Are you a curious? Do you have a natural ability to solve problems? When you see a problem you just can’t leave it until you find a solution even if it is nothing to do with you?   If this is you, then engineering could be just the career for you.

As an engineer you will automatically teach yourself to look around and see where there is room for improvement.  This means that you will become a perfectionist, who is governed by 4 simple words: Design – Develop – Create – Optimize.

Engineering thinking will extend into all areas of your life, being an engineer means that you know how to solve issues round the house, you will be the one people turn to understand the latest technology. This analytical thinking as an engineer will help you in minimizing the risk of going wrong.

Engineering is a pragmatic art, which gives you the chance to express yourself, and at the same time play a part in creating a better life for everyone, whether it is easy access to clean water or the latest technological innovation in medicine.

History tells us that nowadays basic questions have their answers in engineering books. Therefore, you learn from the past, innovate in the present and shape the future. As an engineer, you will never stop learning; you will strive to be one step ahead of the present.

On a side note, it is perfectly normal to feel undecided and probably lacking confidence with your skills at this early stage in your decision regarding the direction of your career. Confidence is built up by solving little problems, you will do this during the course of your studies.  By the time you finish adding them up, you will have confidence in your area of study and ready to take the first step on the career ladder to become an expert in your field.

So don’t set yourself boundaries! Before you know it, you will amaze everyone at your local pub with how complicated your projects seem to be.  But it is only you, who knows that the secret that your complex project now complete was achieved by dividing each complex problem into manageable tasks, which you then researched and tested and finally completed.  This makes the experience enjoyable and you get a great sense of achievement.

The gains from engineering are as broad as the branches of it. Therefore, you will grow professionally no matter what specialization you choose. And because this constant problem solving tasks, you will always find a motivating sense of purpose in what you are doing.

As an end, think twice if you want to choose to be a Mechanical engineer in the automotive sector, from my experience during university, you will end up repairing all your friends’ cars for free! Which, at the end of the day is not good business!

BY ANDREI POPESCU – Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Brunel University