Personal Advice - ASME Survey

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The intent of this section was to learn whether or not (and if so, to what degree) ASME respondents would provide educational advice and career guidance to younger students and young engineers. The majority of questions were open-ended, which gave participating engineers ample opportunity to convey their thoughts.

Respondents said it was important for students to consider engineering as a profession.

As seen in the graph below, over half of the respondents believe having the ability to apply one's creative talents, being satisfied with one's career and making improvements to the world are important reasons for students to consider engineering as a profession.

The following reasons for considering engineering as a profession are categorized and prioritized based on the number of other similar responses.

it gives one skills and experiences that no other field offers, one quickly gains technical expertise that is difficult to replace, it offers a pathway to other careers, you see your contributions in a very concrete physical form that is not visible in other professions, you get paid to pull things apart

it is not rewarding unless they have a job lined up, profession is decreasing in importance - will be outsourced in next decade or two, stay away so existing engineers can find employment, would not encourage children to become engineers, don't expect to get much from your company or society, choose something else as you will be out sourced

personally rewarding, great way to serve our country, a good way to support a family with reasonable work/life balance, a great public service applied at the personal level

integral to so many aspects of life and society, vital to maintain and improve the world's standard of living, helps you understand how the world functions and how we can harness natural resources to better the world in which we live

is a stepping stone to just about any other profession, provides a thought process that is applicable to almost anything encountered, characterized by solving problems utilizing facts and judgment

a way for persons with math and science talent to continue doing what is fun for them as an exciting profession, essential for making decisions based on objective facts and not subjective feelings, way to change world by integrating pure sciences in useful products and services, physics is cool.

View Comments:

It's an important avocation and it gives you skills and experiences that no other field offers -- but I cannot honestly tell students they will have good job prospects.

Engineering is a mindset or lifestyle that is characterized by solving problems based on a process that utilizes facts and judgment. Once an engineer, always an engineer.

I ask students to find something in their lives that is not touched or influenced by engineers or engineering design - they are surprised to find nothing in today's (US) lives that isn't.

Engineering is the art of determining what is physically possible under a given set of constraints. It is essential if we are to make decisions based on objective facts and not subjective feelings.

It is a job with variety. You may perform the same tasks daily, but on different projects, etc. It is never boring, and is always challenging.

A way for mathematically and scientifically talented individuals to continue doing what is fun and exciting as a profession

Engineers probably won't have the most secure jobs in the future; as companies outsource manufacturing, more and more engineering work will be done by perfectly capable engineers in other countries who work for a fraction the cost of their US counterparts.

Respondents provided advice for pre-college students who are presently considering an engineering career.

As noted below, approximately three-quarters of the participating ASME engineers suggested that pre-college students get hands on experience and learn how to apply concepts as opposed to just memorizing formulas.

There was a significantly higher percentage of women respondents who suggested pre-college students get hands on experience via internships, mentoring opportunities and/or job shadowing.

The following are other specific suggestions based on the number of similar responses.

learn to be objective and an independent thinker early, learn to build things while you are young, get involved in competitions that build things, get a hobby to help get involved in social groups, visit science centers and learn about great inventors and inventions,

question as many engineers as possible to understand their work, salary, and potential for job placement; interview professionals in your field of interest and it will open up new doors of opportunity, seek internships related to engineering, find a mentor, learn about different fields of engineering, read technical and industrial magazines and newspapers,

enjoy what you do, follow your passion, find what interests you, become goal oriented for an engineering curriculum and profession is demanding, chase your dream but realize it will take hard work,

don't enter engineering unless you are good in math, but realize in the business field most of it will be generalized for speed, don't let math scare you off for it is a tool an engineer uses to solve real world problems, learn the concepts not just the math,

learn to present complex issues in simply understood human terms, develop your communication and writing skills to help advance into engineering management

engineering is all about variety, not the same thing everyday, it is a collaborative profession geared towards problem solving, go beyond the textbook problems and learn the real world practical application of engineering

View Comments:

Be prepared to learn for the rest of your life.

Question as many engineers as possible to understand their work, salary, and potential for advancement

Learn to focus your life and be goal oriented. An engineering curriculum is a demanding one, and engineering is a demanding profession.

Learn the concepts, not just the math. Learn, as with Einstein, how to present complex issues in simply understood human terms. Then evolve to seeing patterns in seemingly unrelated fields through systems thinking.

Interact with professional societies. Try to go to technical conventions and seminars. Read the technical and industrial magazines and newspapers.

Clearly understand that true product design engineering has been replaced by project management and little to no technical work.

I can not emphasize refining communication skills enough. These skills are almost as important as technical skills for working engineers and they are more important for people who want to promote into engineering management.

