(Content) Ebook Complete Guide To Engineering Career Development

Complete Guide to
Engineering Career Development
xometry.com
Complete Guide to
Engineering Career
Development
© 2022 Xometry. All rights reserved.
First Edition
Table of Contents
Introduction.......................................................................................................................4
Part 1: Explore Your Engineering Career Path......................................5

1. Types of Engineers and Their Roles............................................................................6
2. 9 Steps to Finding the Engineering Job of Your Dreams.......................................23
3. Pitch Yourself to Potential Employers: Elevator Pitch Examples
for Students and Mid-career Engineers....................................................................31
4. How to Differentiate Yourself in Today’s Engineering Job Market......................36
5. Salary Expectations for Engineers.............................................................................38
Part 2: Build Your Skill Set..................................................................................42

6. Is a Professional Engineer License Worth It?..........................................................43
7. 5 Vital Soft Skills for a Successful Career in Engineering......................................48
8. How to Learn New Professional Skills.......................................................................53
Part 3: Grow Your Career.....................................................................................57

9. 4 Tips for Career Success as a Recent Engineering Graduate............................58
10. H
ow to Tell It’s Time to Move on from Your Current Role —
Even if You Still Like It.................................................................................................62
11. Engineering Jobs of the Future..................................................................................65
Further Reading.........................................................................................................73
Books....................................................................................................................................73
Articles ................................................................................................................................75
Sources & Endnotes.................................................................................................77

INTRODUCTION
When the careers website Glassdoor revealed its 50 Best Jobs in America for 20221,
engineering jobs took five of the top 10 slots. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)2 also
reports that overall employment in the engineering and architectural related professions is
expected to grow by 6% between 2020 and 2030.
As we explore what engineering is and how it benefits the world, we’ll take a closer look
at the various types of positions available in the industry. We’ll also provide practical tips
on how to differentiate yourself from competitors during your job search and land your
dream engineering job; how to continue to build your skill set, whether that be through
acquiring a license or gaining the top soft skills that employers want today; and how to
advance in your career.
The field is ripe with opportunities for people from all backgrounds and interests. Current
statistics indicate that 71% of engineers are white and 15% are women3, and recently more
than 50 organizations and companies — including Google, General Motors, Pfizer, and
Chevron — joined the Gender and Diversity KPI Alliance (GDKA)4 to adopt a number of key
performance indicators that measure diversity and gender in a collective effort to promote
diversity, inclusion, and equity. After all, Deloitte reports5 that inclusive teams earn up to
30% more revenue per employee than their competition.
Whether you have a passion for spacecraft or submarines, health care or infrastructure
projects, engineering offers exciting career opportunities.
Let’s dive in!
Complete Guide to Engineering Career Development | Page 4

PART ONE
EXPLORE YOUR ENGINEERING CAREER PATH

CHAPTER 1
Types of Engineers and Their Roles

Engineering is a field of study that uses knowledge from the sciences and mathematics
disciplines and applies it to develop solutions to the world’s problems in the form of
practical applications of innovations. While scientists may discover new and unique
concepts, processes, and materials, it is the role of the engineer to take these ideas and
turn them into useful products or systems that can be constructed, manufactured to scale,
and which will function reliably and continuously as needed to enhance the quality of life
for everyone.
To achieve these objectives, the discipline of engineering requires trained engineers

that possess the necessary skills and specialized knowledge that enables them to apply
scientific principles to create new designs and technologies to improve the performance
of existing systems or to create new and revolutionary solutions for the marketplace.
Development of these skills and knowledge requires advanced education at the college
level, and many specializations necessitate additional graduate study to master the subject
effectively.
In this chapter we’ll discuss the principal types of engineers, the roles they fill and the
functions they perform, some alternate methods of characterizing them, and relevant
statistics concerning engineers and the engineering profession.

CLASSIFYING ENGINEERS
There are several ways by which to examine the world of engineering and to classify
engineers. A few of the common approaches include:
• By education — what did they study and in what subject major did they earn their
degree?
• By discipline or specialty — within the broader field of study, do they specialize in
a narrower sub-sector of the overall field?
• By job function — what role do they play in the day-to-day work they do in the
engineering field?
• By industry — in what vertical industry are they employed?
EDUCATION-BASED CHARACTERIZATION
(I.e. Types of Engineering Degrees)
A common classification applied to engineers is to describe them by what their field of
study or educational subject major was. Table 1 below summarizes the most common
engineering programs of study at top U.S. colleges.
There are variations in how these degree programs are structured, depending on the
college. While some degree programs, such as mechanical engineering, are common
across schools, others vary across institutions.
For example, civil engineering may be combined at some schools with environmental
engineering, as there is an overlap of a common knowledge base that engineers in these
disciplines need to master. The strong integration of computer hardware in products and
devices across the broad market has also led some schools to pair computer engineering
with electrical and electronics engineering as a combined discipline to better address
this trend.

Programs Area of Study What Engineers with This Degree Do
Aerospace Engineering Design aircraft, spacecraft, missiles,

satellites, and other defense systems.
Bioegineering & Biomedical Engineering Develop equipment and devices used in

research, health care, hospitals, and
research facilities.
Chemical Engineering Work in the field of production of food,

pharmaceuticals, chemicals, paints,
coatings, and other products that
depend on the development of
specialized chemicals.
Civil Engineering Plan, design, and supervise the construction

of roads, bridges, buildings, airports, dams,
and other large-scale projects.
Computer Hardware Engineering Typically focused on the hardware

design aspects of computer and computer-
based systems, including processors,
memory, networks, I/O, and
communications elements.
Electrical and Electronics Engineering Design, develop, manufacture, test, and

maintain systems, components, and
devices across a broad spectrum of
technologies relating to the use and
transformation of electrical and
electronic signals, including digital,
analog, and radio frequency (RF).
Environmental Engineering Work to understand and develop solutions to

environmental problems of industry and
society, such as air and water pollution,
sewage and waste management, recycling of
materials, and the effective preservation and
use of natural resources.
Table 1
Programs Area of Study What Engineers with This Degree Do
Industrial Engineering Develop effective and efficient production

systems and processes that provide for the
optimum use of workers, machines, energy,
and information to allow for cost efficiency
and quality control.
Materials Engineering Perform research, testing, and evaluation

on new or improved materials whose
characteristics will enhance the develop-
ment of products with superior
performance, durability, and cost.
Mechanical Engineering Design mechanical devices and systems,

such as tools and machinery, thermal
products including sensors and detectors,
and fluid flow and fluid dynamics products
and systems such as pumps, valves, and
hydraulic systems.
Nuclear Engineering Focused on designing and creating the

equipment and systems to take advantage
of nuclear fission for the creation of
electrical energy as well as the use of
radioactive materials for other applications
in fields such as nuclear medicine for health
care and disease treatment.
Petroleum Engineering Design equipment and plans to harvest oil

and gas from below the surface of the Earth,
both onshore and offshore, and conduct
research into the production of wells.
Table 1 Cont’d

SPECIALTY OR DISCIPLINE-BASED CHARACTERIZATION
While the degree programs mentioned above in Table 1 provide a broad means of
classifying engineers, other disciplines or specialties exist within these programs which
further define and classify the engineering professional.
For instance, some electrical engineers may pursue a concentration in digital systems
design, where they might work to develop computer and digital processing equipment.
Other electrical engineers might choose to specialize instead in RF design, where they may
be involved in the development of new products in wireless communications, navigation,
and radar systems, or radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology. Alternatively, they
may choose to develop specialization around optics, lasers, optoelectronic devices, and
optical signal processing design.
Job Title Job Function
RF Design Design systems and components that

involve the use of radio frequency (RF)
energy and signals, such as radar
systems, navigation systems, satellites,
RFID technology, and wireless
communications products.
Thermal Design Focus on the modeling, analysis, and

development of cooling processes and
technologies to assure that thermal
conditions in equipment and products
are properly managed to preclude
operations that might degrade
performance or reduce service life
and reliability.
Digital Design Develop designs for systems and prod-

ucts based on microprocessor systems,
memory, I/O devices, A-D and D-A con-
verters, and other components used in
computational-driven machines such
as computers and signal processors.
Table 2

