Even Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon
Cooper dreams of being an engineer! Ok, so locomotive engineer isn’t exactly
the type of engineer we’re talking about here, but it’s safe to say that
engineers of all types are seeing their cool factor rise. In fact, being an
engineer has never been cooler.
Check out 10 reasons to consider a career in engineering:
1.You
might just change the world. Did you know that mechanical engineer/mathematician
Charles Babbage invented the first mechanical computer in the 1820s. One
hundred years later, British mathematician Alan Turing revived Babbage’s idea
and succeeded in breaking Hitler’s secret ciphers with a code-breaking device –
the precursor to today’s computers. Engineers from the United States and
Britain took Babbage’s and Turing’s concepts to the next step in the late
1940s. Engineers have played a role in the invention of everything from the
internal combustion engine to the perfect chocolate
bar. “You have the opportunity to solve problems and make people’s
lives better!” says Professor Pierre
Larochelle, Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering
at South Dakota
School of Mines & Technology in Rapid City, SD.
2.If
the thought of traveling, and meeting and working with people from other
cultures appeals to you, think engineering. Engineers are needed all around the
globe, which means the odds are good that you will get to see the world as an
engineer.
3.People
will be impressed when you tell them you’re an engineer. Seriously - most
people know just how difficult it is to become an engineer, and they respect
that. You might have been the kid no one knew in high school, but when you tell
everyone you’re an engineer at your high school class reunion, they’ll know who
you are.
4.Two
words – financial security. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics,
employment in engineering jobs is projected to grow 7 percent 2016 through
2026. An estimated 194,300 new jobs are expected to be added. The median annual
wage for engineering occupations - $79,180. Yep, that’s financial security for
you.
5.It’s
a no-brainer that science and math will be an important part of your job, but
so will creativity. The best engineers can dream up and create amazing
inventions by thinking outside the box. “My #1 reason to be an engineer is
because you get to use your creative abilities every day!” says Larochelle.
6.It
will scratch that humanitarian itch. Engineers use their skills to give back to
their communities and the world, starting as students. For instance, engineering
students at the South
Dakota School of Mines & Technology study and travel abroad,
doing such things as introducing a water filtration system in the African
country of Tanzania, developing a water system in Chile and offering their
science knowledge on humanitarian projects in Mongolia, Guatemala and Egypt.
7.You
can learn how to design, build and fix almost anything. Enough said!
8.We
live in a technical world, filled with hardware and software. Someone has to
take care of the tech stuff. Why not you?
9.If
you become a software engineer or a computer engineer, you’ll never have to ask
your kids for help with the computer.
10.The
career options are endless. As an engineer, you could end up working in almost
any business or industry, from NASA to Morgan Stanley. Engineering opens up the
world to you.