[TXjeepTJ]

do you apply most of what you learned in college to your job everyday? Can someone give me an example of what you do exactly as an engineer, such as what you are doing in your job right now?

[Matt Gertsch]

My brother is a mech. He works for these guys: http://www.aerounion.com/#

He works on the control systems for the drop tanks mostly, but also works on the integration of the system into the aircraft.

[TXjeepTJ]

well, i was wondering if anyone has some personal experience that could tell me what they do. not all around, but giving a specific example of something thats going on right now. i dont really want to go through all the headache of studying to be an engineer and after all that, realizing(when i get a job) that i dont like it at all. reason im going into it is because i love making stuff work together(like a v8 into a TJ)

if its not going to be mechanical engineering then my next choice is optometry

[_Kyle_]

Find a school that requires co-ops. It is the best and only way to know if you will enjoy the work and what you are doing. Worst case, you go to school for 3 semesters, co-op, realize you don't care for the discipline of engineering, and 90% of your courses transfer to another discipline of engineering without a problem and you didn't waste any time or money.

[Matt Gertsch]

Originally Posted by TXjeepTJ

well, i was wondering if anyone has some personal experience that could tell me what they do. not all around, but giving a specific example of something thats going on right now. i dont really want to go through all the headache of studying to be an engineer and after all that, realizing(when i get a job) that i dont like it at all. reason im going into it is because i love making stuff work together(like a v8 into a TJ)

if its not going to be mechanical engineering then my next choice is optometry

I can set you up with my brother if you'd like to speak with him directly. PM me if interested.

[Hackmeister]

Originally Posted by _Kyle_

Find a school that requires co-ops. It is the best and only way to know if you will enjoy the work and what you are doing. Worst case, you go to school for 3 semesters, co-op, realize you don't care for the discipline of engineering, and 90% of your courses transfer to another discipline of engineering without a problem and you didn't waste any time or money.

Amen brother. I'm currently on my second co-op at Northeastern for mechanical engineering, and it's 100% reiterated my choice in studying ME. At the company I'm working for we get to blow stuff out of a huge air cannon (1000psi ), do fab work, design, troubleshooting, etc.... One of the other co-ops has been basically tinkering with a model aircraft engine for the past 6 weeks - people do that crap as a hobby all the time and he's getting paid $$$$ to do it too!

I have not done too much with direct calculations on my current position because I'm basically a technician right now, but a lot of knowledge about different processes, techniques, theories, and the like are very useful in understanding the job. The full time engineers do a lot of calculations which directly relate to classes (stresses, dynamics, etc)

[fast64]

I am studying to be a mechy and am co-oping with a power company. In my area we will design service solutions for our large, specialized customers. I have learned WAY more on the job than anything in school, and with my job I get to work with big, high voltage equipment and spend a good bit of time at the customers' locations (most of the customers tend to take me under their wing since I am still in school and take me on tours of their facilities and explain their processes). Honestly, I really hate engineering school for the most part but love my job and can't wait to graduate and get to work full time. Maybe its just the school I go to, but I think there needs to be a reform in the way engineering is taught. I really don't think I am learning anything by being forced to memorize equations and then regurgetate them onto an exam for a grade. There are a lot of kids that I go to school with that will make HORRIBLE engineers, but play the game more than I and therefore make better grades even though I would outperform them in the real world day after day. Engineering is all about problem solving and creative thinking, things that I love. I really wish school would focus more on teaching principles and theories and REAL WORLD application of them rather than making me memorize an equation so hopefully I can remember it so I can answer some bullcrap question about some Mousetrap-esque energy transfer to pass a test to pass a class to make good grades to keep my scholarships to graduate and really begin working.

Well, my post really failed to answer your question and turned into a poorly constructed rant (the grammar police could go to town on this post, its a run-on sentance haven). I hope I didn't scare away from engineering. I would suggest getting a co-op so you have real world experience and do stuff thats fun and educational. Also, if you decide engineering isn't your thing you will still have an in with a company and could possibly get in there in a different area after you graduate.