JOB FUNCTION-BASED CHARACTERIZATION
(i.e. Types of Engineering Jobs)
Another means of classifying engineers is to consider them from a job function perspective.
While engineers employed at startups and smaller businesses may find themselves
wearing many hats, larger organizations tend to be more structurally organized with well-
defined hierarchies and responsibilities. In those cases, it would not be uncommon for
engineers to find themselves with specific job roles and job titles that reflect those roles.
Systems engineer, design engineer, test engineer, quality control engineer, packaging
engineer, health & safety engineer, and field engineer are all examples where the specific
job function and title define how the engineer is classified, adding a dimension beyond
that of their educational background and specialty discipline. Table 3 below provides some
examples of this method of characterization.
Design Engineer Designs specific parts of a system or

components.
Field Engineer Installs and operates equipment in

its end-use environment, monitors
for operational problems, and installs
needed system upgrades.
Logistics Engineer These engineers manage aspects of the

life cycle support of systems, including
spares allocation, repair strategies,
and costs of preventive and corrective
maintenance.
Manufacturing Engineer Uses knowledge of production and fabri-

cation processes to determine how best
to take a given product or system design
from prints and drawings into produc-
tion in a factory, including selecting from
competing processes that could be used
as well as determining what production
elements should be outsourced to other
suppliers with specialized capabilities.
Table 3 Complete Guide to Engineering Career Development | Page 12

Packaging Engineer Studies and develops optimal ways of

creating packaging that can protect
equipment and components during
shipping, handling, and storage.
Quality Control Engineer Monitors and assures the overall qual-

ity of the components and materials
used in the manufacturing of the prod-
uct or system, including components
purchased from the supply chain.
Safety Engineer Monitors and manages the manufac-

turing facilities and the product to
prevent hazards from inadvertently
being designed into the process or
system that could cause injury to
personnel or end users or that may
cause unintended impact to the
system or components.
Systems Engineer Determines the top-level system

layout and allocates requirements
downward to sub-system components.
Test Engineer Develops test processes and proce-

dures to assure that the product or
system developed meets its overall
performance requirements.
Table 3 Cont’d

INDUSTRY-BASED CHARACTERIZATION
One other classification approach that may be applied to engineers relates to the industry
focus or to the vertical market in which they operate. Some of these classifications already
appeared in Table 1 shown earlier, as colleges may develop degree programs such as
nuclear engineering or aerospace engineering that provide a focus around a specific
industry. Other examples are shown in Table 4, which include agricultural engineers and
marine engineers, to name a few.
In some cases, there are specific degree programs available to offer specialization, but in
other cases, the label is more reflective of having experience in the industry rather than a
specialization from the perspective of a unique educational program.
Specialized Engineering Disciplines

Job Function
by Industry
Agricultural Engineer Seeks to improve the efficiency and

yields of farms and crops by developing
better fertilizers, machinery, storage
and transportation systems, and
processes.
Automotive Engineer Works to create safe and reliable

vehicles by focusing on specialty knowl-
edge surrounding chassis and vehicle
dynamics, powertrain design, and
noise and vibration reduction.
Biomedical Engineer Seeks to apply the principles of

engineering to enhance the health and
welfare of the population by designing
products and technologies such as
cardiac pacemakers, artificial organs,
and replacement joints. Might also
work on improving machinery such as
imaging technologies and developing
new materials for use in patient care.
Table 4

Specialized Engineering Disciplines
Job Function
by Industry
HVAC Engineer Designs, develops, and supervises the

installation of heating, ventilating, and
air conditioning systems (HVAC) in
buildings, office complexes, residential
apartments, hospitals, and other
structures.
Marine & Naval Engineer Naval engineers focus on the design

of large vessels, offshore facilities,
and ships considering the challenges
associated with the marine environ-
ment such as the corrosive nature of
salt spray and the unpredictability of
weather and sea state.
Mining & Geological Engineer Concerned with the overall safety and
effective methods for the
extraction of minerals and other raw
materials from mines and areas of
mineral deposits.
Petroleum Engineer Works to address the challenges of

locating, extracting, and transporting
oil and natural gas from the deposits
underground whether on land or at sea.
Table 4 Cont’d

STATISTICAL DATA ON THE ENGINEERING DISCIPLINES
It is interesting to note some of the statistical trends that relate to the engineering profession
as it has evolved, and where things stand today.
As the world becomes increasingly technology-driven, engineering is one of the key STEM
career paths that U.S. students are being encouraged to embrace and study. The growth in
engineering employment that occurred over the past five decades (shown in Figure 1 below)
has helped fuel the developments that form the hub of 21st-century technologies. For STEM-
related occupations in the U.S. in 2020, positions in petroleum engineering and computer
engineering-related disciplines are among those with the highest pay (see Figure 2).
Figure 1 – Engineering Employment Since 1960

Data source: Statista.com6

Figure 2 – Compensation for STEM-related Occupations
Data source: Statista.com7
Employment opportunities for engineers in the U.S. are expected to continue to grow
in the near term, driven by further investments in new technologies and the impact of
government spending on projects to address longer-term societal problems. In areas
such as artificial intelligence, robotics and automation, autonomous vehicles, wireless
communications advances such as 5G, renewable energy, and the Internet of Things (IoT),
engineering talent will be used to create the hardware and software components that bring
these technologies into the broad market.
Also, engineers will be tapped to create innovative solutions to solve growing societal
problems and reverse their effects on the planet’s ecology. These include the challenges
associated with areas such as:
• climate change
• aging and failing infrastructure
• the need for clean potable water sources
• providing food for a growing world population
• pollution in the world’s oceans

Specific data for the engineering jobs by discipline is shown in Table 5 below, including the
median pay for each as well as the growth rate for that discipline.
2021 Median Projected

Engineering Discipline
Salary* Job Growth**
Aerospace Engineering $122,270 8%
Bioengineering & Biomedical

$97,410 6%
Engineering
Chemical Engineering $105,550 9%
Civil Engineering $88,050 8%
Computer Hardware Engineering $128,170 2%
Electrical and Electronics Engineering $101,780 7%
Environmental Engineering $96,820 4%
Industrial Engineering $95,300 14%
Materials Engineering $98,300 8%
Mechanical Engineering $95,300 7%
Nuclear Engineering $120,380 -8%
Petroleum Engineering $130,850 8%
Totals*** $100,040 7.5%
Table 5
* Median Salary in U.S. dollars, meaning the 50th percentile of the earnings distribution
** Job growth projections are the estimated average over the period from 2020–2030
*** Totals are arithmetic (unweighted) mean values
Data Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics8

ENGINEERING SOCIETIES AND PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
There are numerous societies and member organizations here in the U.S. and
internationally that offer additional training, certifications, publications, newsletters,
conferences, and access to meetings for many specialties in engineering. These are useful
resources for learning more about the different engineering disciplines and for networking
with like-minded industry professionals.
Table 6 below presents a summary of some of these member organizations and provides
links to their websites. A glance at these shows both the diversity of the engineering
profession and the specializations that have developed around technology topics and
industries that require specialized knowledge.
Organization Title Site URL
American Academy of Environmental Engineers and

http://www.aaees.org
Scientists®
American Association for Wind Engineering https://aawe.org
American Institute for Medical and

https://aimbe.org
Biological Engineering
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics https://www.aiaa.org
American Institute of Chemical Engineers https://www.aiche.org
American Nuclear Society http://www.ans.org
American Railway Engineering and

https://www.arema.org
Maintenance-of-Way Association
American Society for Precision Engineering http://aspe.net
American Society for Quality https://asq.org
American Society of Agricultural and

https://www.asabe.org
Biological Engineers
American Society of Civil Engineers https://www.asce.org

