Austin Jordan Packer

Professor Ahmad Kareh

November 21, 2017

e-Portfolio Term Project Paper

Career Analysis: Mechanical Engineering

Job Description:

Mechanical engineering is a specific, yet very broad, field of study and practice.

Whenever there is a moving mechanism, in whatever the field, it most likely had a mechanical

engineer involved. The online webpage of Target jobs defines, Mechanical engineers produce

specifications for, design, develop, manufacture and install new or modified mechanical

components or systems. Mechanical engineers need to be technically minded, able to

demonstrate numerical and scientific ability and have problem-solving skills. (Mechanical

engineer: job description, n.d.). Depending on the job, an engineer might focus on only one of

these functions of design, development, manufacturing, and installation, or they might be leading

all of them.

Mechanical engineering is one of the first engineering practices and has a very broad

scope of what one can do with mechanical engineering. For example, it could also be coupled

with similar engineering skills such as electrical engineering or many other forms of engineering.

It is broad and can be used in many different fields of business as such many engineering

specialize in a more particular field of the mechanical engineering practice. Some examples of
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specializations could be in automobiles, small appliances, industrial equipment, medical devices,

and many more.

With these many different fields, the day to day life of a mechanical engineer can differ,

however, there are many similarities. There are, in general, two types of mechanical engineers:

those being design engineers and system engineers. Brad Geswein, a 2006 grad mechanical

engineer, says of these two general types, Design engineers typically create something new -

anything from a kitchen blender to a locomotive engineer. System engineers usually work to

optimize, maintain, or upgrade existing systems - anything from power plant to medical drug

production. (Geswein, n.d.). He explains that design engineers are more of creators while

system engineers improve or optimize. Through research I have seen that many engineers talk

about using problem-solving skills through math and science to develop or improve products.

This is done through research, designing, prototyping, testing, breaking, and doing it over and

over again until you have a finished product. Mechanical engineers also typically work as a

team to be able to solve problems. Some engineers also travel to various factories that create

their product to ensure that the product is being completed properly as it was engineered.

General Career Path:

In general, after one gets out of school with a bachelors in mechanical engineering then

they enter an entry level position at a company. The specifics of the job would depend on what

field of mechanical engineering it is in. After about 3 to 5 years of experience, they would be

able to pursue a higher job either in the same company or a related field. Mechanical

engineering is very dependent on experience to be able to progress further up the management,

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however there are also some positions in higher management where a masters degree or Ph.D.

might be necessary.

For some people this would mean while working in the field they would back to school

to get their higher education. There are some employers who will help with this as well, as long

as they have a contract with the company stating that they will continue to work there for a

certain amount of time after receiving their masters or doctorate.

Whether a mechanical engineer gets a higher degree than a bachelors or not, almost all

higher paid positions are looking for specific experience in the fields that are needed for the job.

(ASME, n.d.).

General Education Experience:

A mechanical engineer typically needs a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering in

order to begin in an entry level job. They could stop there and then focus on gaining skill and

experience, or they could get a masters degree or doctorate in mechanical engineering or a

related field would give them a wider spread of knowledge.

There are also certifications and exams to pass in order to grow as an engineer. On

College grads website they state:

Licensure is not required for entry-level positions as a mechanical engineer. A

Professional Engineering (PE) license, which allows for higher levels of leadership and

independence, can be acquired later in ones career. Licensed engineers are called

professional engineers (PEs). A PE can oversee the work of other engineers, sign off on
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projects, and provide services directly to the public. State licensure generally requires (1)

A degree from an ABET-accredited engineering program (2) (Geswein, n.d.)

(CollegeGrad, n.d.)A passing score on the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam (3)

Relevant work experience, typically at least 4 years (4) A passing score on the

Professional Engineering (PE) exam (CollegeGrad, n.d.)

These exams and certificates certify an engineer as a professional, which opens many

more doors for them. By being a professional, they are able to pursue personal ventures as well

as manage more engineers. Along with these requirements, the professional certification

generally has to be renewed once a year in order to maintain that the engineers are up to date.

Average Salary:

Mechanical engineers generally work 40 hours a week with about 1 in 3 who work more,

and those who travel to many different places around the world. For a Mechanical Engineer in

general, the median annual wage is $83,060. The lowest 10 percent earn less than $53,210 while

the highest 10 percent earn more than $126,430. Here in Salt Lake City, the average entry level

wage is $63,856 per year with the average of experienced mechanical engineers is $86,065 per

year. (CollegeGrad, n.d.). As a student searching for a career to be able to support a family on, I

am very glad to hear that mechanical engineers are paid well, and to me, plenty enough.