[kairo]

Originally Posted by TXjeepTJ

well, i was wondering if anyone has some personal experience that could tell me what they do. not all around, but giving a specific example of something thats going on right now. i dont really want to go through all the headache of studying to be an engineer and after all that, realizing(when i get a job) that i dont like it at all. reason im going into it is because i love making stuff work together(like a v8 into a TJ)

if its not going to be mechanical engineering then my next choice is optometry

My brother is a Naval Systems Engineer, and I work in the medical field. I can answer some questions via PM

[TXjeepTJ]

Originally Posted by fast64

I am studying to be a mechy and am co-oping with a power company. In my area we will design service solutions for our large, specialized customers. I have learned WAY more on the job than anything in school, and with my job I get to work with big, high voltage equipment and spend a good bit of time at the customers' locations (most of the customers tend to take me under their wing since I am still in school and take me on tours of their facilities and explain their processes). Honestly, I really hate engineering school for the most part but love my job and can't wait to graduate and get to work full time. Maybe its just the school I go to, but I think there needs to be a reform in the way engineering is taught. I really don't think I am learning anything by being forced to memorize equations and then regurgetate them onto an exam for a grade. There are a lot of kids that I go to school with that will make HORRIBLE engineers, but play the game more than I and therefore make better grades even though I would outperform them in the real world day after day. Engineering is all about problem solving and creative thinking, things that I love. I really wish school would focus more on teaching principles and theories and REAL WORLD application of them rather than making me memorize an equation so hopefully I can remember it so I can answer some bullcrap question about some Mousetrap-esque energy transfer to pass a test to pass a class to make good grades to keep my scholarships to graduate and really begin working.

Well, my post really failed to answer your question and turned into a poorly constructed rant (the grammar police could go to town on this post, its a run-on sentance haven). I hope I didn't scare away from engineering. I would suggest getting a co-op so you have real world experience and do stuff thats fun and educational. Also, if you decide engineering isn't your thing you will still have an in with a company and could possibly get in there in a different area after you graduate.

no your post was actually very helpful. I had heard that what you learn in school has nothing really to do with a realistic engineering job, this is great news. i also love problem solving and creative thinking. i've also heard about people getting good grades in college for engineering and then failing at realistic engineering(when they get a job). since your with a power company, do you focus more on electrical engineering?

hackmeister- helpful post also

[fast64]

Not so much electrical engineering as power engineering. I don't use some of the more complex theories that you would use when designing electronics. I am trying to get moved over to a new area next year doing transmission and substation maintenance so that I can do more mechanical engineering.

[RAMBOY]

Originally Posted by TXjeepTJ

do you apply most of what you learned in college to your job everyday? Can someone give me an example of what you do exactly as an engineer, such as what you are doing in your job right now?

Spreadsheets, e-mails, and meetings. You don't need to learn any book stuff because you will never use it. The better you can b.s. your way thru a problem, the more likely you will be successful in engineering.

[bobjp]

I am just getting into automotive engineering (only had two related jobs and still in school) so this is based on my experience.

It depends on where you go and what you do. Engineers do a wide range of things. Some things not really engineering at all. Engineers do quality, sales, warranty, design, R and D, testing, management, etc.

You will not use everything you learned in school. You probably won't even use 10% of it. You get a job that focuses on a specific area of engineering (like one specific product) and requires only knowledge of the science specifically related to that product. For instance, if you work with brakes, you are only going to need to know things related to brakes. You won't be designing a car from bumper to bumper. You will be on a team that designs one part.

You can't expect a lot at first. You will have to work your way into the postion you want. If you want to work on engines, you can't expect to get a job working on engines right away. You might start off working in something unrelated. Once you get more experience, you can be more selective about your job. It appears that automotive engineers move from job to job and from company to company in order to work their way up.

Also, there is a large business aspect to engineering. You will have to deal with a bunch of business related activities that definitely don't deal with the math and science you learned in school.

Again, this is based on my limited experience.

[Hackmeister]

I'm going to chime in again and mention that if you're wanting to do more hands-on type engineering (instead of meeting and emails) I'd try to maybe shoot for smaller companies where they don't have dedicated technicians to do all of the fun building, wrenching, machining, welding and whatnot. There's a lot of cool stuff mechanical engineers have the opportunity to do. I'm hoping to get into the aeronautical, automotive or ballistics fields.