Engineering Today

The face of engineering today is far broader and more varied than at any time in the history of this respected and interesting profession.  Scientific progress has advanced to the point where engineers are now able to play a critical role in almost every facet of daily life.  This means that those interested in pursuing a career in engineering are now more than ever able to combine their outside interests with their profession in order to find a good fit for themselves in the job market.  There are a huge number of engineering niches which can now be filled by eager job seekers who can prove that they have what it takes to properly apply their engineering knowledge to problems and tasks which may not even have existed in the previous decade.

Traditional engineering roles such as civil engineering and mechanical engineering of course continue to be strong choices for newly minted graduates.  Civil engineers are being charged with the task of integrating new green technologies, power delivery systems, and water management systems into modern urban and rural settings.  The challenges posed by shifting environmental requirements has caused many civil engineers to re-think established methodologies and innovate to a greater degree than in the past.  Mechanical engineers are finding some of these same ecological questions being posed by the manufacturing industry, where products are now being built with a mind towards using as many recycled and recyclable materials as possible.  Energy reduction during the production phase and the elimination of toxic by-products are two other new demands facing mechanical engineers.

Examples of how science has intersected with engineering in order to open new employment doors can be easily found in the biomedical field.  Now that it has become practical to work with molecules on a very small scale, the building of microscopic machines to treat medical problems is a fascinating engineering field that would have seemed like science fiction a mere 15 years ago.  This type of work is alongside the need for new procedures, implements, and devices that can increase the health of the human body, extend its lifespan, and improve the overall quality of life for patients.  Engineers are additionally called upon to investigate ways to produce drugs and medications to a higher standard, providing purer and more potent cures and treatments in a more efficient manner.

Computer and software engineers have benefited from the emergence of the Internet as the dominant force in commerce and communication.  Instead of merely developing for personal computers or mainframes, software engineers are now called upon to write code that can run on a multitude of portable devices, automobile systems, and even appliances.  Computer engineers must come up with new protocols for hardware and systems that allow for greater global connectivity between each of these devices.  The commoditization of the Internet has led to huge opportunities for engineers who can match their skills to the needs of companies hungry to lead the next wave of innovation and discovery.

Engineering today is about more than just problem solving – it is about context.  The interconnected nature of so many industries means that those engineers who are able to fully understand the problems set before them and examine them from all angles are the ones who will be best able to capitalize on the surge in engineering jobs.  Being able to demonstrate that you have the right tools for the job, that you fully comprehend what it entails, and that you can bring a fresh perspective and outlook to a company will be vital characteristics when it comes to snagging the position of your dreams.