American Society of Heating, Refrigeration,

https://www.ashrae.org
and Air-Conditioning Engineers
American Society of Highway Engineers http://www.ashe.pro
American Society of Mechanical Engineers https://www.asme.org
American Society of Naval Engineers http://www.navalengineers.org
American Society of Plumbing Engineers https://www.aspe.org
American Society of Safety Professionals https://www.assp.org
ASM International –
https://www.asminternational.org
The Materials Information Society
Association for Computing Machinery https://www.acm.org
Association of Energy Engineers https://www.aeecenter.org
Association of Environmental &

https://www.aegweb.org
Engineering Geologists
Audio Engineering Society http://www.aes.org
Biomedical Engineering Society https://www.bmes.org
Cold-Formed Steel Engineers Institute https://www.cfsei.org
Environmental & Engineering

https://www.eegs.org
Geophysical Society
IEEE Computer Society https://www.computer.org
Institute of Electrical and

https://www.ieee.org
Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Table 6 Cont’d

Institute for Operations Research and the

https://www.informs.org
Management Sciences
Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers https://www.iise.org
Institute of Noise Control Engineering of the USA https://www.inceusa.org
Institute of Packaging Professionals https://www.iopp.org
Institute of Transportation Engineers https://www.ite.org
Institution of Civil Engineers https://www.ice.org.uk
International Society for Optics and Photonics http://spie.org
International Society for Soil Mechanics and

https://www.issmge.org
Geotechnical Engineering
International Society of Automation https://www.isa.org
National Society of Professional Engineers https://www.nspe.org
Optica https://www.optica.org/
Society for Biological Engineering (SBE) https://www.aiche.org/sbe
Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration https://www.smenet.org
Society for the Advancement of Material and

https://www.sampe.org
Process Engineering (SAMPE®)
Society of American Military Engineers https://www.same.org
Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) https://www.sae.org
Society of Fire Protection Engineers https://www.sfpe.org
SME (formerly Society of Manufacturing Engineers) https://www.sme.org
Table 6 Cont’d

Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers https://www.sname.org
Society of Petroleum Engineers https://www.spe.org
Society of Plastics Engineers https://www.4spe.org
Society of Reliability Engineers http://www.sre.org
Society of Women Engineers http://societyofwomenengineers.

swe.org
SOLE – The International Society of Logistics http://www.sole.org
The Association for Materials Protection and

https://www.ampp.org/home
Performance
The International System Safety Society https://system-safety.org
The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society https://www.tms.org
The Society for Standards Professionals https://www.ses-standards.org
Table 6 Cont’d
A REWARDING CAREER PATH

Engineering can be a rewarding career path for those who are drawn to acquiring and
mastering technical information while offering a wide array of specialty disciplines in which
to develop mastery. As the 21st century progresses, the profession will continue to grow
and evolve to meet the needs of the nation and society at large, addressing its problems
and engineering its solutions.

CHAPTER 2
9 Steps to Finding the Engineering Job of Your Dreams
Depending on which recent survey you read, anywhere from 7%9 to 43%10 of Americans
are currently working in their dream job.
What if you could be one of them?
Thomas Edison once quipped that genius is less about revelation and more about hard
work. It’s a sentiment shared by many other high achievers. Being successful and landing
your dream job often has less to do with supernatural, innate talent and more to do with a
passion for learning, taking risks and putting yourself out there, working more efficiently than
your competitors, and meeting people who can help you advance and open doors for you.
Finding your dream job isn’t a simple, straight path. It may take trial and error.
But, these steps will help guide you on your journey toward finding the industrial job of
your dreams — as well as remind you that in the end, the job of your dreams is the one in
which you find meaning and satisfaction.
1. EDUCATE YOURSELF & GROW YOUR SKILLS

No matter where you are in your career journey, whether you’re a high-school student
that’s discovered a passion for spacecraft design or a computer engineer looking to climb
the corporate ladder or branch out, it’s important to learn the essentials, hone your skills,
and expand your capabilities.
Learning can take a variety of forms:
• Degree programs
• Apprenticeships
• Certifications
• Mentorship
• Online courses
• Books
• Podcasts

2. CLEAN UP YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE
You may not be surprised to hear that 71%11 of employers believe in screening job
applicants based on their social media. Whether you’re looking for a job or looking for a
promotion, be mindful of what you’re posting on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and
LinkedIn. Avoid posting about alcohol and drug use, criminal activity, guns, discriminatory
beliefs, and anything that may be deemed sexually provocative.
This doesn’t mean you should scrub all your social media accounts bare or delete them
entirely. According to The Harris Poll, released in 2020, 21%12 of employers aren’t likely to
consider potential applicants who don’t have any presence online.
So what should you post? Here are a few ideas:
• Employers want to ensure that what you’ve said about yourself in your application
matches up with how you’ve presented yourself elsewhere online. That doesn’t
mean your Facebook profile has to read like your resume, but it does mean that if
you said you have a degree from MIT but then your Instagram shows you pledging
somewhere else, you will get caught in your lie.
• They want to see who is included in your network. They want to see the type of
people you follow, and the type of people who follow you — and they especially
want to see if you have mutual connections with the company’s employees.
• While recruiters don’t expect your personal social media pages to be just about
work, if your page indicates your passion for your field through posting about
industry news and achievements, you’ll be a step ahead of your competitors.
• A lot of attention gets paid to social media, but keep in mind that having your own
professional website or blog can amplify your experience and help establish you as
an expert, indicate that you are a thought leader and influencer in your field, and
demonstrate your drive for success.

3. NETWORK, NETWORK… NETWORK!
Almost all jobs are filled through networking. Whether you’re looking to get your foot in the
door or want to land the type of high-level dream job that never gets posted about, net-
working is your best move.
You don’t need to feel like a snake-oil salesperson to network successfully.
Networking, when done right, is building mutually beneficial relationships. It’s talking to
friends and family, getting involved in your alumni group, attending social events — that
may include outings specifically labeled as networking events but it could also mean delv-
ing into your hobbies at makerspaces — and using social media to your advantage (rather
than only absentmindedly scrolling).
4. WRITE AN IMPRESSIVE RESUME AND COVER LETTER

Although networking will help you get jobs that don’t even exist yet because you’ve pitched
your expertise and offered companies a vision for how you can help exceed their needs,
you will still need to show your credentials. Having a professional resume and a cover letter
that stands out are necessary for successfully demonstrating your educational knowledge
(whether it be a professional engineer license or a master’s degree), your proven experience,
and what you bring to the table.
Do not fall into the trap of thinking of your resume as a summary of your work experience.
Instead, think of it as a marketing tool: It should be a succinct yet powerful list of your
accomplishments, with an emphasis on how you’ve added value to your previous and
current employers through increasing revenue and making the company more efficient.
Your cover letter is an opportunity to share how your skills and experience meet the
application requirements, how you’ve solved problems, and your understanding of and
interest in the company where you are applying to work. Being professional doesn’t mean
you have to sound like a robot, though — use your personality and story to make yourself
more memorable.
Keep in mind that due to applicant volume, a lot of employers use bots to scan
resumes and narrow down the pool. Therefore, make sure to include keywords that
HOT match the description of the specific job you’re applying for and that you use a text
TIP file format without complicated design or formatting.

5. PREPARE FOR YOUR INTERVIEW
You will likely need to go through multiple rounds of interviews for the job you’re applying to,
so it’s important to have a clear understanding of who you will be meeting with. Some people
you may interview with include:
• recruiter
• human resources director
• hiring manager — this is likely the person who would be your direct supervisor
• other people on the team — particularly in teams with close collaboration
• higher-level executives — for some positions and in some companies, even the CEO may
like to meet with candidates.
Understand the goal of each round of the interview process so you can maximize each
opportunity. Here are a few tips that will help guide you:
Demonstrate interest in the job and in the company. — This might sound obvious, but with
so many people just looking for a paycheck, you will stand out if you can weave in your knowledge
of the company’s achievements.
Be a visionary. — Don’t just rehash your resume when you’re asked about your qualifications.
Come prepared with ideas specific to how you can help build upon the company’s established
success. This will involve reviewing their website and thinking outside of what is written in the
job description to offer concrete ideas that you can implement with your proven experience.
Just be cautious that you phrase ideas in a way that doesn’t criticize the company, particularly as
the people you interview may have been directly involved in its current shape. And, be sure your
ideas are realistic and actionable.
Let your personality shine. — There is a large area between coming across as dull or timid
and coming across as weird or overbearing. While you definitely want to exhibit a degree of
professionalism in line with knowing your role as an applicant, ultimately the employer wants to
hire someone that is a good fit — skills-wise as well as temperament-wise — with the company
and team.
While interviewing can feel nerve-racking, it may help to remember that it’s a two-way street: you
are also interviewing them to see if the company is stable and growing, if the company culture
aligns with your values and personality, and if you would feel comfortable and set up for success
with the people you’d be reporting to and working with.