Career Outlook:

The career outlook for mechanical engineers is on the higher end of average job growth.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics states Employment of mechanical engineers is projected to grow

9 percent from 2016 to 2026, as fast as the average for all occupations. Job prospects may be best
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for those who stay abreast of the most recent advances in technology. (Statistics, n.d.). Nine

percent is a good growth, though along with its normal projected growth, the bureau of labor

statistics also explains that as technology continuous to develop, even more jobs will open up in

this field. With a good job market, they talk about a good way to stay ahead of the herd is to be

up-to-date on the most recent advancements in technology and being learned in new virtual

simulations of projects. Companies value these new virtual simulations because it cuts down on

time and cost of building and testing prototypes. Along with this practice, a developing interest

for those in this field is knowledge and practice of three-dimensional printing. These are some

examples of developing technology that will further change the engineering field.

Bio of someone in the profession:

Nikola Tesla was a mechanical and electrical engineer as well as an inventor. He is

renowned and could be named the father of modern electricity. Nikola Tesla was born July 10,

1856 in was is now Croatia he studied in England to become an engineer and was well known for

being able to come up with inventions on the spot. Tesla then came to the United States in 1884

to work for Thomas Edison. His employment with Edison was brief and he later surpassed

Edison electric technology with Teslas AC machinery which is still used today.

Tesla also invented many other things including the tesla coil, the beginnings of radio and

x-ray technology. Tesla also invented many machines which were operated through

electromagnetics. He later died on January 7, 1943 being 86 years old. (Biography.com, n.d.).

Pros and Cons:

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As with all matters of life there are both pros and cons to a career in mechanical

engineering. Some of the advantages to engineering is that you come right out of school making

good money, and engineers move to management positions and make excellent money over the

course of their career. If creativity and application to real-life problems interests someone,

engineers have that and more. It is a very agile degree which is able to work in many fields and

companies worldwide. There are many good things about engineering, though they usually

come after the rigorous study it takes to become an engineer.

Cons to mechanical engineering involve a what could be stressful work with time

restraints and limited resources. Working in groups who could potentially be neglectful as well

as competitive for promotions. There is also the massive amount of math and science skills

needed in order to work in engineering. Though there are the cons I feel that the pros to the

situation of becoming an engineer are worth it. (Baine, n.d.)

Your fit with this career:

I believe that mechanical engineering is a good fit for me. I have always enjoyed

constructing new ideas and making them in wood-working and have had a yearning to keep

creating and making new ideas that can help people in their everyday lives.

I had been slowly researching about mechanical engineering, but I am glad that I had

actual school time to dive into this subject of study. After looking over the many parts of

becoming a mechanical engineer, I have decided to follow the course to become one. I plan to

switch over to an associate in pre-engineering and then transfer into the U of Us mechanical
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engineering program. I have already talked with one of their advisors and have learned many of

the steps I need to take to get there.

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References
ASME. (n.d.). Which Path Will You Take? Retrieved from ASME: https://www.asme.org/career-
education/k-12-students/pathways-careers-in-mechanical-engineering/which-path-will-you-
take

Baine, C. (n.d.). Pros and Cons of Engineering Degree. Retrieved from engineeringedu.com:
http://www.engineeringedu.com/CelestesBlog/blog/2013/01/14/pros-and-cons-of-an-
engineering-degree/

Biography.com. (n.d.). Nikola Tesla Biography. Retrieved from Biography.com:

https://www.biography.com/people/nikola-tesla-9504443

CollegeGrad. (n.d.). Mechanical Engineers. Retrieved from CollegeGrad:

https://collegegrad.com/careers/mechanical-engineers

Geswein, B. (n.d.). what do mechanical engineers dod on a day to day basis? Retrieved from
CareerVillage: https://www.careervillage.org/questions/1041/what-do-mechanical-engineers-
do-on-a-day-to-day-basis

Mechanical engineer: job description. (n.d.). Retrieved from Targetjobs:

https://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/job-descriptions/276099-mechanical-engineer-job-
description

Statistics, B. o. (n.d.). Mechanical Engineers. Retrieved from www.bls.gov:

https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/mechanical-engineers.htm#tab-6