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Career in Mechanical Engineering, Careers and Career Option

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Career in Mechanical Engineering

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Introduction
Mechanical engineering is one of the oldest branches of engineering. It is also referred to as the mother branch of engineering. Another appealing feature of mechanical engineering is that the application base of this field of study is ex tremely broad and div erse. Almost all inv entions during the ancient period and a v ast majority in the modern era are direct contributions of one or the other application of mechanics. Traditionally , mechanical engineers hav e to deal with concepts such as mechanics, thermody namics, robotics, kinematics, structural analy sis, fluid mechanics and many others. These concepts are applied in the process of designing state-of-the-art manufacturing units, different ty pes of motor v ehicles, aircraft and aerospace parts and a v ast assortment of industrial machinery . Mechanical engineers also contribute in the dev elopment of v arious engines, power plant equipment, heating and cooling sy stems and other simple and complex machinery . Mechanical engineers not only design new mechanical sy stems but they are also responsible for testing, maintaining and manufacturing them. The aforementioned are the conv entional roles and responsibilities of mechanical engineers. Howev er, times hav e changed. Nowaday s the scope of mechanical engineering is ex panding bey ond its traditional boundaries. Mechanical engineers are focussing their attention towards new areas of research such as nanotechnology , dev elopment of composite materials, biomedical applications, env ironmental conserv ation, etc. The ev er increasing scope of this particular job profile now requires professionals to get into financial and marketing aspects of product dev elopment and ev en into people and resource management. All in all mechanical engineering offers a wide bouquet of job options to students who are looking for a stable and stimulating career. Name Location India Date of Birth Date Mobile Gender Email Receive NewsLetter Please select
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Step-by-Step
Passing 1 0+2 with PCM (Phy sics, Chemistry and Mathematics) is the first step y ou take towards becoming a professional mechanical engineer. To be eligible for a graduate programme (BE/BTech) in a college, y ou should hav e scored at least 50% marks and 60% for being eligible for IITs (Indian Institute of Technology ) in 1 0+2 with PCM as subjects. After this, y ou can sit for v arious entrance ex aminations such as: The Joint Entrance Ex amination for IITs (IITJEE) for admission to v arious IITs

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Career in Mechanical Engineering, Careers and Career Option

All-India Engineering Entrance Ex am (AIEEE) for admission to v arious National Institutes of Technology or regional engineering colleges Apart from these, there are hundreds of engineering colleges across the length and breadth of the country where y ou can get into a graduate programme in mechanical engineering. Some of these colleges conduct their own entrance ex ams whereas some accept AIEEE scores. Y ou can also opt for a diploma in engineering from a poly technic. For obtaining a diploma, the basic eligibility is completion of Class 1 0 with 50% marks. The duration of these diploma courses is three-y ears for regular and four-y ears for part-time study . Y ou can also go for an associate membership qualification from the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, which is considered at par with the diploma earned from a state run poly technic or a univ ersity degree. Another option is to earn a similar qualification offered by the Institution of Engineering (India). Diploma holders can also get direct entry into the second y ear of a graduate program (lateral entry ). After successful completion of the graduate program, y ou can go for the two-y ear masters program in mechanical engineering or ME/MTech. If y ou are interested in pursuing a post-graduate programme in mechanical engineering from any of the IITs, then y ou must appear for the Graduate Aptitude Test for Engineers (GATE). These day s many engineering colleges are offering a dual (BE/BTech and ME/MTech) programmes. Some other institutions are offering a combination of an engineering degree along with a management programme. In case y ou are interested in further studies, y ou can go do a PhD or ev en opt for a management degree from a reputed business school.

Start Early
To make mechanical engineering y our chosen career path, y ou must hav e affinity for the way different machines function. This trait can be observ ed from early childhood when children try to tinker around with different machinery in their immediate v icinity . Such kids often tend to take apart mechanical toy s, clocks, bicy cles and then they try to assemble them back again. These children are so innov ativ e that they may ev en try to make new things. Here, parents hav e a special role to play . They must understand that the child possesses an inquisitiv e mind that is interested in gaining knowledge about machinery and not in breaking or destroy ing things. Parents must encourage the childs curiosity to know more about different gadgets and machines in and around the house. During schooling, the quest to play around with machinery increases all the more. This curiosity often culminates with the child opting for science with the PCM subject combination.

Is it the Right Career for Me?

Like other career paths, the entry into this particular branch of engineering also requires y ou to possess certain basic traits. First and foremost, y ou must hav e a penchant for mechanical components and machinery and how these machines work. Then y ou must be good at phy sics, chemistry and mathematics. Y ou must also hav e skills such as an analy tical bent of mind, logical reasoning and problem solv ing. Further, y ou must hav e immense patience, phy sical strength, ability to work for long hours and an inv entiv e spirit that are essential ingredients for becoming a successful mechanical engineer.

What would it Cost Me?

A graduate programme from a priv ate engineering institution will cost y ou any where between Rs.50,000 to Rs.2,00,000 annually . Howev er, in a reputed gov ernment run establishment such as the Indian institute of Technology (IIT) or any regional engineering college, y ou will hav e to pay an annual fees in the range of any where between Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000.

Funding/Scholarship
Educational institutes offering programmes in mechanical engineering generally ex tend scholarships to students from socially and economically backward classes. For ex ample, IITs waiv e off the complete tuition fees for

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Career in Mechanical Engineering, Careers and Career Option

students belonging to the socially backward communities. Scholarships, freeships, stipends and financial assistance are also prov ided to students on the basis of merit and other qualify ing criteria.