6. DETERMINE IF THE JOB IS RIGHT FOR YOU
Sometimes an interview makes it clear that you do not want to work there. There are a
number of factors worth considering when applying to jobs and deciding whether or not to
accept offers, such as:
• Does the salary meet your needs and desires? — Depending on your needs and
goals, an initial pay cut could be worth it for the right company, title, or opportunity.
• Is there opportunity for promotion within the company?
• Will this set you up for success elsewhere?
• What is the work–balance like?
• Is it a good cultural fit? — Meaning, do you share the same principles as the
company and its employees?
• Will there be opportunities to hone your skills and acquire new ones that will in-
crease your value to the company and make you more marketable?
7. SUCCEED ON THE JOB

Succeeding on the job is about more than meeting the goals your employer initially sets for
the role. It’s about adding value to your team and to your company. It’s going above and
beyond your job description to anticipate needs and innovate on behalf of your team.
That said, it’s also about getting along with your colleagues and collaborating effectively
with them and being valued and recognized outside of your immediate department.
Beyond that, though, success means different things to different people. It’s important to
know what professional success means to you personally. It may mean founding a group
within the company that supports minority staff members. It may mean getting the corner
office. It may mean leading the adoption of an Industry 4.0 initiative. It may mean seeing
someone you hired as a recent graduate successfully launch their career and move on to
their own dream job. It may mean learning to speak up for yourself and set healthy bound-
aries. If you haven’t done so recently, take some time to think about what would honestly
make you feel successful and where you need to grow.

8. FIND A MENTOR
In Homer’s The Odyssey, when Odysseus sets off for the Trojan War, he asks his trusted
and wise friend Mentor to look after and teach his son, Telemachus. The popularity of a
wise counselor like the fictitious Mentor took root in Ancient Greece, as seen in the real-
life relationships of the philosopher Socrates educating Plato and then Aristotle tutoring
Alexander the Great.
These were student-teacher roles, but contrary to what you may have heard when you were
younger, today a mentor does not need to be someone you formally approach to guide you
through your career. Rather, a mentor is someone who is further ahead in your field whom
you trust and can go to for support and advice. While a good manager may provide training
and help you grow your career, a mentor can offer more personal input and be someone
you can go to with the questions you don’t want to ask your direct supervisor.
In the industrial setting, some of the most important lessons are learned not in classrooms
but side-by-side with colleagues who have been doing the job a little longer than you have
and can show you the ropes. These same people can introduce you to others in the field, be
an ally, provide constructive feedback, share their experience handling difficult workplace
conflicts and how to best handle reviews and salary negotiations, and offer ideas for different
ways you can advance in your career.
It’s helpful to have mentors through all stages of your career, and you may even find it helpful
to have a few different mentors for different aspects of your career, such as a mentor that
can help you grow your technical knowledge and a mentor that can help you navigate being
a woman or a person of color in the field.
Since a mentoring relationship is voluntary — if you’re looking for more professional advice
you may want to hire a career coach — try to find ways to show gratitude and give back to
your mentor. And, pay it forward: become a mentor yourself. Even if you’re just starting out in
the field, there may be those who want to know how you even got your foot in the door.

9. KEEP GROWING YOUR CAREER
When you first start a new job, the learning curve can be steep — particularly if it’s a
stretch position or a transition to a different field. It may feel satisfying and even goal-
worthy to reach a point where you could do your job half asleep — but mastering your
responsibilities should in time bring the reward of new opportunities that will require
additional learning. If you don’t want to become stagnant, you should volunteer for and ask
for higher-level responsibilities and promotions as you earn them.
This isn’t just a matter of ambition. As many as 375 million people13 may need to change
careers by 2030, due to automation, digitization, and other workplace shifts.
Therefore, it’s important to seek out opportunities to learn new skill sets, advance your
knowledge, and make yourself marketable. As well, every job you take brings you one job
closer to landing your dream job, so you should work to enhance both your hard skills and
soft skills.
Growing your career can also mean learning from painful mistakes such as losing a job or
having to say good-bye to a job you like to accept an offer to start your dream job. Usual-
ly, dream jobs don’t just fall into people’s laps at the outset of their job search, and this is
particularly true because some people don’t even know what their dream job is. Maybe at
some point you had an idea, but life got in the way, and you thought you had to be “realis-
tic.” It’s worth taking time to plot out your career path to see what steps would help you get
closer to achieving your dream job.
Good luck on your journey to finding and landing the engineering job of your dreams!

CHAPTER 3
Pitch Yourself to Potential Employers:
Elevator Pitch Examples for Students and Mid-career Engineers

An elevator pitch is a succinct way to explain one’s goals and skills and why they stand
out from the crowd. It’s often used at the beginning of a job interview, as a base for cover
letters, or even when happening upon an old friend that mentions an appealing job
opening at their company.
While they might sound simple on the surface, elevator pitches aren’t so easy to perfect.
You want to pitch yourself in a unique but concise way, and there are a few things you
should always try to include in your pitch.
Below, we’ve compiled a list of everything that makes a successful engineering elevator
pitch as well as a template you can follow to get started.
INCLUDE THESE ITEMS IN YOUR ELEVATOR PITCH

When talking about where you hope your career goes or your past accomplishments, it’s
easy to begin rambling. Just because someone asks “What do you do?” doesn’t mean they
have time to listen to your entire career journey. This is why it’s important to keep your
elevator pitch to 30 seconds or less.
Here are the items you should always include in your 30-second pitch:
1. Who you are and where you’re going. How would you describe your field or your ideal
job? You should be able to clearly describe the position you want, otherwise the person
you’re pitching to won’t know how to help.
2. Your skills, accomplishments, and experiences. This is everything you think a future
employer should know about you. For example, are you efficient in code? Or do you have a
history dealing with cybersecurity breaches? A good way to get started brainstorming what
qualifications to highlight is to make a list and then cross out everything that isn’t absolutely
critical to understanding who you are. You should narrow this down to a sentence or two.

3. Finally, end with a question or a call to action. Don’t let the conversation end as a
monologue. When you’re done pitching, you should ask an actionable follow-up question
and secure your next step.
a. After thanking them for their time, you might ask: “What kind of skills or experience
do you look for in the employees you hire?”
b. Have your business card ready when applicable, and request their contact
information so you can follow up with them at a later date
4. Practice and practice again. Now that you have a successful 30-second pitch, keep
practicing. You never want to sound overly rehearsed, but you should be prepared for any
questions they may ask and know how to quickly get back on track. Remember also not to
give them too much: you want to pique their interest and have them longing to learn more.
If you can fit it in, you may also include any type of connection you have to the potential
employer. Did you attend the same graduate school or frequent the same local coffee
shop?

