Why Choose Engineering?
With engineering’s job prospects expected to grow 18% between 2016 and 2026, the future looks bright for those entering the profession. Below are reasons you should consider studying engineering based on the top ten rewards and opportunities listed in Studying Engineering: A Roadmap to a Rewarding Career, by Raymond Landis, et al. (Discovery Press, 2019).
Why Engineering?
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Job Satisfaction
It’s ideal to find a career that you enjoy. After all, you’ll likely spend eight hours or more a day, five days a week, at your job. Engineering can provide a satisfying field of work.
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Variety of Career Opportunities
From electrical and civil engineering to mechanical and biomedical engineering, an engineering degree offers many career possibilities. The majority of today’s college graduates will have more than one career during their work life, and engineering can provide a strong foundation for almost any one of them.
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Potential to Benefit Society
As an engineer, you can choose to work on projects that benefit society. Engineers help clean the environment, develop prosthetic aids, create clean and efficient transportation systems, find new sources of energy, alleviate the world’s hunger problems, and increase the standard of living in underdeveloped countries.
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Challenging Work
There is no shortage of solutions to be discovered in engineering. There is no single answer, no answer in the back of the book, no professor to tell you that you are right or wrong. You must devise a solution and persuade others that your solution is the best one.
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Intellectual Development
An engineering education will “exercise” your brain, developing your ability to think logically and solve problems. These skills will be valuable throughout your life – and not only when you are solving engineering problems.
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Creative Thinking
Engineering is a creative profession. Because we are in a time of rapid social and technological changes, the need for engineers to think creatively is greater now than ever before. If you like to question, explore, invent, discover, and create, then engineering could be the ideal profession for you.
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Technological and Scientific Discovery
Do you know why golf balls have dimples on them? Or why split-level houses experience more damage in earthquakes? Engineering education can help you answer questions and push you to ask new questions and find new solutions.
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Financial Security
Engineering is a lucrative career with an increasing growth outlook in years to come. Engineering graduates receive the highest starting salary of any discipline.
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Prestige
Engineers help sustain our nation's international competitiveness, maintain our standard of living, ensure national security, and protect public safety. As a member of such a respected profession, you will receive a high amount of prestige.
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Professional Environment
As an engineer, you will work in a professional environment and have a certain amount of freedom in choosing your work. Engineers have the opportunity to learn and grow through both on-the-job and formal training.
Discover
the creative engineer in you and the professional possibilities!