Engineering is one of the bright career options among many. An engineer is a person who analyzes the need, design, create and disseminate the product. To do this, engineers must possess various skills such as problem-solving, analyzing, optimizing, communication, etc. Engineering is not only a profession to earn livelihood but also an opportunity to serve the nation and the world. The world population is about 800 crores, and one can imagine the needs of such a large number of human populations in terms of food, medical facilities, drinking water, transportation, homes, etc. The engineers and engineering processes are making it possible to fulfill the world population’s needs.
Engineering as we know it today was emerged during the 1500s’ when mathematicians were used to design military fortifications. However, in the later 1800s,’ the specific engineering disciplines evolved as Civil, Mechanical, and Electrical Engineering, respectively. Later, with the growing need of mankind, the engineering disciplines have emerged in various other fields such as Electronics and Communication Engineering, Computer Science Engineering, Information Technology Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Architecture Engineering, Biotechnology Engineering, etc. The sub-disciplines of these are also evolving too. With technological advancement, engineering applications are now being more interdisciplinary than specific. One can take an example of a robot. Developing a robot requires the knowledge domain of mechanical, electrical, electronics, and computer science engineering. There are many areas where engineering graduates can excel in their careers after completing their degree. The broader options are as follows:
1.Higher studies: It is understood to be wise to upgrade qualifications before starting a career. There are numerous options available to do this
a. To pursue higher studies in the technical stream, one can do M.Tech/MS from India and abroad. To get admission in India, the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is to be qualified with a high score to get admission in IITs and NITs. To pursue MS outside India, most of the good universities consider Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score and Test of English as Foreign Language (ToEFL) score in their selection process with other requirements.
b. To pursue higher studies in the Management stream, the MBA/PGDBM courses are the choice. To get admission in IIMs and other renowned business colleges in India, Common Aptitude Test (CAT) is to be qualified with good marks. However, some institutes also conduct their own exams. For outside India, Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is the standard exam is to be qualified.
c. In addition to master courses, later, one can pursue a Ph.D. to enter into the research field and can work for R&D centers of MNCs or government organizations such as DRDO, BARC, etc., or to be in the teaching profession.
d. One can also apply for jobs in Public Sectors Units (PSUs) such as ONGC, IOCL, BHEL, SAIL, etc., with the relevant GATE score.
2. Startups: One can convert their innovative idea into a Startup and become an entrepreneur. The government is encouraging the startup with financial support and providing a conducive environment. There are many examples where engineers have proved to be successful entrepreneurs, such as Flipkart, Zomato, etc.
3. Core Industry Jobs: Large numbers of jobs are available in the core areas of various engineering streams. To note, the jobs of the typical engineering streams are as follows:
| Computer Science Engineering | Animation and Graphic Designer, IT Consultant, Multimedia Programmer, Web Developer, Software Engineer, App Developer, Database Administrator, Cyber Security Specialist, Game Developer, Data Analyst, Software Testing Engineer, etc. |
| Mechanical Engineering | Automotive Engineer, Aerospace, Hydro and Power, Biomechanics, Manufacturing, Refrigeration and Air-conditioning domains, Process Engineer, Project Engineer, Product Design Engineer, CAD Engineer, etc. |
| Electronics and Communication Engineering | Analog Design Engineer, VLSI Design Engineer, IoT and Embedded Engineer, Network Engineer, RF Wireless Systems Engineer, Instrumentation Engineer, etc. |
| Civil Engineering | Structural Engineer, Transportation Engineer, Geotechnical Engineer, Surveying Engineer, Construction Engineer. |
| Electrical Engineering | Aerospace Engineer, Manufacturing Systems Engineer, Control and Instrumentation Engineer, Broadcast Engineer, Transmission and Power System Engineer, Electrical System Design Engineer. |
4. Civil Services: Being a civil servant and serving the nation is one of the areas where engineers preferred to work and have performed very well. It requires to clear UPSC civil services exams. After qualifying the exam, one can work on the prestigious post of IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS, etc.
5. Indian Armed Forces: Another opportunity to serve the nation and earn respect and livelihood is to work in any of the three Indian Army, Navy, and Air force. There are many areas in the Indian armed forces for engineers to work.
6. Being expert/Certification course: Many new areas are evolving and in-demand nowadays to work on. Some areas are interdisciplinary, and some are specific to a particular engineering stream. These are the areas where engineers can be experts by doing certification courses. Some of them are Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Machine learning, Data Science, Digital Marketing, Blockchain, Ethical Hacking, Very-large-Scale Integration (VLSI), Embedded Technology, IoT, Machine Designing.
As the concluding remark, engineering is always the hope for mankind. Hence, making a career as an engineer will always be meaningful.