STUDENT ELEVATOR PITCH EXAMPLES
If you’re still a student, an elevator pitch may be used during a career fair, when running into a
professor in the elevator, or as a foundation for cover letters for job applications.
If you don’t have related work experience yet, consider who you are and what differentiates
you from your peers, such as whether you volunteer on campus or are a part of ROTC. When
you develop your elevator pitch, show how you’re already working toward reaching your goals
and why you are qualified. This is where you can mention your achievements, leadership work,
skills, and strengths. If you’re an engineering student, maybe you led a group on a really exciting
project that won a tech competition or maybe you taught yourself how to code last year.
1. Elevator Pitch Example for a Student with Relevant Experience
For a student with more experience in their field, an elevator pitch may sound something
like this:
“My name is Jenn Lee, and I’m an undergraduate student at the University of Kansas studying
aerospace engineering. I’m currently an intern at United Airlines, where I work with the airport
operations team to study organizational changes, manage communications, and integrate
production methods. On campus, I’m the captain of the robotics team, where I’ve utilized my
technical skills to build a flying and configurable robot. If you have open time on your calendar this
week, I’d love to meet with you about open positions (or internships) at your company.”
Jenn Lee seems to be involved in numerous activities on and off campus. But what if you don’t
have as much related experience under your belt? Elevator pitches are all about marketing
your skills and strengths, so play them up.
2. Elevator Pitch Example for a Student Seeking Experience
Here’s an example of an elevator pitch for a younger student with limited experience:
“Hi, my name is Tom Ross. I’m a sophomore at Lasa High School with an interest in technical writing.
I’ve freelanced for a handful of journals and covered topics from the latest local election to a rooftop
garden feeding the community. With copy editing knowledge and experience interviewing under my
belt, my interests lie in getting tangible experience and further expanding my writing and editing skills.
Who would be the best person to contact for internship opportunities?”

ENGINEERING ELEVATOR PITCH EXAMPLES
While your elevator pitch might change depending on whether you’re pitching to a former
colleague you run into on the street, one person or a group, or at the beginning of an interview,
the template can remain mostly the same.
1. Elevator Pitch Example for a Software Engineer
“Hello, my name is John Jones. I’m currently a software engineer at Cisco Systems and have a
wide breadth of experience researching and designing software programs that solve real-world
problems. I’ve developed new architecture for network equipment systems, from routers to voice-
enabled network applications. I’ve been a huge fan of your company for years, and saw that you
had an opening for a principal software engineer manager. What kind of skills do you look for in the
employees you hire?”
2. Elevator Pitch Example for a Civil Engineer
“Hi, I’m Sally Smith. As a civil engineering manager for the past two years, I’ve led multiple cross-
functional teams in conceiving, designing, and maintaining large infrastructure projects in the public
and private sectors. Notably, utilizing my geotechnical engineering experience, I was recently able to
move forward on developing a large chip manufacturing facility for a major company. What types of
employees do well within your organization?”
If you want to ensure your pitch doesn’t exceed 30 seconds, try to make it 20 words or
less. You may have a longer version available, but it never hurts to get it down to the
HOT absolutely essential items.
TIP

CHAPTER 4
How to Differentiate Yourself in Today’s Engineering Job Market

Today, engineering jobs are much harder to come by because of intense competition among
well-qualified candidates. That’s why you must differentiate yourself from the crowd. Here are a
few real-life examples of engineers who have recently done exactly this.
Long gone are the days when an engineer could simply send a resume and get three or
four interviews. That’s why you need new tactics.
PROVIDE TESTIMONIALS, NOT JUST REFERENCES

You should always have a list of references ready to provide prospective employers, but
everyone has that, so that’s nothing new. However, to stand out, in addition to a list of refer-
ences, include a testimonial page in your resume package. This would be one page that lists a
few testimonials from past employers discussing your performance.
For example, include a comment by someone, such as, “Anthony is a very detailed engineer
who produces high-quality design documents on a consistent basis.” This is an immediate
credibility boost, and you can add the phone number of the person giving the testimonial
next to their name for yet more credibility.
HAND-DELIVER YOUR RESUME

One engineer was applying to engineering companies geographically near his residence.
He hand-delivered the resumes, and this strategy worked beautifully. The administrative
assistant in the office ended up talking to him for a while and introducing him to her boss,
and the engineer ended up getting an interview from the conversation.
PROVIDE SAMPLE DESIGN DOCUMENTS

Another method of differentiation is presenting a portfolio of your work.
One Institute for Engineering Career Development member assembled some sample
design plans from recent projects that he worked on and presented them during an inter-
view. Another one of the members actually created a sample problem similar to the pro-
spective employer’s projects and solved it. He presented the solution and all of the backup.
In both cases, the engineers were offered jobs and accepted them.
There is no standard procedure for the engineering job search these days. You have to be
creative and figure out ways to help you stand out from the crowd.
“How to Differentiate Yourself in Today’s Engineering Market,” written by Anthony Fasano, was originally published
on Engineering.com. It has been adapted for this publication with permission. Reprinted with permission.

CHAPTER 5
Salary Expectations for Engineers

Year after year, engineers are ranked among the highest-paid professionals in the U.S.,
both in terms of starting and mid-career salary.
Let’s look at the reasons why engineers command top-tier compensation, and what recent
graduates, as well as experienced engineers, can expect to earn.
ENGINEERING DEGREE REALITIES

Good news for those about to graduate with engineering degrees: your education is going
to pay off more than most other majors, despite the fact that the cost of college tuition
continues to rise faster than many families can keep up with. Multiple sources report
that careers in engineering pay well above the national average and become increasingly
lucrative as experience builds over time.
According to a report released by the National Association of Colleges and Employers14, the
average salary for 2020 college grads was $55,260, which was a meager 2.5% increase from
2019’s average salary of $53,889. Meanwhile, student debt continues to soar — according
to Student Loan Hero15, a student debt management and consulting agency, 55% of the
Class of 2020 graduating with a bachelor’s degree amassed student loans that averaged
out to $28,400.
However, according to Indeed16, entry-level engineering positions for recent grads yield
an average starting salary of $62,352, depending on engineering type and location. In
fact, according to U.S. News17, more than half of the top 10 college degrees with the best
starting salaries are engineering degrees.

MID-CAREER ENGINEER SALARIES
The long-term earning potential for engineers is among the strongest in the U.S. job
market, with several types of engineering being among the top-paying professions across
the country. Topping the list is petroleum engineering. According to the U.S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics18, petroleum engineers earned a median salary of $130,850 in 2021, with
the top-paid 10% earning more than $208,000.
Ranked by median salary19, the top-paying engineering fields are:
Petroleum Engineering $130,850
Computer Hardware Engineering $128,170
Aerospace Engineering $122,270
Nuclear Engineering $120,380
Chemical Engineering $105,550
Electrical and Electronics Engineering $101,780
Health and Safety Engineering $99,040
Materials Engineering $98,300
Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering $97,410
Mining and Geological Engineering $97,090
Environmental Engineering $96,820
Industrial Engineering $95,300
Mechanical Engineering $95,300
Marine Engineering and Naval Architecture $93,370
Civil Engineering $88,050
Agricultural Engineering $82,640

THE IMPACT OF CONTINUING EDUCATION ON SALARY
One of the biggest challenges engineers face once they’re out of school and working is keeping up
with the fast-paced evolution of technology and industry.
To maintain relevancy and sharpen their competitive edge, many engineers spend a portion of
their careers expanding their knowledge and skill sets through continued training and education,
including college courses, seminars, and conferences.
While even just a bachelor’s degree in engineering is a worthwhile investment, higher

degrees carry greater earning power. For example, according to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics20, the median salary for mechanical engineers in 2021 was $95,300, with the
highest 10% earning upwards of $136,210. As Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering
points out21, earning a master’s degree delivers about a 20% higher salary than a bachelor’s
degree for a mechanical engineer.
There are also a wide variety of certifications and licenses that engineers can obtain, such as a
Professional Engineer license. According to a 2020 report by the American Society of Civil
Engineers (ASCE)22, civil engineers with a Professional Engineer license earned a median salary of
$121,000, which was $31,000 more than civil engineers that had not earned a professional license
or any certifications.
FUTURE OUTLOOK
In its Occupational Outlook Handbook23, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that
architecture and engineering jobs will increase by 6% between 2020 and 2030, meaning
that not only is the engineering field a massively lucrative one, it’s also teeming with
opportunity.

