In this article, we will find the answer to the question ‘Is engineering as hard as they say?’.
Engineering can be defined in many ways but my personal favorite is “the application of science to the optimum conversion of the resources of nature to the uses of mankind”
Being an engineer is definitely not easy. It requires someone with the ability to understand and utilize the principles of science and math for the betterment of human lives. (It involves more math and science than anyone would like)
To answer this question in short: It depends upon you and your personal skill set. I’m currently pursuing my bachelor’s in chemical engineering and frankly, I’m enjoying it because it is my passion. If my friend who is pursuing design takes up engineering for some reason, I’m sure she’ll be in a living hell.
What makes people say engineering is hard?
There are a lot of reasons as to why one might consider engineering to be hard, some can be personal others not so personal. Here I have a list of reasons that has got people saying engineering is tough
- First things first, let us know the structure of engineering. Any bachelor’s degree in engineering has 8 semesters so that’s 4 years of hard work. The first year is common for all types such that we’ll have a proper foundation. The second and third year is when you are introduced to your stream and the final year is when you get busy with projects, internships, placements etc. A bachelor’s degree can get you a decent job with an annual pay of $86,987 but if you pursue master’s degree, it’s a cherry on top of your educational qualification getting you an average pay of $110,000 annually. And to achieve this will take you countless hours of studying and building your skills.
- In the USA it takes around $45,000 to $60,000 to complete engineering.
- What do you think would happen to a rose plant in the Sahara desert? It would die right? It has no water to survive and hence dries out. This is what will happen if in your locality engineering has no scope. Agreed you have amazing qualification and stand out skills but what’s it worth if there are no jobs in your area/state/country.
- You need to have the interest too. You cannot force yourself into engineering. Obviously if you love art and are good at it but are forced to do engineering it will be hard. There are a lot of topics to learn and analyze which could be hard for some people.
- Do you find math and science as your worst enemy? Well in that case sorry to say but engineering is not meant for you because as mentioned earlier engineering involves using math, science and technology to design and build machines, structures, products to make our lives simpler.
- As an engineer you will have to make important decisions in your field, Make the wrong ones and you’re pretty much doomed. Creative and critical thinking play a major role here. You can develop these skills through internships during your degree.
- Good communication skills is a must because most of the time you’ll have to work with people who might have different ideas and opinions than you do, due to which can cause workplace conflicts if not communicated politely and professionally. So if you find it hard working with people being an engineer would be hard for you.
- If you don’t have proper planning and time management being an engineer is going to be hard for you and not just in your job even while studying. When you are studying engineering you will have a lot to process, you will be bombarded with information with very less time to comprehend and let’s not forget the endless assignments and projects. Therefore it is essential they you have good time management in order to excel in your course and the job that comes with it.
Some of the toughest engineering courses include(not in order)
Chemical engineering:
It deals with the study of the operation and design of chemical plants along with improving them for a low cost yet effective production.
In chemical engineering, you mainly learn the concepts of heat transfer, reaction engineering, thermodynamics, etc.
Average salary: $108,540 pa
Aerospace engineering:
It deals with the development of aircraft and spacecraft.
Russia offers great scope in aerospace engineering with countless benefits for students
Average salary: $103,743pa
Electrical engineering:
It Deals with the design and application of equipment, devices, and systems that use electricity.
Electrical engineering involves a lot of understanding and the necessity to have a strong base from which complex systems can be evolved.
Average salary:$92,679pa
Biomedical engineering:
Application of principles of engineering to medicine and biology for health care purposes.
A biomedical engineer study designs and develops medical systems and products such as artificial organs, prosthesis etc
Average salary: 84,580
Computer Science engineering:
It deals with the design and implementation of information systems (both software and hardware).
Coding, programming, web development are the important skills required to be a good CS engineer.
Average salary : $52,690 pa
And many more kinds
Conclusion
Engineering is a fun yet challenging course to take up with various career options and good pay.
I’m in my first year of chemical engineering and of course, it has been challenging, even so, it has been a good year. Basically, you need to be good at math, physics and be smart enough to survive engineering. The thing in engineering is that there is a lot to learn and understand but so little time, so the teachers end up just giving you loads of work. If you have your work organized and planned out it’ll be easy trust me, and you’ll even have free time to watch the new season of Money Heist. And to be honest, most of the topics in engineering were dealt with in our high school, the only difference is that you learn to apply them in practice. Why it gets difficult is because you have limited time to grasp the content but then again plan out your semester beforehand and you’ll be fine.
Remember, anything is easy with a little hard work and determination so don’t give in to what people say. Trust your abilities
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Is engineering worth it?
A: One can get a decent job as an engineer with a bachelor’s degree in engineering (which takes 4 years) and the right skills. The U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics has expected nearly 140,000 new jobs for engineers over the decade 2016-2026 with a median salary of $91,010 which is twice more than the median wage for all workers.
- Which country is best for engineering?
A: The United States offer variety of options with an equal scope such as in chemical engineering, computer science engineering, biomedical engineering, etc. with an average pay of $63,039
Canada is a great place to choose for an engineer especially if you’re passionate about environmental and social issues. An engineer in Canada makes $52,794 annually
China which is growing to be the largest economies in the world offers $37,189 annually. Civil engineers have a great scope in China.
- Which is the best college for engineering in the US?
A: Stanford University, California
Steven’s Institute of Technology, New Jersey University of California, Berkeley, California Massachusetts Institute of technology Massachusetts
- Who can pursue engineering ?
A: Anyone with a 12th-grade science (preferably) and the right interest can take up engineering.
- Is engineering tougher than medicine?
A: While engineering involves learning scientific and mathematical principles to design structures and products that make human lives easier; medicine on the other hand is used to heal and help the human body.
Personally, I would say medical is tougher as you have to learn a lot of things and memorize every single part, bone, muscle, nerve, etc. of the human body. And don’t forget you need to perform dissections on an actual cadaver.
But then again if you are passionate about medical I don’t think this should stop you from doing it.
- How can I be a good engineer?
A: in short, to be a good engineer you need the right skills.
- Firstly you have to learn your basics. They are the foundation of all the knowledge that you will gain in the future. Also being updated with the current technical trends will help you in better understanding of problems faced in your work field
- Learn time management and planning since it is essential in doing work productively and be open to any other new skill that you might have to learn while you work.
- Work on your communication skills and your emotional intelligence as it is a key factor in getting work done as a group.
- Lastly and most importantly work hard. Nothing in this world comes easily. You have to find your work life- personal life balance and be punctual in your work.
Anyone can be an engineer but to be a good one takes a lot of effort and practice.
