Any engineers out there?

[Indy_Civic]

All the things you listed "move", except for microwaves. The engineering required to safely emit them would be an EEs job. But I agree with you, a lot of the proficiencies overlap. One example is something I looked into: building windmills for renewable energy. The actual harnessing of the energy would be a mix of electromechanics (turning mechanical energy into electrical) but the structure would have to be fairly rigid (civil).
I don't mean to bash MEs but as you said, they're so broad it's hard to really describe them in a quick sentence.

 

[VSP]

A good rule of thumb when discussing engineers, is that they recieve education that spans everything listed above; the specific title denotes specilization but does not always reflect what that person may do in the workforce.

Like said before, we all get the same basic foundation courses.

 

[civic209]

Actually, I had an electronic engineering technology degree, so it was more geared towards hands-on technician applications. At the time I worked for a TV station and did work on tape machines, video production equipment (switchers, audio consoles), and the large signal transmitter (cleaning, calibrating).

If I wanted to leave the TV station I discovered I would have to take a pay cut because, to be honest, technician jobs don't pay that well.

Originally I had wanted to work for a large defense contractor like Lockheed Martin or Northrop Grumman after earning my 4-year ET degree, but that changed when the local university shut down the ET bachelor's program I was about to go into (following the 2-year degree I earned).

So now I still work for a TV station (a different one, and in a slightly different capacity) while I go back for my civil engineering degree. My cousin has a civil degree, and he alternates between working in an office and going to the field. (He researches soil samples and ground integrity for future Krogers grocery store build sites.)

(And by the way, "Civic" engineer was an ironic misspelling; sorry if there was any confusion.)

The brick equation is sort of a mashup of things I remember offhand from my physics 1 w/calculus class. If you're good at math, then you'll love doing this kind of stuff. (I'm actually not terribly proficient at mathematics, but I've made it all the way through calc 2 so far without failing a single class. It's more of a mental discipline than anything, I've found.) Like said, if you're already good with math, this stuff will be a breeze for you.

And another note: having an interest with the hands-on stuff is not a drawback. All the experience I gained from the tech years, along with the troubleshooting discipline I've learned from working on my car in my off time, has only helped me excel at my various classes. Given that you sound like a kinesthetic learner, this stuff plus what you learned in high school will serve as an excellent foundation to build off of.



^^ Exactly correct.

Engineering Technology, which was my first degree's discipline, was more oriented towards turning the screws and testing the equipment.

All other forms of engineering (civil, industrial, mechanical, chemical, nuclear, electrical, ect.) are more theory-based and involve more of a focus on design. These jobs are typically harder. It's the difference between an auto mechanic and a automobile designer, literally. They typically pay better, though, and there usually seems to be a higher demand for well-qualified engineers. Again, check the Bureau of Labor Statistics to verify what will fit you best.



Lol....classic Dilbert. "I'm an engineer, mom." "Yes dear, so how are the trains running today at the station?"

Well i went to a counselor and talked to him about it and i just said the two that i was thinking about at the moment and he outlined all the classes i needed to take for computer and electrical engineering. Up to calculus 4 in community college and about 3-6 more math classes after that i believe at a university. The only thing is this chemistry stuff like moles and reacting this with that and figuring out how many atoms this has and what not and to be honest i did not like it. Maybe it was just the teacher that i didnt get or something but that stuff didnt stick too well although i did pass with a B(Chemistry 4a) and i was thinking to myself if engineering is like this then it might not be for me. On the other hand math has always been something i excelled in(if not passed without any problems). And the electronics class i loved so i figured math and electronics= electronics engineering.

now this is just a small example of what interested me in electronics.

of course it was just a matter of following instructions and soldering this to that and figuring out where it went but yea.

ive been a mechanical engineering student for about 5 years now (4.5 yr program, 1 yr behind) and i have one more semester left this fall. i am also doing a minor in automotive powertrain. my entire college career ive been enrolled in a co-op program with my school, which is pretty much a paid internship, except i attend classes 6 months out of the year, and work the other 6 months. current;y my job is at BASF at an engine testing facility. BASF is a worldwide chemical company out of germany who makes products for almost everything (plastics, rubbers, cosmetics, automotive, etc.). my facility is in the environmental technologies division, part of which produces catalyst samples for diesel and gasoline emissions systems (catalytic converters) and i work with mechanical and chemical engineers to test these catalysts on several different kinds of engines. i love working here cause i love working with engines. when i first started here, they started me form the ground. i was doing basic technician work (oil changes, work on engines, etc) as i moved up they started giving me more engineering work and projects to do, and i as doing less hands on work. but i still step in to help out technicians, as well as do desk work. my boss is a hands on guy too, so even tho he is a legit engineer, he still gets his hands dirty



i feel like some of you guys have a bit of the wrong impression when it comes to different types of engineering, or your vision of what each does is too narrow. the cool thing is that alot of them overlap eachother.
i would say mechanical engineering is probably the most broad because its involved in almost everything. design, r&d, testing, etc. mechanical engineers do not involve just "things that move" they are behind pretty much everything you use in your daily life (cars/engines, microwaves, shower head/faucet, garage door, etc. i can go on for hours) for example, a buddy of mine works for a company that designs staples for conveyor belts at supermarket cashier stations.
electrical engineers do alot with electrical, yes, but they also do tons of programming.

on the other hand i think this is something that will fit me just as good seeing as how my dad is a mechanic and im going for engineering so why not mix them both together for mechanical engineering? ive only had my first civic since last year and i did work on it somewhat learning several things on here that i think will definitely help me along the way.
Also programming is something i also liked. In high school i took a computer programming class and i got a 100% in that class.
But i think all of this stuff i took in high school is just mere 1st grade level stuff.

ahhh im so confused .....mechanical/electrical/civicl/industrial engineering....it all ties into what i would like to do...