PART TWO
BUILD YOUR SKILL SET

CHAPTER 6
Is a Professional Engineer License Worth It?
In today’s Industry 4.0 workforce, engineering has taken center stage with many
considering a career in engineering and looking into obtaining a Professional Engineer
license. In order to get the most out of a career in engineering, those who are interested
in the field need to thoroughly look into all education and certification options such as
whether to obtain a Professional Engineer (PE) certification.
Many of the young engineering professionals who will enter the future workforce —
especially engineering students about to graduate — face this decision. Both choices
present pros and cons; on one hand, a PE license enables engineering professionals
to reach a more advanced career level, but on the other hand, it’s a difficult and time-
consuming process.
WHAT IS A PE LICENSE?
A Professional Engineer license is a certification that demonstrates an engineer’s
adherence to a higher level of standards. Prior to 1907, proof of skill and proficiency was
not required for individuals to work as engineers, thus putting public welfare, health, and
safety at risk.
The first engineering licensure law was passed in Wyoming at this time, ushering in a
new era of engineering standards. Today, Professional Engineer certifications are highly
respected, and sometimes a necessity.
IS A PE LICENSE WORTH IT?

There are many benefits of becoming a licensed professional engineer. Considered the
highest standard of competence for the engineering profession, Professional Engineer
certification not only raises one’s stature in the field but also shows that the individual has
higher levels of authority and responsibility.
Furthermore, because the requirements for earning PE status are stringent, and
companies often don’t require a PE license for employment, not all engineers become
licensed or feel a need to. But in addition to earning more respect among peers and
potential clients while bringing about a personal sense of achievement, there are a number
of practical career options that are not always available to non-licensed engineers.

PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER VS. ENGINEER
Having a Professional Engineer license shows that a candidate has met all the standards of
the profession and, especially for fields where the PE is preferred but not required, sets the
individual apart from others.
For example, only a licensed engineer may prepare, sign, seal, and submit engineering
plans and drawings to a public authority for approval. With these responsibilities come
more authority and greater earning potential.
WHY BECOME A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER?

Earning a Professional Engineer license allows one to become an independent consultant,
government engineer, or educator. For some career ventures, such as consulting, owning
an engineering firm, or managing a public works project, it is a legal requirement to work
with an engineer with PE designation.
Moreover, many federal, state, and municipal agencies now require that higher-level
engineering positions be filled only by licensed professional engineers. Similarly, in the
education world, many states are now requiring that engineering teachers be licensed.
PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER SALARY

In addition to enhanced career benefits options, data indicates that, on average, PEs tend
to earn more than their non-licensed counterparts. For example, the American Society
of Civil Engineers (ASCE)24 indicated in a 2020 report that civil engineers who possessed a
Professional Engineer license received a median salary that was $121,000; in contrast, civil
engineers without a professional license or certifications earned $31,000 less.

HOW TO BECOME A PE
Although there are many benefits of a PE license, many of which can greatly advance an
engineer’s career, pursuing licensure requires a lot of additional time and effort, which can
be overwhelming considering the investment involved in earning an engineering degree in
the first place.
While requirements for Professional Engineer licenses differ on a statewide basis, with a
state board determining requirements and procedures, the process for how to become a
professional engineer generally boils down to the completion of four steps:
1. After completing a four-year college degree from an ABET-accredited engineering

school, candidates must become an engineer intern (EI) or engineer-in-training (EIT)
by passing the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam. In most states, this is an eight-
hour exam that tests applicants on their knowledge of basic engineering principles.
Successfully becoming an EI or EIT proves that an individual has mastered crucial

engineering concepts. Engineering students can opt to take the FE exam prior to
graduating, but cannot be considered an EI or EIT until they receive their degree.
Whether you’re in college or already graduated, there are many resources available
for exam preparation.
2. After successfully passing the exam, candidates must demonstrate qualifying

engineering experience by apprenticing under a PE for four years. To be considered a
“qualifying experience,” such engineering experience must meet specific criteria.
Furthermore, the work not only needs to demonstrate to the state engineering
licensing board that the applicant is a technically skilled engineer, but also that the
applicant displays a wide range of professional characteristics, such as independent
decision-making and personal accountability in design and applications.

3. Since each state has their own licensure requirements, applicants must learn
about their specific state’s PE license requirements. Each state licensing board has a
website that will provide the necessary information.
4. Finally, after accumulating the years-long qualifying engineering experience, in

most cases, the final step in obtaining a PE license is successfully completing the
Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam in the candidate’s state.
The intensive eight-hour exam tests the candidate’s ability to practice competently in
a particular engineering discipline. Specialties include industrial engineering, nuclear
engineering, and multiple fields in civil and mechanical engineering.
WHY BECOME A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER?

For dedicated PEs, earning a license is only the beginning, as many states require these
professionals to maintain and improve upon their skills with continuing education and
professional development opportunities.
Although the road to obtaining a PE license is long, intense, and difficult, and the
maintenance of it is a lifelong commitment, this certification offers engineers a slew of
valuable opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach.

CHAPTER 7
5 Vital Soft Skills for a Successful Career in Engineering

While technical knowledge is essential to a successful career in engineering, soft skills are
playing an increasingly important role in the engineering field, helping employers better
identify the STEM professionals best suited for career advancement.
Engineering soft skills are just as critical as technical acumen when carrying out the day-to-
day duties of engineering roles. Unfortunately, these soft skills — such as communication,
creativity, cooperation, organization, and leadership — often aren’t taught in school. This
presents a serious skills gap.
A Workplace Learning Report25 published by LinkedIn showed that training for soft skills
was the top priority for talent development in 2018. This continues to hold true: The Future
of Work Report 202226 published by Monster indicated that more than half of employers
would hire a worker and provide technical training if they already have transferable skills.
TOP ENGINEERING SOFT SKILLS

A few of the most important soft skills for engineers include:
1. Communication
Many professionals fail to realize the importance of clear, effective, professional

communication in the workplace. Engineers, especially, may prize technical ability over
day-to-day writing, speaking, and listening skills, assuming that these take a back burner to
knowledge of complex engineering concepts. But soft skills in engineering jobs are critical
to success — both for employees and employers.
A PSMJ Resources poll27 asked public works departments to name the top qualities desired
for engineers on staff. The list included qualities related to listening skills, communication,
and being orderly. In fact, these soft skills were higher on the list than technical expertise.
These qualities are particularly important when engineers are dealing with clients;
misunderstandings can occur easily, and strong listening skills can significantly reduce the
risk of things being lost in translation.

2. Creativity
Driving innovation and bringing about valuable change, creativity is high on the list of soft
skills for engineers. Creative individuals are adaptable, nimble, and able to think outside
the box — rather than just adhering to the status quo, they find innovative solutions to
challenges and aren’t afraid to experiment with new techniques.
In 2004, IEEE Spectrum28 touched upon the stereotype of engineers as uncreative

and unoriginal — a belief many still hold today. But as IEEE Spectrum explained, the
key objective engineers have is to develop systems and products to better overcome
challenges and to enhance the usefulness of things. This simply could not be achieved if
engineers were as uncreative as some claim they are.
Engineers draw on their creative qualities every day on the job, whether problem-solving or
troubleshooting. Refining and strengthening these kinds of creative engineering soft skills
can be hugely valuable for professionals looking to bolster their resume, highlight certain
experiences, or get better at their jobs.
3. Adaptability
No matter what the work environment, engineers must be nimble and ready to adapt to
unexpected changes, challenges, or setbacks. The lack of ability to adjust plans in order to
meet shifting needs, or determine the best solutions to unanticipated problems, can throw
off timelines, incur extra expenses, and waste resources.
Adaptability is one of the most important soft skills for engineers, showing employers and
prospective employers that individuals can think on their feet and have the confidence to
quickly and efficiently mitigate unforeseen issues.
Knowing that engineers can sometimes be inflexible because they’ve been taught that there’s
a correct work process, Ash Norton, who works with engineers to develop critical leadership
skills, advised in a Forbes article29 that they should keep in mind that goals can be achieved
through multiple means.
Not only will this make individuals more marketable, but it will also help them immensely
on the job, cutting down on both time and general stress.

