ENGINEERS AND ENGINEERING CAREERS

Engineering is actually the profession that puts scientific knowledge to practical use. The word engineering comes from the Latin word ingeniare, which means to design or to create. Engineers use principles of science to design structures, machines and products of all kinds. They look for better ways to use existing resources and often develop new materials. Engineers have had a direct role in the creation of most of modern technology – the tools, materials, techniques, and power sources that make our lives easier.

 The field of engineering includes a wide variety of activities. For example, engineering projects range from the construction of huge dams to the design of tiny electronic circuits. Engineers may help produce guided missiles, industrial robots, or artificial limbs for the physically handicapped. They develop complex scientific equipment to explore the reaches of outer space and the depths of the oceans. Engineers also plan our electric power and water supply systems, and do research to improve automobiles, television sets, and other consumer products. They may work to reduce environmental pollution, increase the world’s food supply, and make transportation faster and safer.

What is career?

Career describes an individuals' journey through learning, work and other aspects of life. There are a number of ways to define a career and the term is used in a variety of ways.

Career is also defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as a person's "course or progress through life (or a distinct portion of life)". In this definition career is understood to relate to a range of aspects of an individual's life, learning and work. Career is also frequently understood to relate only to the working aspects of an individuals life e.g. as in career woman. A third way in which the term career is used is to describe an occupation or a profession that usually involves special training or formal education, and is considered to be a person’s lifework. In this case "a career" is seen as a sequence of related jobs usually pursued within a single industry or sector e.g. "a career in law" or "a career in the building trade". The etymology of the term comes from the m. French word carriere (16 c.) ("road, racecourse") which, in turn, comes from the Latin word "(via) cararia" (track for wheeled vehicles) which originated from the Latin word carrus" which means "wagon"

By the late 20th century, a wide range of choices (especially in the range of potential professions) and more widespread education had allowed it to become possible to plan (or design) a career: in this respect the careers of the career counselor and of the career advisor have grown up. It is also not uncommon for adults in the late 20th/early 21st centuries to have dual or multiple careers, either sequentially or concurrently. Thus, professional identities have become hyphenated or hybridized to reflect this shift in work ethic. Economist Richard Florida notes this trend generally and more specifically among the "creative class".


According to the world book of encyclopedia, in ancient times, there was no formal engineering education. The earliest engineers built structures and developed tools by trial and error. Today, special college training prepares engineers to work in a certain branch or field of engineering and standards of quality and performance guide them on the job.

Most of the specialized fields of engineering developed since about 1750. Before that time, engineering dealt mostly with the construction of building, roads, bridges, canals, or weapons. As people gained more knowledge of science and technology during the 1700’s and 1800’s, engineers began to specialize in certain kinds of work.

  

Today, new fields of engineering are continually emerging as a result of scientific and technological breakthroughs. At the same time, the boundaries between the various fields are becoming less and less clear-cut. Numerous areas of engineering overlap, and engineers from different specialist often work closely together on projects.

Engineering History

The History of engineering is the period of human ingenuity through the ages. Even in pre historic times, people adapted basic engineering techniques from things that were available in nature. For example, sturdy stick levers to lift large rocks, and logs were used as rollers to move heavy loads. The development of agriculture and the growth of civilization brought about a new wave of engineering efforts. People invented farming tools, designed elaborate irrigation networks, and built the first cities. The construction of the gigantic Egyptian pyramids at Gaza during the 2500’s B.C. was one of the greatest engineering feats of ancient times. In ancient Rome, engineers built large aqueducts and bridges and vast systems of roads. During the 200’s B.C. the Chinese erected major sections of the monumental Great Wall of China.