Don't let the mathematics associated with engineering scare you off. Mathematics is merely a tool that the engineer uses to arrive at a solution to a real world problem in many (but not all) cases. Be sure to understand your mathematics courses well and study hard on them to that you can apply the proper techniques when needed to solve the real world problems presented to you.

This profession is full of people with great academic credentials, and little or no ability to apply theory to practice. Get as much practical experience as you can; work with your hands, get dirty, make stuff.

Respondents provided advice for college students who are entering their freshman year in an engineering program of study.

One of the most important pieces of advice ASME engineers offered college students was to learn about what engineering is and what engineers do for a living. This is reflected below in that 66% of the engineers who responded recommended that students take advantage of cooperative education opportunities and 54% suggested shadowing a mentor or talk to an engineer to learn what they do for a living.

The following categories are prioritized based on the number of other similar responses.

obtain part-time employment in an engineering field, work during summer in an engineering related job, tour plants and see engineering in motion, get involved in co-op, visit people who actually work in engineering

don't study too much, keep a good balance between school and other life interests, take other courses - not just engineering, study together when possible

take foreign languages and other course so you can converse with the rest of the world, learn how to socialize, pursue hobbies so you can create instant bonds with new people

learn how to make things run by yourself, hands on experience is priceless, seek projects and competitions, allows you insight to natural and man-made wonders that no other education allow you to access to

pursue engineering because you love it - not for the money, not easy but very rewarding, if you love it you can make good money at it, if you desire to be innovative and creative - stay the course

View Comments:

Remember that the goal of your education is to learn how to think, not to memorize equations.

Concentrate on systems approach, no theories, and understand application of the information being taught.

If there is ONE book that you want to keep, that would be your CALCULUS book. Calculus is something that you will find in the more advanced classes later on. Selling back your Calculus book for a few bucks could be a very costly mistake.

Don't be discouraged if some of the classes you take are very hard or not at all fun. Each engineering field has enough different types of potential jobs that you aren't likely to end up in a job that requires you to be good at everything.

Real-world experience is better than anything you learn in books - get an internship at least once during your college career

Match the hours you think you will want to work with the actual hours of professionals in your field of study. Engineers often work exceptionally long hours without overtime. Make sure that this is acceptable.

Engineers must be able to communicate with non-engineers. Take a class in public speaking or debate and pay attention in English class.

Ask questions continually and be involved in social groups (fraternal, athletic, robotic competitions, nonprofit) anything to get to know people. Have a few hobbies so you can create instant bonds with new people (people who are involved or interested in your hobby - golf and sports seem to be big topics of discussion).

If you are in engineering for the money, then get out now. There are a lot of other more profitable jobs out there. If you have a strong desire to be innovative and creative, then stay the course.

Understand that what you learn in the engineering curriculum is unlike any other field and allows you insight to natural and man-made wonders that no other education allow you to access to. The understanding and skill you learn in the engineering curriculum can truly be considered priceless because you can pass on what you learn to future generations, specifically your children!

Eighty-five (85%) percent of the respondents indicated their encouragement and/or advice would not differ between males and females, who are considering or entering the profession.

There were significantly more women respondents who indicated their advice would be different. The following is an overview of all respondents who had advice for women who are considering the engineering profession. Their responses are grouped by categories with similar themes.

stick with it - chances are you are doing better than your peers, be tough and don't worry about making everyone happy, you live in a man's world so you must be strong and believe in yourself and your ideas, although you are a minority - engineering is very rewarding, develop "thick skin", do not be timid and allow the males to dominate conversations, projects, discussions, and ideas,
stick to what you believe, and kick but if you need to, be forceful and proactive
female students need more role models, seek out other women engineering for mentoring, don't be intimidated by professors trying to weed you out, women students do not have the same support group that men have,
persevere, women have different learning styles than men (visual vs audible) - do not be afraid to ask questions, develop an the ability to learn, educate female students about SWE
women need to get their hands dirty and take things apart and build things, see how things work, you will be judged to be less hands-on, get involved in coop or student competitions, some females see engineering as a dirty and difficult profession,
need more female engineers' point of view that is not represented currently, they tend to be better students, their differences in opinion, view and education are needed, they bring an artistic point of view to a technical world, do your gender proud by putting a female perspective into a male dominated profession
women will need to work harder than men to become an engineer and they need to work harder to get to the same place as men, may have more opportunity to proceed through corporate ranks than males, females must prove themselves more competent than males (currently),
don't give up because some of the men are jerks, males need to adapt and handle the fact they will be working with and for women,

View Comments:

Mechanical engineering is still a difficult field for women to break into and there are still managers out there who do not think women should be out in the plants but rather at desks. If you don't want to be a desk jockey, do your research to find out where those jobs are and if they are actually in an area you where you would live.