4. Collaboration
Among the most critical soft skills engineering jobs require, collaboration is key to ensuring
teams are on the same page and jobs get done efficiently. Successful engineers work with
people of all backgrounds and with many personality types — even ones they may not
understand or mesh with well.
Groups have the power to bring forth some of the most innovative ideas, which is critical to
advancing engineering, Angie Keller, vice president of recruiting at Randstad Engineering,
relayed in the same conversation with Forbes. Therefore, it’s important that engineers
develop strong interpersonal skills and hone their ability to work well with a team.
These skills can be developed early on in one’s career. Teaching soft skills to engineering
students, for example, can pave the way for continued success in the future by
empowering emerging professionals to feel more comfortable navigating tricky workplace
environments or dealing with difficult personalities.

5. Leadership
Although the word “leadership” gets thrown around frequently, many professionals across
diverse work environments don’t fully grasp all it entails.
Leadership is essentially an amalgamation of different skills, in a way that makes people

want to look to someone for guidance, mentorship, and structure.
One of the most important soft skills for engineers, effective leadership involves taking
challenges head-on while instilling trust in those working in subordinate roles. Although
many experts consider leadership a character-based trait, engineers can work to sharpen
their leadership qualities day by day even if they don’t currently hold a management or
leadership role.
As people grow in their careers, they usually become increasingly responsible for
empowering others they work with. Work on practicing smart decision-making under
pressure by focusing on what you know and how you can apply it to the situation at hand,
rather than getting overwhelmed by the big picture.
Foster trust and loyalty in those around you and remember that fellow employees are
human. Not every day will be perfect, but by keeping all of the skills listed above in mind,
you’re much more likely to be successful.
THE IMPORTANCE OF STRENGTHENING

YOUR ENGINEERING SKILLS
This list of soft skills for engineers can serve as a great starting point for anyone looking to
hone their professional qualities. While it can be challenging to mold our personalities and
workplace demeanors in ways we might not be used to, taking the time to put these tips
into practice can make a huge difference when navigating today’s ever-shifting engineering
landscape.

CHAPTER 8
How to Learn New Professional Skills

There’s a scene in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix where the new Defense Against
the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Umbridge, reveals she will not permit the use of magic in
her classes. Rather, she expects her students to study defensive spells from a textbook, an
announcement that is met with dismay.
The teacher says that they shouldn’t have any trouble casting the spells if they study
thoroughly.
The thing is, developing skills through a practical application is often the best way for
someone to learn and ignite their passion for a subject. If you’re looking to start or advance
a career in engineering, applying for an apprenticeship or finding yourself a mentor would
be two great places to begin.

APPRENTICESHIPS ARE DOMINATING INDUSTRY EDUCATION
The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Apprenticeship site30 explains that apprenticeships
are mutually beneficial: businesses can train and equip the next generation of workers
while the workers can acquire instruction, transferable credentials, mentorship, and
experience as they earn an income. An industry-specific apprenticeship is a reputable route
toward a career.
Several initiatives exist to incentivize employers to launch apprenticeships. El Camino

College, for example, was awarded a $500,000 workforce grant in 2018 to create an
apprenticeship program in the aerospace sector. In 2019, Lockheed Martin announced a
pre-apprenticeship program to train students in aerospace manufacturing, intending to
create 8,000 positions by 2023.
The U.S. Department of Labor reported31 that the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in there
being 12% fewer new apprentices in 2020 compared to 2019. Nevertheless, the number
of apprentices in 2020 was the third-highest recorded for the Registered Apprenticeship
program. That year, upwards of 221,000 people across the U.S. entered an apprenticeship.
Apprenticeships offer a wealth of benefits including:
•C
ompensation to learn: Apprenticeships are not the same as internships. They
offer full-time employment that pays a salary from day one, offering incremental
raises as the apprentice’s skills develop.
• Competitive compensation: According to Glassdoor32, an apprentice engineer in

the U.S. earns an average total annual pay of $70,237.
• Industry-recognized credentials: Apprentices will be equipped to develop their

careers far beyond the company they apprenticed for.
• Networking opportunities: Apprenticeships offer fantastic opportunities for people to

network and build relationships with influential figures in the industry.
The benefits of apprenticeships don’t stop with the employee. For employers, it’s an
opportunity to recruit an enthusiastic, diverse workforce, grow the business, improve
retention rates, and develop much-needed skill sets.

A MENTORSHIP COULD BE YOUR KEY
TO SUCCESS IN INDUSTRY
Mentorship pairs people of all ages and seniority levels to learn from each other, develop
skills, and share experiences, often in an informal setting. For ambitious professionals, a
mentor could provide invaluable guidance and assist with career progression by:
• Keeping the mentee up-to-date with the latest industry developments, including
smart manufacturing, automation, and robotics, ensuring they are equipped with
the key skills needed to excel today.
• Providing actionable insights and advice based on years of experience — the sort of
teaching you won’t find in a textbook.
• Helping the mentee establish and expand their professional network.
• Providing much-needed role models for underrepresented groups.
Finding the right mentor will take careful consideration. It’s important to find someone
who possesses the skill set you most want to develop, a career path to which you aspire,
or connections that could help you advance. It’s possible your company has a structured
mentoring program that you can leverage. If not, speak to colleagues, do some research
both inside and outside your organization, attend networking events and conferences and,
most importantly, find someone that you’ll get along with.
Committing to an apprenticeship (if you’re an entry-level employee) or a mentoring

program (for more established workers) means you will develop skills through practical
application rather than trying to learn them from a textbook like Professor Umbridge’s
hapless students. No matter which pathway to learning you choose, there’s nothing quite
like unlocking the career-building potential that flows from developing a new skill set.

PART THREE
GROW YOUR CAREER

CHAPTER 9
4 Tips for Career Success as a Recent Engineering Graduate

In 2019-2020, more than 128,000 bachelor’s degrees in engineering were awarded in the
U.S., according to data from Statista33. And in 2020, there were 773,971 STEM degrees
awarded34. For those who go on to pursue a role in one of the fields of engineering,
employment competition is steep and finding their dream career can be an uphill battle.
To help young engineers navigate their paths to future career success, we asked some of
the industry’s outstanding young professionals for their advice on how to fast-track your
way to long-term career success.
1. Go Above and Beyond Your Job Description
Extending your scope of influence beyond the job description and contributing to other
departments can make a huge impact, says Arek Gdowski, an engineer at Dehumidifier
Corporation of America, Inc. (DCA). He not only develops engineering solutions within DCA
but also helps out in the IT department.
“You would think you’re just going to focus on engineering only, and you’re just going to do
your one [role] — but it doesn’t end there, it goes outside the box,” he says. “You quickly
understand that you really don’t have just one job — you have many.”
Gdowski also urges young engineers to be outspoken to set themselves apart from
colleagues and accomplish more by presenting new approaches or solutions to challenges.
“Don’t be afraid to speak out and say your new ideas, because many of the things I thought
were just an idea that came to mind suddenly became a reality,” Gdowski says. “Take that
step and don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid of failure, because you will fail many times before
you succeed.”

2. Work Collaboratively
Rachel Pacheco, a chemical engineer and senior manufacturing manager at Genomatica,

says that working collaboratively is the key to being effective and successful within not only
your engineering job but any role across disciplines.
“Communication is the center of everything,” Pacheco advises. “That’s understanding how

much to communicate, when to communicate, [and] in what format to communicate.”
“On top of communication, it’s about building strong relationships,” she adds. “Especially
because we work in such a multidisciplinary field, having a strong relationship with mutual
respect, openness, honesty, and transparency is absolutely essential.”
Pacheco goes on to advise that these strong relationships are the platform on which you
can build your career, and these connections can help you further develop your skills,
approach challenges in a new way, and eventually move up in the ranks within your
company.
3. Stay Focused on the Task at Hand
Despite Gdowski’s larger scope of influence within his company, he understands the weight
of his responsibilities and urges young professionals to stay focused on what’s in front of
them.
“You’ve got to take one project at a time. The brain can’t focus on many things; there’s no
such thing as multitasking,” he says. “You have to focus on one thing, finish that one, and
then move to the next one.”
Gdowski cites balancing his responsibilities as one of the biggest challenges of his job and
encourages engineers to ask for help if they need it.