 Early engineers used such simple machines as the inclined plane, wedge, and wheel and axle. During the Middle Ages, a period in European history that lasted from the A.D. 400’s to the 1500’s, inventors developed machines to harness water, wind and animal power. The growing interest in new types of machines and new sources of power to drive them helped bring about the Industrial Revolution of the 1700’s and 1800’s. The role of engineers expanded rapidly during the Industrial Revolution. The practical steam engine developed by the Scottish engineer James Watt in the 1760’s revolutionized transportation and industry by providing a cheap and efficient source of power. New ironmaking techniques provided engineers with the material to improve machines and tools and to build bridges and ships. Many roads, railways, and canals were constructed to link the growing industrial cities.

Districts branches of engineering began to develop during the industrial Revolution. The term civil engineer was first used about 1750 by John Smeaton, a British engineer. Mechanical engineers emerged as specialists in industrial machinery, and mining and metallurgical engineers were needed to supply metals and fuels. By the late 1800’s, the development of electric power and advances in chemical processing had created the fields of electrical and chemical engineering. Professional schools began to be founded as the demand for engineers steadily increased.

Since 1900, the number of engineers and of engineering specialties has expanded dramatically. Artificial hearts, aeroplanes, computers, lasers, nuclear energy, plastics, space travel, and television a few of a scientific and technological breakthroughs that engineers  have helped bring about in this century. Because science and technology are progressing and changing so rapidly, today’s engineer must study throughout their careers to make sure that their knowledge and expertise do not become obsolete. They face the challenging task of keeping pace with the latest advances while working to shape the technology of the future.

Branches of Engineering

The following section discusses the major branches of engineering, as well as some of the smaller specialized fields such as aerospace engineering, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, environmental engineering, industrial engineering, materials engineering, mechanical engineering, nuclear engineering and other specialized fields.

Aerospace engineering involves the design, production, and maintenance of commercial and military aircraft. Engineers in the aerospace field also play an essential role in the development and assembly of guided missiles and all types of spacecraft. Aerospace engineers help build wind tunnel and other testing equipment with which they carry out experiments on proposed craft to determine their performance, stability, and control under flight conditions. Aerospace research ranges from efforts to design quieter and more fuel efficient commercial aircraft to the search for new materials that can withstand the high radiation levels and extreme temperatures of space flight.

In order to design strong, safe vehicles, aerospace engineers must know and put practical use the principles of aerodynamics, the study of the forces acting on an object due to air moving past it (see Aerodynamics). They must also have a through understanding of the strength, elasticity, and other properties of the materials the use and be able to predict how they will behave during flight. Aerospace engineers work closely with electrical engineers in developing guidance, navigation, and control instruments and with mechanical engineers in planning airport facilities.

Biomedical Engineering applies engineering techniques to health-related problems. Biomedical engineers develop aids for the deaf and blind. They cooperate with doctors and surgeon to design artificial limbs and organs and other devices machine that assist or replace diseased or damaged parts of the body. Biomedical engineers help provide a wide variety of medical tools, from instruments that measures blood pressure and pulse rate to surgical lasers, concentrated beams of light that can be used to perform delicate operations.

Some biomedical engineers specialize in programming computer systems to monitor a patient’s health or to process complex medical data. Other cooperate with architects, doctors, nurses, and other specialists to plan hospitals and community health centre.

In choosing materials for artificial aids and organs, biomedical engineers must understand the physical and chemical properties of the materials and how they interact with each other and with the body. One of the chief areas in biomedical engineering research focuses on the development of materials that the human body will not reject as foreign substances. In their work, biomedical engineers often use principle of biology, chemistry and medicine and of electrical, materials and mechanical engineering.

Chemical engineering deals with large-scale processing of chemicals and chemical products for industrial and consumer uses. Chemical engineers are concerned with the chemical processes that charge raw materials into useful products. They plan, design, and help construct chemical plants and equipment and work to develop efficient and economical production methods. Chemical engineers work in such industries as the manufacturing of cosmetics, drugs, explosives, fertilizers, food products, fuels, plastics, and soaps.

Chemical engineers must know how to handle and transport large quantities of chemicals. They have to understand such problems as heat transfer from one substance to another, absorption of liquids and gases, and evaporation. They control such processes as distillation, crystallization, filtration, mixing, drying, and crushing.