Job Prospect
Since mechanical engineering is the broadest of all engineering fields, the job prospects on offer for skilled mechanical engineers are aplenty and unending. Mechanical engineers are required to design, test, manufacture, install, operate and maintain a wide array of machines and mechanical sy stems that are used in countless industries. These professionals can find employ ment both in the gov ernment and priv ate sector undertakings. Major industries that employ mechanical engineers include automobiles, space research, aeronautical, energy and utilities, air conditioning, biomechanical industry . Other major employ ers include giant manufacturing plants, air conditioning and refrigeration industry , turbine manufacturing plants, oil and gas ex ploration and refining industries and the agricultural sector. In the gov ernment sector, mechanical engineers can prov ide their knowledge to v arious gov ernment run projects in the role of technical ex perts and consultants. They can also work in priv ate engineering companies that prov ide technical consultancy to both gov ernment and corporate firms. These engineers can also hold high managerial positions in gov ernment as well as priv ate sector organisations according to their field of ex pertise and educational qualifications.

Pay Packet
Mechanical engineering offers a wide v ariety of career opportunities to job aspirants. The av erage monthly salary of mechanical engineers who are new to this profession is approx imately in the range between Rs.1 0,000 and Rs.25,000. Good campus placements can fetch ev en better packages for deserv ing students. Mechanical engineers who hold a post-graduate degree from a reputed academic institute tend to get better offers than diploma and degree holders. From here on the annual pay packet depends on a number of factors such as the skill set possessed, ex perience, ex pertise, the employ er, nature of roles and responsibilities, etc. Highly skilled mechanical engineers can easily command pay packets as high as Rs 40-45 lacs per annum.

Demand and Supply

There is great demand for skilled mechanical engineers in different segments of the industry . Their ex pertise is required in traditional manufacturing industries such as automobiles, av iation, shipping, aerospace, power plants and machinery manufacturing. In recent times, the serv ices of ex pert mechanical engineers hav e ev en been sought in fields such as nanotechnology , biomedical engineering, energy conserv ation and env ironmental engineering. There is also great requirement for mechanical engineer consultants who hav e management skills along with technical proficiency . The primary role of such professionals is to manage both technology and people and firms that prov ide engineering consultancy require them. V arious engineering colleges and poly technics across the country are doing their best to meet the burgeoning demand of skilled mechanical engineering professionals.

Market Watch
The job market for mechanical engineers is perennial. Ev en the v agaries of the global economic crisis could not knock out the demand for these professionals in the Indian job market. Although some branches of mechanical engineering went out of focus during the meltdown period, the ov erall situation was much better as compared with other careers. On the brighter side, things are getting back to normal and this ev ergreen career path is again gaining coin amongst career aspirants as it did during the premeltdown y ears. In fact, this is a period of resurgence for mechanical engineers. They not only hav e countless options in the industrial sector but they can also make foray into new realms of technology and ev en get into management and technical consultancy .

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Career in Mechanical Engineering, Careers and Career Option

According to a surv ey , mechanical engineering is amongst the most sought after branches of engineering preferred by students seeking admission to v arious technical institutes across India in the recent y ears.

International Focus
Highly qualified professionals from this field, such as post-graduates from v arious IITs, often seek suitable employ ment in foreign countries. It is not that only highly qualified mechanical engineers get opportunity to work abroad. If y ou are employ ed in a multinational company , y ou may also get the chance to work on offshore projects

Positives/Negatives
+iv es There are umpteen job openings and y ou will not remain unemploy ed Constant inv olv ement in the dev elopment of new components, gadgets and machines Innov ativ e contribution to the new frontiers of science such as nanotechnology , biomedical engineering and env ironmental sciences Not hit by recession or global economic meltdown -iv es Working conditions can be adv erse at times Deadlines and work pressure can ex act a heav y toll on the body and mind Phy sically strenuous and not for the weak

Different Roles, Different Names

Mechanical engineering is considered the mother of all branches of engineering. In this contex t the roles and responsibilities held by a mechanical engineer are different and depend on their area of specialisation and the industry they are working for. In broad terms, the job profile of mechanical engineers can be classified into the following functional segments: Research and Dev elopm ent (R&D): Engineers whose role is to do research and then plan for new machines and their constituent parts. Design: Professionals whose responsibility is to draft technical drawings, manually or with the aid of computers. Production: Engineers who superv ise the manufacturing of mechanical components and machines. Analy sis and testing: Engineers who analy se and test different ty pes of machines and their parts to ensure that they function flawlessly . Installation: Professionals who install machines and mechanical parts at the client location. Maintenance: Engineers whose primary role is to ensure that machinery is working as per specifications.

Top Companies
1 . Automobile and auto part manufacturers 2. Aerospace industry 3. V arious Gov ernment sector undertakings 4. Av iation companies 5. Steel plants 6. Thermal plants and gas turbine manufacturers 7 . Air conditioning and refrigeration industry 8. Shipping industry 9. Engineering consultancies 1 0. Armed forces

Tips for Getting Hired

1 . It is adv isable to earn a post-graduate degree in this field 2. Computer proficiency is a must these day s 3. Y ou must hav e ex cellent communication and interpersonal skills 4. A management degree further brightens y our career prospects

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