7. Careers in Engineering
By John Marcheggiani
What does an engineer do?
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Old saying “An engineer can do with
one dollar what any fool can do with
two!”
Trained to use science, technology, and
mathematics to solve problems in a
systematic way
What types of engineer are
there?
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Civil Engineering
Structural (buildings, bridges, tunnels)
Transportation (highways, railroads, canals)
Environmental (air pollution management)
Water resources (flood control)
Geotechnical (mining)
Surveying & Construction
What types of engineer are
there? (continued)
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Mechanical Engineering
Energy (power plants, heating and air
conditioning, alternative energy)
Structures and motion in mechanical
systems (cars, planes, machine tools,
medical systems)
Manufacturing (tools and processes,
automated assembly lines, robotics)
What types of engineer are
there? (continued)
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Chemical Engineering
Design and operate any plant that involves a
chemical process
Plastics and other petroleum products
Building materials
Food products
Pharmaceuticals
Clothing
Fertilisers
Environmental cleanup
What types of engineer are
there? (continued)
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Electrical Engineering
36 technical societies with broad areas
Electronics (circuits, microchips, lasers)
Communications (cell phones, antennas,
networks, fibre-optics)
Power (transmission and distribution of
power, electric motors, and generators)
Controls (automated control systems,
aerospace control systems)
Instrumentation (test equipment)
What types of engineer are
there? (continued)
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Computer Engineering
Hardware (computers, data storage)
Software (programming, operating
Systems)
Digital systems
Computer architecture
Networks
What types of engineer are
there? (continued)
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Industrial Engineering
Industrial Engineers determine the most
effective way for an organisation to use
its resources (people, machines,
materials, information and energy)
People oriented engineers
Must know computers and management
practices
What types of engineer are
there? (continued)
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Other Major Special Types
Aerospace
Materials / Metallurgical (removing metal from
the ore, refining, alloying)
Bioengineering (engineering and medicine)
Agricultural (genetic engineering)
Mining / Geology
Many - many - many - specialties
How Do You Become An
Engineer?
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High School
Study maths, sciences and physics
Learn communications and people skills
(engineers work in teams and must be able to
sell their ideas)
University
Not all universities are the same
Co-op program offers practical experience
while you study
First two years are common specialization in
the third and fourth year
How Do You Become An
Engineer? (continued)
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After graduation
Work under supervision as a junior engineer
After two years experience you can write the
professional engineer exam and can practice
as a registered engineer
May take further training (master's degree in
engineering or progress to another degree)
There will be lifelong learning
Many engineers go on to become project
managers and business managers
How Does An Engineer Do
Things
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Client has a problem or sees an opportunity
The engineer:
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defines the problem and collect information and
data about the problem
develops alternative designs or solutions
(Usually more than one way to solve the
problem)
identifies and compares the pros and cons of
each solution
How Does An Engineer Do
Things (continued)
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helps the client determine the best choice for the
best price
designs and manufactures the selected product
trains others to use and support the new product
continues development and improvement of the
product
finds other uses for the product
What Types of Jobs Would a
Junior Engineer Do?
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Normally will be assigned as a member of a
project team
Research (analysing and solving problems
using scientific skills and logic)
Designing (need imagination and creativity)
Testing (lab work, conducting experiments)
Development (improvement or adapting
existing products)
What Types of Jobs Would a
Junior Engineer Do?
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Sales (must have a very good
knowledge of the product, because the
marketing people may not be
engineers)
Management – organising and
expediting projects
Consulting
Teaching
AND ALMOST ANYTHING
ELSE …
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Some engineers that went on to other things:
Neil Armstrong – astronaut and politician
Alfred Hitchcock – writer and filmmaker
Boris Yeltsin – premier of Russia
Lee Iacocca – President of Chrysler
Corporation
Yasser Arafat – Palestinian Leader
What can you expect from
an engineering career?
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Varied opportunities (opens the door to many
areas)
Challenging work (brain exercise)
Social impact (improving our way of life)
Prestige (engineering is a well respected
profession)
Lifelong education (always new things to
learn about)
How do they do that (curiosity)
Creative thinking (dreaming)
What can you expect from
an engineering career?
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Good Salary (From PEO 2003 survey)
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Graduates in 2003 are now making between
$40,000 to $55,620 - average $48,304
Graduates in 2001 are now making between
$43,000 to $60,384 - average $52,396
REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE
THOUSANDS OF OTHER TECHNICAL
CAREER FIELDS IN SCIENCE,
TECHNOLOGY, AND THE TRADES
Careers in Engineering
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WEB Sites
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http://www.peo.on.ca/
http://www.eir.ca
http://www.greatachievements.org/
Questions