The work of chemical engineers relies heavily on principles chemistry, physics, a mathematics. Chemical engineers consult with electrical, mechanical, and industrial engineers in the design of plants and equipment. Some chemical engineers work closely with environmental engineers work closely with environmental engineers in seeking safe disposal methods for hazardous by-products of chemical processing.

Civil engineering, the oldest of the main branches of engineering, involves the planning and supervision of such large construction projects as bridges, canals, dams, tunnels, water supply systems. Civil engineers also cooperate with architects to design and erect all types of buildings. Other civil-engineering projects include airports, highways, levees, irrigation and sewerage systems, pipelines, and railways.

Civil engineers work to build strong, safe structures that meet building codes and other regulations and are well suited to their surroundings. They are responsible for surveying and preparing building sites and for selecting appropriate materials. Civil engineers must also understand the use of bulldozers, cranes, power shovels, and other construction equipment.

  

Some civil engineers specialize in the study of the physical characteristics of soils and rocks and the design of foundation. Others concrete on the management of water resources, including the construction of flood control and irrigation systems, hydroelectric power plants, and water supply and sewerage systems. Still others are concerned with designing transportation systems and methods of traffic control. Many civil engineers are involved in city planning and urban renewal programmes.

  

Electrical Engineering deals with the development, production, and testing of electrical and electronic devices and equipment. Electrical engineers design equipment to produce and distribute electricity. This equipment includes generators run by water power, coal, oil, and nuclear fuels; transmission lines; and transformers. Electrical engineers also design and develop electric motors and other electrical machinery as well as ignition systems used in cars, aircraft, and other engines. They work to improve such devices as air conditioners, food processors, and vacuum cleaners.

Electrical engineers who specialize in electronic equipment are often referred to as electronics engineers. Electronics engineers play an essential role in the production of communications satellites, computers, industrial robots, medical and scientific instruments, missile control systems, and radar, radio, and television sets. Some engineers  in the electronics field develop master plans for the parts and connections of miniature integrated circuits, which control the electric signals in most electronic devices. Many electronics engineers design, build and program complex computer systems to perform particular tasks. Tele-communication, the transmission and reception of messages over long distances, is another major speciality of electronics engineering.

Environmental Engineering concerns efforts to prevent and control air, water, soil, and noise pollution. Environmental engineers develop equipment to measure pollution levels and conduct experiments to determine the effects of various kinds of pollutants. They design air pollution control devices and operate water purification systems and water treatment plants. They also develop techniques to protect the land pollution.

Environmental engineers are specialists in the disposal of hazardous wastes from factories, mining operations, nuclear power plants, and other sources. They work to clean up unsafe waste disposal sites created in the past and do research on new storage and recycling techniques. Environmental engineers are also involved in the development of cleaner and more reliable forms of energy and in developing ways to make the best present and future use of natural resources. Environmental engineers work with agriculture and mining engineers to develop production techniques that do the least possible damage to the land.  They assist civil engineers in the design of water supply, waste disposal, and ventilation systems and chemical and nuclear engineers in waste disposal.

Industrial engineering applies engineering analysis and techniques to the production of goods and services. industrial engineers determine the most economical and effective ways for an organization to use people, machines and materials. An industrial engineer may select the location for a plant or office, determine employee requirements, select equipment and machinery, lay out work areas, and plan steps in operations. Industrial engineers also develop training and job evaluation programmes and work-performance standards and help determine wages and employee benefits. They work to solve such problems as high costs, low productivity and poor product quality.

Mathematical models developed on computers enable industrial engineers to stimulate the flow of work through an organization and to evaluate the effects of proposed changes. Industrial engineers also use data-processing systems to aid in financial planning, stock control and scheduling. Their work often requires a knowledge of economics, psychology and personnel management. Industrial engineers work in a wide variety of businesses and industries, including banks, construction and transportation firms, government agencies, hospitals and public utilities.

