with Descriptive Geometry (Drafting or Technical Drawing or whatever it was called at the time and place) and even the technical side of Geography.
I always knew I would end up as some sort of scientist and mechanic/engineer.
My school holiday jobs where usually detailing cars or felling trees to clear land.
My first real job was in a dyestuffs and textiles and leather finishing lab. I ended up studying textile technology/engineering and polymer chemistry, initially at trades and eventually at degree level.
Regards
Pat
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RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
An architect.
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
Regards
Pat
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RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
I was always been good at drawing as a kid. Had taken drafting class and woodshop throughout Jr High and High School.
Was headed into the USAF when I received a call that Douglas Aircraft wanted to hire me (1985). I took it, forget the military.
I had a good boss at McD that trained me in whatever I wanted to learn.
Chris
SolidWorks 10 SP5.0
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
http://www.siemens.com/plm
http://www.plmworld.com/museum/
To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
Math and science always came effortlessly in high school, and Dad was an engineer, so I went to college as an engineering major.
Me home for Xmas break: "Mom, Dad, I want to major in Philosophy!"
Parents: "Then you'd better figure out a way to pay your own way though school."
Me: "Maybe I'll stick with engineering, and get the philosophy degree later on."
Parents: "Good choice, son. Pass the stuffing."
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
Regards
Pat
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RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
- Steve
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
Mom and Dad were right, it was a good choice. I find it much more interesting and useful to be working on problems that have solutions than philosophizing about problems that don't.
But sometimes, in the wee hours, I still listen for the sound of one hand clapping...
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
I remember that. I grew up in Cypress, still live there.
I was laid off from Boeing across the street from you two years ago.
Chris
SolidWorks 10 SP5.0
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
Prior to Uni I contemplated industrial chemistry or IT but I really did not want to be stuck in a lab or chained to a computer.
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
I was under the misconception that my valuable contribution to society would be appreciated. What a laugh that is!
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
At this point if I can't get an engineering career going, I'll probably head into LED lighting design or digital imaging.
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
Plus, I was good at math and conceptual ability in school which didn't hurt. So, I kinda gravitated there naturally. While in undergraduate and graduate school, I served as a Civil Engineering intern for four years at the same utility. Got to see a lot if the inner workings and politics too.
Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
Biggest misconception - I thought that I'd actually be using the various advanced math I learned in the middle years of university.
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
Being of the 'ancient variety' I grew up in the 50's. One of the biggest events of the year, in a small town, was Halloween. It afforded me the opportunity to collect way more candy than I needed. Being 5 years old I took on the responsibility of introducing a young friend of mine to the delights of free candy.
She and I circled the block filling our sack with candy. I though why stop here, there are more houses in the next block. We ventured on and on, eventually getting several blocks from home. All was going well and according to plan till we came to one old house.
As we stood on the porch, the door opened and an old man (at five years of age, everyone looks old!) reached his hand out and dropped a hot penny into my little friend's hand. Of course she began to cry immediately, I didn't know what to do so I took her straight home.
I tearfully explained to her dad (a mechanical engineer) what happened. He calmly asked if I could find the house again. I told him I could. As we walked there together he explained to me what he wanted me to do "Just go up to the door, ring the doorbell then step back". It all seems reasonable to me. Everything went as outlined, as I stepped back, he stepped up and grabbed the guy and pulled him out onto the porch. In no uncertain terms, he 'explained' to him the error of his ways. Right then and there I knew I wanted to be an engineer!
Although the above is a true story, it is by no means the only reason I choose my profession; the love of mechanical things and the curiosity of how and why they worked fueled my desire to venture into this field.
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
I once got soup from a house whilst trick-or-treating. Never got a not penny.
But I could imagine what we would have done with the penny...... hope he didn't drive a merc..
Fe
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
Biggest misconception? I thought I'd be using all the higher math I took.
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
Fe
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
My std answer is, if a machine is causing you a problem it is always your fault one way or another as it is up to you to fix it or replace it or a component of it with a suitable device. It will always be logical and unemotional and devoid of ulterior motives.
With problems with people the inverse is very often the case.