We need more female engineers, there is point of view or aspect that is not being appropriately represented currently.

I would tell female students that the engineering field needs diversification. The typical female mind brings something different and creative to the table, and female engineers tend to excel in communication, which is an often overlooked skill that is critical for success in real-life business.

In general, women haven't taken machines apart. I recommend that they go to a junk yard and take apart some engines or buy some old clocks and take them apart. Get to know how things get put together. That way they can better visualize machines.

Females should be confident in their abilities. They are equally or often better suited to be engineers than men.

I would encourage talented female students even more. They are still extremely underrepresented in our profession and tend to be better engineering students in general.

It is more difficult for the female to advance in engineering. She is really going to have to want to be an engineer, and be willing to work harder than the men (sad fact of life).

I would advise a female engineer to be patient and be prepared to persevere because there are so many men in the profession. She will be a valuable asset to an organization and should be able to find a company that appreciates her.

As a female engineering student, I ashamed to admit that I witnessed other female students "use" the fact that they were female in order to improve their grades - wearing low cut shirts, bending over, etc. This is inappropriate, and is also unethical, in my opinion. Females do have a bit harder task as some of the faculty can be prejudicial, but it is always best to take the high road and earn your grades. Any shortcuts will affect your ability to be a good employee.

As a Female I have found that the Engineering profession is not a family friendly profession, so if Family is very important to you then look hard for companies where family can be a priority.

Depends on the demographics of the program and the personalities of the students, but in some cases women students do not have the support group the men have. I would encourage them all to be supportive of one another, but spend some extra time giving the women encouragement. If they are alone in the program it can be very isolating.

I think it is good for female students to have more contact with women engineers and see the variety of options that are available and how different women handle the role of engineer. Male students see this much more often by default since here are more men professors and engineers.

The survey asked respondents with five or more years of work experience in engineering to offer advice to young engineers who recently accepted employment at an engineering workplace.

There were many responses with some in-depth suggestions. The following is an overview of their responses grouped in categories with similar themes.

Listen and learn from others:

be patient, learn to listen to older and successful people, consult with older, more experienced colleagues and find a mentor (senior engineer and others), mentors can provide work and career advice (don't rely on management for this)

learn and make friends with clerical workers, technicians and machinists as they know a lot more than you do, tap their sources and do not talk down to persons w/o degrees, production workers have valuable information and ideas that are rarely tapped to solve problems or improve productivity

develop a network of people to help you get the job done, don't talk down to persons without degrees and document what you

Work hard and ask questions:

work hard (no matter how tough it gets), be prepared to prove yourself with any task, demonstrate your ability everyday, adapt when necessary and over ambition does not show well, keep a daily log and update resume, work on meeting targets

ask questions, try and work with different departments, learn everything you can (become a sponge), rely on collective advice, get involved in as many projects as possible, assume responsibility, travel and take field assignments and show initiative and challenge the excuse we have always done it this way.

Understand your company and be aware of politics:

learn the organization, pay attention to the engineering practices and business aspects, don't let the red tape get to you, be aware of politics

realize the importance of appearances and learn about the company where you work, learn how things work, learn how performance is rated

Keep Learning:

keep learning, take advantage of training and tuition reimbursement, professional development, pursue advanced education and your PE

refine your communication skills, learn personal interaction skills,

learn about the design process, much of what you learn in school is not done on the job, learn how to really apply concepts instead of just memorizing them, develop an understanding of the engineering field, know your tools, build and broaden your skill set, make presentations, keep abreast of new technologies

build respect and act with integrity, realize you do not know everything, learn the basics, do not overestimate your knowledge and do not forget the fundamentals, don't assume learning stops when you graduate

View Comments:

Establish a reputation has a hard-working, trustworthy, and responsible engineer. Own up to your mistakes - everybody makes them. That's the only way you will grow and learn. Soak up knowledge from your more experienced co-workers. Strive to achieve a degree of balance between your personal and professional lives (this will become easier as you become established in your field). Your reputation with a new company will be made in the first few years.

Expect to work 60 to 80 hours of work. This field is not about just going home at the end of the day. It is living your job.

Understand that as a new young engineer you may in the beginning be asked to do very basic tasks that do not utilize your education. These tasks can be very useful for building up basic knowledge and gaining valuable practical experience, but be aware that you eventually need to be challenged and utilized and that you should not allow yourself to be taken advantage of or pigeonholed. Also, you should take continuing education courses and pursue your engineering license.

Be prepared to prove yourself, a degree does not demonstrate competence. You have to demonstrate your ability every day and continue to learn.

A good engineering environment has many "accepted" engineering practices that will be unique to an organization. The sooner these are learned, the sooner you will become productive. Also, don't be afraid to ask "stupid" questions; it's the only way to learn sometimes.

