A mechanical engineer is a person who trains in the technical and physical aspects of machine design and product development. A Mechanical Engineer can work in a very diverse range of areas, including car manufacturing or man made materials. A Mechanical Engineer enjoys hands-on work and problem solving. If you have a degree in Mechanical Engineering, this is your step-by-step guide to finding alternative careers.
There are many popular job search sites out there, but what you probably haven’t heard of is Degree Search. It’s a site dedicated to helping workers find jobs with companies looking for individuals with degrees in engineering.
If you’re reading this as a senior in high school and wondering about your future career options after graduation, you’re probably trying to figure out if there are any careers for mechnical engineers. Well, the answer is yes.
Alternative careers for mechanical engineers
With a mechanical engineering degree as your foundation, you can build a career in a multitude of industries. From manufacturing to consulting to aviation, the options are seemingly limitless.
There are many career paths for mechanical engineers. And there are lots of articles and posts with lists – Top 10 Best… or Top 5 Must-Have… lists, but the information on these lists often fails to answer the question – What does a mechanical engineer do in their “9-to-5” job? To help you get an idea, we have listed some typical day-to-day activities of mechanical engineers.
A mechanical engineering degree provides an excellent grounding in engineering principles and problem-solving techniques.
What can you do with a degree in mechanical engineering?
These can be applied to a wide variety of exciting, challenging careers across a range of fields, such as energy, oil and gas, manufacturing, steel, automotive, robotics and information technology.
If a degree in mechanical engineering sounds interesting to you, the SRM Institute of Science and Technology in India offers a range of programmes at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. SRM’s mechanical engineering graduates have gone on to work with globally recognised firms such as the Rexroth Bosch group, Saint-Gobain Corporation, Hyundai, Larsen and Toubro, and Mahindra.
Considering a degree in mechanical engineering? Read on to discover where it could take you.
What will you gain from studying a mechanical engineering degree?
A degree in mechanical engineering can set you apart in the graduate job market, because of the many transferrable skills you will pick up.
At undergraduate level, the syllabus tends to be quite broad, giving students an overview of mechanical engineering. At postgraduate level, students will get to specialise in their area of interest. SRM offers one bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and four specialised master’s programmes in computer aided design (CAD), computer integrated manufacturing (CIM), robotics and solar energy.
Here’s what else you can gain from a mechanical engineering degree:
Industry connections
While pursuing a mechanical engineering degree, students can take advantage of the career services offered by their university to build valuable industry connections.
SRM Institute of Science and Technology’s mechanical engineering department gives students the opportunity to network with industry professionals through corporate training programmes and frequent lectures held by visiting industry professionals. This industry exposure helps students to secure work placements.
Technical skills
By studying a mechanical engineering degree, students will pick up a wealth of up-to-date technical skills.
For example, at SRM Institute of Science and Technology, undergraduate mechanical engineering students will gain a solid understanding of fluid mechanics, materials engineering, CAD and energy systems.
SRM’s mechanical engineering students are taught by skilled academics who are experts in their field. Of the school’s 114 faculty members, 54 hold a PhD and more than 1000 research papers have been published in international journals.
SRM’s faculty members frequently undergo training to update their knowledge in current industrial technologies. The university also collaborates with industry professionals to help design the programme’s syllabus, which keeps the programme up to date with fast-changing industrial developments in engineering and technology.
Alongside these technical skills, students will pick up soft skills, such as critical thinking, problem-solving and communication. The combination of these technical and soft skills make mechanical engineering students highly attractive to graduate employers.
International outlook
A mechanical engineering degree can also offer the chance to improve your international outlook, with the option to study abroad.
SRM Institute of Science and Technology gives students the opportunity to complete a semester abroad at an esteemed university such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Wisconsin Madison or HAN University.
What careers can you get with a mechanical engineering degree?
Here is a selection of careers that a degree in mechanical engineering could lead to. This list is by no means exhaustive but gives an insight into the broad spectrum of careers on offer to mechanical engineering graduates.
CAD technician
CAD technicians use computer aided software, such as Autocad and Solidworks to create technical drawings for products and parts used in the engineering, construction and manufacturing industries.
CAD technicians need a strong knowledge of engineering principles; the ability to create accurate technical drawings and good mathematical skills to complete complex calculations.
SRM’s M.Tech in Computer Aided Design gives students the option to specialise in this particular branch of mechanical engineering. However, even at undergraduate level, students will gain sufficient computational knowledge and exposure to mechanical engineering software.
Aerospace engineer
A career as an aerospace engineer will see you designing, building and maintaining planes, satellites and spacecraft. On a day-to-day level this may involve collecting and analysing test data, testing prototypes, researching ways to make fuel efficient parts and supervising the fitting of components.
This role requires strong problem-solving and analytical skills; attention to detail; commercial awareness and knowledge of the aerospace industry. To develop new designs, you will need to be innovative and think creatively. Some aerospace engineers choose to later specialise in a particular field such as space technology, avionics or aerodynamics.
Mechanical designer
Mechanical designers work alongside engineers and architects to create technical drawings for mechanical devices. These will be used to create or improve manufacturing systems or processes.
To work as a mechanical designer, you will need to have a good eye for design, be an adept problem-solver and be able to easily build relationships with project managers, architects and engineers.
At SRM, the mechanical engineering bachelor’s degree aims to provide a flexible educational experience in design, mathematics, modelling, computing, management, engineering science, social sciences and fine arts: all skills and knowledge you will need in a career as a mechanical designer.
Mechanical engineer
A mechanical engineering role is one of the most diverse engineering careers you can get with a degree in mechanical engineering. Among other things, mechanical engineers are responsible for creating innovative solutions to complex problems; planning and designing new production processes and researching, developing and testing theoretical designs.
To be successful in this role, you’ll need strong technical and scientific knowledge, which you can easily apply to practical problems; excellent communication skills; a working knowledge of computer-aided design and the ability to work well under pressure.
Control and instrumentation engineer
As a control and instrumentation engineer, you will be responsible for designing, developing, installing and maintaining equipment that will monitor and control engineering machinery in processing industries.
In this role, attention to detail is compulsory. You’ll also need excellent critical thinking skills and a high level of numeracy.
Automotive engineer
An automotive engineer designs, develops, tests and builds parts for cars and motorbikes. In this role you may work on engine systems, the body and chassis of a vehicle, the vehicle’s electrical and electronic instrumentation and control systems, or on the vehicle’s thermodynamics, aerodynamics and fluid mechanics.
This role requires high levels of accuracy, numeracy and technical competency as you will be turning complex ideas into blueprints. You will need to be innovative, while demonstrating a strong commercial and industry awareness.
Investment banker
Although this is a less typical career path for mechanical engineering graduates, many of the skills gained in a mechanical engineering degree will be useful in an investment banking role. As an investment banker, you’ll provide a range of financial services to companies, institutions and governments, managing a variety of corporate, strategic and financial opportunities.
This role will be well suited to mechanical engineering graduates because of the strong numerical and analytical skills they will pick up in their degree.