Materials engineering deals with the structure, properties, production and uses of various materials. Materials engineers work with both metallic and nonmetallic substances. They try to improve existing materials and develop new uses for them, as well as to develop new materials to meet specific needs. Mining and metallurgical engineering are major subdivisions of material engineering. Mining engineers work closely with geologists to locate and appraise deposits of materials. They decide how to remove the ore from the ground as cheaply and effectively as possible. Mining engineers have to know about civil, mechanical and electrical engineering in order to plan shafts and tunnels, ventilate mines, and select mining machinery.

Metallurgical engineering deals with separating metals from their ores and preparing them for use. In extractive metallurgy, engineers remove metals from their ores and refine them to a pure state. Engineers in physical metallurgy develop methods for converting refined metals into useful finished products.

Other materials engineers specialize in the production and uses of such synthetic materials as ceramics and plastics. Materials engineers help develop new materials for the aerospace, biomedical, construction, electronic and nuclear fields. They cooperate with chemical, industrial and mechanical engineers in working out the complex processes that convert raw materials into finished products.

Mechanical engineering involves the production, transmission and use of mechanical power. Mechanical engineers design, operate and test all kinds of machines. They develop and build engines that produce power from steam, petrol, nuclear fuels and sources of energy. They also develop and build a wide variety of heating and ventilation equipment; cars; machine tools; and industrial processing equipment. Mechanical engineers are involved in every phase in the development of a machine, from the construction of an experimental model to the installation of the finished machine and the training of the workers who use it.

Mechanical engineers work in many industries, such as power generation, public utilities, transportation and all types of manufacturing. Many mechanical engineers concentrate on research and development because new types of machinery are continually in demand. Mechanical engineers are involved in almost every other branch of engineering, whenever a new or improved machine, device or piece of equipment is required.

 Nuclear engineering is concerned with the production and applications of nuclear energy and the uses of radiation and radioactive materials. Most nuclear engineers design, construct and operate nuclear power plants that generate electricity. They handle every stage in the production of nuclear fuels to the disposal of radioactive wastes from nuclear reactors. They also work to improve and enforce safety standards and to develop new types of nuclear energy systems.

Nuclear engineers also design and build nuclear engineers for ships, submarines and space vehicles. They develop industrial, medical and scientific uses for radiation and radioactive materials. Some nuclear engineers specialize in designing and constructing particle accelerators, devices that are used in scientific studies of the atom and in creating new elements. Others specialize in the development of nuclear weapons. Nuclear engineers also play a role in the development of radiation sources, detectors, and shielding equipment. The work of nuclear engineers frequently overlaps with that of electrical, environmental, mechanical and material engineers.

Other specialized fields focus on even more specific areas of engineering than do the major branches. This section describes a few important specialties.

Acoustic engineering deals with sound. The work of acoustic engineers includes designing building and rooms to make them quiet; improving conditions for listening to speech and musical in auditoriums and halls and developing techniques and sound-absorbing materials to reduce noise pollution.

Agriculture engineering involves the design of farm buildings, agricultural equipment and erosion control, irrigation and land conservation projects. Agricultural engineers are also concerned with the processing, transporting and storing of agricultural products.

Computer engineering involves the development and improvement of computers, storage and printout units, and computer information networks. Computer engineers design the features of computer systems to suit particular operations.

Marine engineering concerns the design, construction and repair of ships and submarines. Marine engineers also work to develop port facilities.

Ocean engineering involves the design and installation of all types of equipment used in the ocean. The products of ocean engineers include oil rigs and other offshore installations, marine research equipment and breakwater systems used to prevent the erosion of beaches.

Petroleum engineering deals with producing, storing and transporting petroleum and natural gas. Petroleum engineers locate oil and gas deposits and try to develop more efficient drilling and recovery methods.

Textile engineering is concerned with the machinery and processes used to produce both natural and synthetic fibres and fabrics. Engineers in this field also work to develop new and improved textiles.

Transportation engineering involves efforts to make transportation safer, more economical and more efficient. Engineers in this field design all types of transportation systems and develop related facilities for reducing traffic problems.