Just because you're an engineer, the rest of the organization isn't going to bow to your wishes. You've got to build respect and the best way to do that is to act with integrity and give others the respect you want. If you don't know an answer - say so. Offer to find the solution and get back to people. Don't act as an expert on something you don't know about. That will destroy your standing in the organization.

Don't think you are an engineer just because of the degree. You have just begun your training as an engineer.

Expect it to take 2-3 years before you truely feel comfortable in your position. I though I "had it" after about 6 months, but now looking back after 7 years I realize how much I didn't know and how much there still is to learn.

Get ready to learn all of the things about how engineering works in the real world. Your degree got your foot in the door. Now get ready for the experience of working and life.

Get plenty of sleep, because the learning curve can be slow. Ask questions, because you do not know everything and are not expected to. Don't be afraid to politely challenge set practices, because fresh eyes see things in a new light. Don't be overly confident; accept help from everyone (not just the senior engineers) not only because you will learn more, but people will respect you. Get dirty; you will learn the most where the product is being built and gain the respect of the manufacturing personel.

Work hard and take on as much responsibility as you can handle. Find a niche need at your place of employment and become valuable.

Learn how performance is rated in your company and work on meeting targets. Be enthusiastic, try your best and keep a positive attitude even if the task is daunting.

Focus on project work instead of detailed design. Detailed design is done more and more by computer programs, but companies need people to complete projects. Also, develop a network of contacts to help you get jobs done. And listen to mechanics, electricians and millwrights, since they actually apply what you design, and can offer valuable insight. They are there when the rubber hits the road.

Listen to and learn from the experienced engineers in your company. There is a vast amount of knowledge that will be lost as older engineers retire if young engineers do not take the time to listen and learn.

If you are planning on pursuing a PE license, document your work experience. Stay active in the professional organization(s) in which you are interested, even if it may not directly apply to your industry. Try to find a mentor, in or outside of your company. Work hard, and don't be afraid to ask questions. Keep learning. Remember that it is important to be a good employee.

Don't worry if you find that you don't actually like the practice of engineering. After a few years it is quite acceptable to do something else. Many "engineers" don't end up doing real engineering for long, if at all. If you don't stay in engineering, it doesn't mean that you are wasting your degree. Instead you are just using it as a stepping stone to something else.

Almost 70% of the respondents were NOT involved in any pre-college education activities that support students who participate in science, math or technology projects in or outside of the classroom.

This lack of involvement arose because:

42% did not have the time, and
30% did not know of any specific or general opportunities that matched their interests.

Of the 30% of respondents who currently participate in pre-college programs, there was a significantly greater percentage of women engineers who were involved. Activities that all respondents support include:

visit schools and talk to students (13%).
mentor or tutor students (12%).
participate as judges at science fairs (8%).
are involved with girls in engineering activities (6%).

The following is an overview of their other responses relating to members' participation in pre-college programs, grouped by categories with similar themes.

support/participate in FIRST competition, Odyssey of the Mind, mentoring a Lego Robotics team
participate on a board of local engineering society that sponsors programs for young engineers, participate in SWE outreach, ASME section in support of education
boy scout leader and work on science experiments, cub scout leader, girl scouts troup leader
school board member, serve on a board for pre engineering program at community college, school system advisory board

View Comments:

My previous employer sponsored a program aimed at high school students interested in math and science. The program was used to introduce the students to various engineering disciplines through use of speakers and tours. I volunteered for this group until I left my position at that company.

My company runs a week-long summer camp for 30 middle-school girls to get them excited about math, science, and engineering. I also help with a big math, science, and engineering "fest" where kids can come and learn about the different fields available.

I am planning to coordinate an Egg Drop contest for 2005 Engineers' Week. I have tried to incorporate A World In Motion programs into local schools without support or the right sponsorship.

Respondents provided insights regarding what might help them become involved in pre-college education activities.

45% suggested that they be kept aware of pre-college education activities in their local engineering chapters.
33% indicated that if they had time off from work, they would consider becoming involved.
30% asked to be kept abreast of opportunities where they might participate as on-line mentors or judges.

View Comments:

Looking for opportunities currently

Some of the activities are only during school hours which can make it very difficult to participate.

There is just so much that I can do and still keep up with my primary job and career development, so I will add these activities when able.

I am involved in a variety of volunteer activities already. They are rewarding and I am not looking for more.

I would participate in activities that include both genders together or have equivalent programs for both genders separately. Also, I will participate in activates that are race neutral. As a white male I feel uncomfortable participating in activities that would exclude a younger version of me.

Ask to participate in short (1 day or less) activities, because of other commitments, I do not have the time to dedicate to another activity, but could squeeze in random short activities.

It's just having the time available for commitment. There's always plenty to do.

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