Nathaniel Curtis

ENGL 2100

12/5/19

Writing Project

Engineering

1. Introduction:

This report is for students who have decided to pursue a career in engineering, or are
considering engineering as a possible career path. Engineering is the use of scientific
principles such as chemistry, physics, mathematics, and material science,to solve
problems and design or modify products. This report will provide information on the
process of becoming an engineer. It will outline the schooling that is needed, as well as
the schooling that is recommended but not necessary. Additionally, this report will
provide an overview of the work environment of an engineer such as: work-place culture,
types of communication, and responsibilities of an engineer. Finally, this report will
provide possible job opportunities that stem from an engineering education.

2. Methods:

The majority of information for this report was retrieved from first person accounts of
engineers or people with educational or professional backgrounds in engineering. I
conducted an interview with Kameron Drage on 9/19/2019. Drage graduated from Utah
State University with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 2016. Topics that
were discussed in the interview with Drage included: common modes of communication
used in engineering jobs, the culture of engineering workplaces, recent innovations in
mechanical engineering, and the college courses he found most useful in his job.

A second interview was conducted with Brent Dermody on 10/1/2019. Dermody is an

electrical engineer who works at Hill Air Force Base. Topics discussed with Dermody
include: Workplace culture, his specific educational path, and day-to-day tasks and
responsibilities of engineers.

Online research was also used to retrieve information for this report. Useful information
came from google searches using keywords and phrases such as: engineering,
workplace culture, engineering salaries, engineering employment statistics, and
schooling required for engineering. Salary and job growth information was found by
searching “engineering” on The Bureau of Labor Statistics website. By using the
 keywords “scientist and engineers survey data” on Google I found data from the National
Science Foundation on a survey of engineers in 2013.

3. Results:

3.1.​ Education:
At minimum, a Bachelors of Science degree is required for engineers. [1] According to
the National Science Foundation, more than 55% of the science and engineering labor
force in the United States have received a bachelor's degree. [2] There are benefits to
receiving a higher degree such as; higher salary, better job opportunities, and a better
understanding of essential concepts, however, less than 30% of the science and
engineering labor force has a master’s degree, and less than 5% have a doctorate's
degree. [2] According to Drage (September, 2019) most of the training required to do the
job of an engineer is received on the job. However, Drage notes, quantitative literacy
classes such as: Numerical Methods, Statics & Dynamics and Trigonometry were among
the most useful classes he took in college.

3.2.​ Workplace Culture:

Engineering covers a broad set of work environments such as labs, offices, and job
survey sites. Depending on what discipline of engineering one studies, there are many
different career paths. There are also differences in the workplace culture. However,
some traits stay consistent across most workplace environments, such as gender.
Across all disciplines of engineering the workforce is mostly male. [2] According to data
collected by the National Science Foundation, more than 85% of employed engineers
are male. [2]
Dermody (October, 2019) explained that most of his work is done behind a desk.
Dermody stated that he uses data sheets and computer programs to do most of his
work. Drage (September, 2019) similarly stated that he works mostly on an office
environment. For both Dermody and Drage, there is some time spent in a lab, but most
of the work done by engineers is done on a computer.

3.3.​ Skills Required

As Drage put it, “The job of an engineer is to solve problems before they become
problems.” (September, 2019) An engineer must be able to use knowledge of math and
science to create workable solutions to any problem they are faced with. Critical thinking
and problem solving are skills that every engineer needs to have.
Engineers need to be able to clearly communicate with people on different levels of
understanding. Drage said that part of his job is to take complex test data sheets and
turn that information into presentations that customers can understand easily.
(September, 2019) He stated that presentations were one of the main forms of
communications used in his job. According to Drage, it’s important to be proficient at
taking data and turning it into understandable presentations for customers, other
engineers, or other departments within a company. (September, 2019)
3.4.​ Job Outlook:
There are many different disciplines within the field of engineering such as: aerospace
engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer engineering, material
engineering, mechanical engineering, nuclear engineering, etc. Similarly, there are many
possible career paths for students studying engineering. However, the industry is
growing. According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, almost all disciplines of
engineering (except nuclear, electronics, and aerospace) are projected to grow over the
next ten years. [3] The discipline that is projected to grow the most over the next decade
is biomedical engineering, with a projected 23% growth rate. [3] The highest paying
discipline is petroleum engineering, which has a median annual salary of just under
$130,000. [3] On average, an engineer makes $90,000 annually, according to the
National Science Foundation, and growth is projected for most disciplines.

4. Discussion:

4.1.​ Education.
The Education required to become an engineer is focused heavily on the sciences.
Fields like physics, chemistry, and math are all studied in depth. Students that are
interested in science will find engineering to be stimulating, but students that are not
interested in all fields of science will have a hard time with the coursework. Students
must also be willing to get a bachelor’s degree at a minimum in order to get a job as an
engineer. Although, scientific literacy is necessary to get a job, once employed as an
engineer the majority of training will come from job experiences.

4.2. ​Workplace Culture.

Engineers can work in many settings. However, most of the work done by an engineer is
behind a desk. Whether is is drafting designs, creating presentations, or organizing data,
most of the time engineers are in an office environment. The engineering workplace is
dominated by men. The majority of engineers are male, and it may be difficult for
females to fit into that environment even if they are qualified as an engineer.

4.3. ​Skills Required.

The most important skills an engineer can have are those related to problem solving.
Engineers use the principles of scientific disciplines to solve problems and create
solutions. Being able to think critically is also important, as engineers have to be able to
understand real and hypothetical problems and solutions. Communication is another
critical skill for engineers. They need to be able to convey information to co-workers and
clients who will have different levels of technical understanding of their work.

4.4. ​Job Outlook.

Overall, engineering as a career is growing. There are many different educational and
career paths that a student can take depending on what discipline of engineering they
 are planning on pursuing. Almost every discipline of engineering is projected to grow
over the next decade. Engineering is also a high paying career. And although salaries
range depending on position, experience and skills, the average salary is $90,000.

4.5. ​Conclusion.
For students considering getting a degree in engineering, there is a lot to consider. A
degree in engineering is heavily focused on science and math classes, which can be
difficult for some to understand. According to the engineers interviewed for this report,
engineering is also a very stressful job. However, for people who are good at problem
solving, and enjoy using critical thinking to improve situations, engineering may be a
good option. The job market is growing, and the median annual pay is good. If someone
is good at problem solving and enjoys math and science, the benefits of an engineering
degree seem to outweigh the downsides.
Sources
[1] ​Learn.org. (n.d.). What are the Requirements for Becoming an Engineer in the U.S.?
Retrieved from
https://learn.org/articles/What_are_the_Requirements_for_Becoming_an_Engineer_in_the_US.h
tml​.
[2] National Science Foundation. (2015, September 1). National Science Foundation - Where
Discoveries Begin. Retrieved from ​https://ncsesdata.nsf.gov/us-workforce/2013/​.

[3] Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2016, October 6). Employment outlook for engineering
occupations to 2024. Retrieved from
https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2016/employment-outlook-for-engineering-occupations-to-2024.ht
m​.