Regards
Pat
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RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
Hydrology, Drainage Analysis, Flood Studies, and Complex Stormwater Litigation for Atlanta and the South East - http://www.campbellcivil.com
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
Change jobs then. I use "higher math" most days. Indeed my university text books are probably used more now than when they were new.
- Steve
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
After a few years I realized that the engineers I worked for controlled all the strings, and knew probably less then I did about design. Unfortunately they had an engineering degree, and therefore could do no wrong, and I was nothing but their CAD secretary. Do I sound bitter? So I spent the next 7 years taking night classes to get my BSME. I am still thinking about a career change.
Biggest misconception? That engineers take some class that teaches them how to know everything about anything, and that they are never wrong. I couldn't find that class at my school. Although I have worked for a few great engineers that I still believe did know everything.
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
Actually the current of life just kind of lead me into it. I didn't know any engineers growing up (was a farm kid) but both my parents pushed education as being needed. Thought I'd get bored with any trades jobs and didn't see myself as being too artsy. Engineering sounded interesting and it gave me an extra year to figure out what I wanted to do since the first one was generalized. After that was hooked.
My misconception was that the math involved would be easy since the high school math was so simple for me. A couple low grades and a withdrawl corrected that.
As for what I'd be doing if not engineering, maybe teaching I guess or some type of construction management.
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
Riches: nope (highr than average salary, but not by much).
Women: Find a female engineer and your life will be sweet.
- Steve
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
http://www.siemens.com/plm
http://www.plmworld.com/museum/
To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
Change jobs then. I use "higher math" most days. Indeed my university text books are probably used more now than when they were new. "
How nice for you?
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
What I really wanted to do was act but that was unacceptable, in my family, as a means of making a living.
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
Didn't have the aptitude for pilot so...
If I hadn't been an engineer, well ideally pilot, or else something else in the RAF.
As to misconceptions, maybe that not being great at the more analytical/intellectual side of things would hold me back.
Actually I'm still convinced it does/will however my pay doesn't really back up that hypothesis and senior folks keep telling me the sun shines from my proverbial and that I'm not at my full potential. I don't yet have the balls to tell them I'm pretty sure they're wrong.
What is Engineering anyway: FAQ1088-1484: In layman terms, what is "engineering"?
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
"Good to know you got shoes to wear when you find the floor." - Robert Hunter
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
Actually, acting is perfectly acceptable as a means of making a living, especially in engineering.
How else could I have survived this long in this business?
Regards,
SNORGY.
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
What is Engineering anyway: FAQ1088-1484: In layman terms, what is "engineering"?
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
RE: Why did you decide to become an engineer?
Applied to engineering school through process of elimination: was good at foreign languages but didn't want to be a French major and at the time didn't know that the field of linguistics existed; was good at math but my mother rightly talked me out of being a math major; had only just started chemistry and had not yet started physics when it was time to apply to college (I decided to leave high school a year early), so I wasn't ready to say I wanted to be a chemistry or phsyics major. My mother, grandfather, and father were all engineers, so I resisted at first on the grounds of "everyone is an engineer, why would I want to do that?" Mom tried telling me that most normal people, outside of families like mine, do not think "everyone is an engineer"; at the time I didn't believe her. But process of elimination prevailed.
Applied to mechanical engineering programs also by process of elimination. My misconception was that civil engineers mostly did earthwork stuff and I wasn't interested. Had no background in things electrical, so no EE, and the same logic for not applying to be a chemistry major also applies to ChemE.
The ME thing lasted a semester. I discovered the existence of linguistics, put that in the back of my mind; discovered computer science and declared that major; continued in my misconception about civil engineering. I did kind of know that CivE built bridges, but I wanted to build fancy bridges and knew that there weren't that many going up around the world, and besides, more misconception about the very separate disciplines within CivE, I was afraid if I aimed for bridges I'd get sewers and roadbeds.
Declared computer science major. After a couple of years transferred to linguistics. That was a logical progression. I dropped out of a linguistics PhD program for reasons not germane to this discussion, and then had an epiphany: civil engineers build buildings, too! If I can't have bridges, I can have skyscrapers. So I went back to engineering school, this time with a plan in mind for structural engineering. College is so much easier when you know what you want to do and why.
And then...I built bridges. Fancy ones even.
Hg
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