4. Be Motivated by More Than a Paycheck
While having a job may be important to help you support the other areas of your life
financially, it shouldn’t be the only reason for pursuing your chosen career.
Pacheco says her passion for biotechnology goes beyond what she’s earning at the end
of the week. She urges young professionals to consider this not only in biotechnology but
across every discipline.
“A lot of us aren’t doing what we’re doing for big paychecks,” she explains. “We’re doing it
because it’s something we’re really passionate about and it’s a cause that we believe in.”
As a beginner engineer, you may not always feel this level of passion in your early roles, but
it’s important to use that motivation to push yourself toward success in the future.
While Gdowski didn’t necessarily love his first job at a graphics company, he used the
opportunity as a starting point for his longer-term career path by securing residency in the
U.S. The role, which required 12-hour shifts, was “just labor work,” Gdowski says. “You just
work on the machine, either press or finishing parts. I think four [months] we worked... It’s
really hard work.”
However, he used the job as a chance to demonstrate his dedication and work ethic,
working harder than his coworkers and using his two months of vacation to continue
putting in time on the machine line. He says his career path “found him” as a result; he
landed his current position at DCA six months after his first job ended.

CHAPTER 10
How to Tell It’s Time to Move on from Your Current Role —
Even if You Still Like It

It’s an undeniable fact that happiness at work matters. Happier employees live healthier
lives, are more productive, and consistently improve the bottom line for the organizations
at which they work.
Can you be too happy at work? Chances are, probably not. However, that doesn’t mean
being content at work is not entirely without its pitfalls. If you’ve been in the same place
for a while, you may be approaching the tipping point where comfort at work turns into
complacency. And if you want to progress your career and achieve your potential, that’s
certainly something to avoid.
Complacency might look like no longer going for opportunities or challenging yourself to
learn new things. Before you know it, you’ve forgotten what it’s like to go to interviews,
you’ve fallen behind your peers, and making a change starts to feel like a daunting
prospect.
With the concept of a “job for life” no longer the norm — by age 50, the average person has
held 12 different jobs35 — it’s worthwhile evaluating whether your current role is still the right
fit. Here are five ways to help you figure out if it’s time to move on.
1. It’s Been a While Since You Learned Something New
It’s always nice to feel competent and comfortable with your day-to-day workload. But if
it’s been a while since you were challenged to learn something new — whether via formal
training or through a new task or project — you may want to start looking for a new role.
Without new opportunities to learn, it’s hard to grow your skill set and develop as an
individual, something that will be key if you do want to progress your career in the future.
Moreover, if your organization isn’t readily providing you with the opportunities you
need to grow, it could be a sign you are being undervalued. Don’t invest your time and
labor staying in an organization that’s not interested or invested in your professional
development.

2. You’re Starting to Feel Nervous About Putting Yourself Out There
Although it may sound counterintuitive, being nervous about putting yourself out there
could be a sign that you need to bite the bullet and do just that. What starts out as a small
fear of taking risks will only grow, and you will only become more entrenched in your cur-
rent place of work. The moment you start to think you’re not good enough for new oppor-
tunities, it’s time to start looking for a way out.
3. Your Goals and Passions No Longer Align with Your Work
You may like where you work, but is that always enough? Research has shown36 that em-
ployees feel the most motivated and rewarded when their work aligns closely with their
values and passions. Don’t settle for comfort in a job when you could have purpose and
passion doing something that more closely aligns with your core values.
4. Changes Are Happening Around You
Maybe you’ve found yourself attending a lot of leaving parties in recent months. Or per-
haps a new administration has come in and it feels as though change is in the air. Some
people stay in jobs far too long simply because they fail to read the signs that the job or
the organization is no longer the place they loved to work at when they joined. Take a look
around you — if a lot of talented employees are leaving or things are starting to run differ-
ently, take it as your cue to leave.
5. You Spend Time Justifying Your Position to Yourself
If you catch yourself trying to justify why you’ve stuck around for so long, you know it’s
time for a change. Passing thoughts such as “Well, the work is dull but the money’s good” or
“I probably don’t have the experience to go for those new roles that have been coming up” are
sure-fire signals to start pursuing other opportunities.
A growth mindset, which recognizes it’s always possible to learn, grow, and develop, is a
valuable tool when it comes to advancing your career. Thoughts like, “I’ll never catch up
with those developments now so I might as well stay put” will only stifle you further.
So, when is liking work a bad thing? Ultimately, when you’ve become so comfortable that
you stop learning, growing, or challenging yourself. If you’re seeing these signs, it may be
time to find a new role. You’ll thank yourself later.

CHAPTER 11
Engineering Jobs of the Future

Engineering, which has always been defined by its ability to constantly innovate and evolve
alongside high-tech growth, is now advancing at a faster rate than ever before thanks to
the rise of powerful technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics, and IoT.
Although mastery of these technologies will be critical in future engineering applications,

it’s the evolution process itself that will truly shape and define the profession. Here are a
few examples of unique engineering advancements that will push the future of engineering
further than it’s ever gone before.
AEROSPACE ENGINEERING ON MARS

Arguably the most exciting contribution aeronautical engineers of the future will make
is the continued exploration of space. Many leaders in this area, including NASA and
entrepreneur Elon Musk, have their sights set on either exploring or colonizing Mars in the
not-so-distant future.
Although Mars exploration and colonization was once just a fantasy imagined by science-
fiction novelists, the dream is coming closer to reality. In order for this endeavor to be
successful, aeronautical engineers will play pivotal roles in developing spacecraft capable of
transporting large groups of civilians into space.
In addition, because a supply chain between Earth and Mars poses a significant number
of logistical challenges, engineers will be integral to creating expedient and economical
solutions.

GLOBAL FOOD SUPPLIES THROUGH
AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING
According to the United Nations, the global population is expected to reach 9.8 billion
people by 205037. Feeding a population of this size is no easy feat and will likely be close to
impossible with our current agricultural and livestock methods.
Agricultural engineers will be focused on finding solutions that can address this issue,
which will likely involve the development of increasingly sophisticated autonomous
harvesting equipment, a revision of energy usage and waste recycling techniques, creating
better forms of nutrient compounds for crops, and finding new ways to grow food.
Agricultural engineers will also likely end up crossing paths with other branches of food
engineering. For example, in order to address sustainability issues within the livestock
industries, agricultural engineers may find themselves working with engineers who are
developing plant-based meats or 3D-printed foods.
PRECISION DIAGNOSTICS AND TREATMENT

IN MEDICAL ENGINEERING
The future of the biomedical field will continue to hinge on the improvement of diagnostics
and the enhancement of treatment. Future medical engineers will aim to augment the
healthcare industry with greater accuracy and increasingly sophisticated technology.
This will involve an increased overlap with other branches of engineering, such as nano-
robotics and genetics — both of which can be leveraged to develop enhanced drug delivery
systems that will be tailored to individual patients. It will also likely generate a higher
demand for more sophisticated medical implants and bionics.
Medical engineers of the future will also focus on integrating other technologies, such as
artificial intelligence and IoT, into hospitals and emergency treatment facilities.

SMART CITY CONSTRUCTION WITH CIVIL
AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
As people migrate to urban areas, there has been a growing interest in the concept of the
smart city. Utilizing technologies such as sensors, IoT, artificial intelligence, and automation,
these cities are designed to create efficient urban systems that are not only sustainable but
also provide their populations with enhanced comfort and safety.
The central goal of civil and electrical engineers will be focused on developing infrastructure
and complex systems for these hyper-connected cities. Because every element of a smart
city needs to be linked together, entire cities will need to be re-planned, refurbished, or
built from scratch. These plans will also need to accommodate the presence of emerging
technologies such as autonomous vehicles, smart buildings, alternative energy generation,
and unique architectural materials.
EVERYDAY LIFE IMPROVEMENTS WITH

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
Electronic gadgets are some of the most rapidly evolving products in the modern
world. The increased demand for mobility, as well as the growing appeal of immersive
technologies, has created innovative gizmos, including smart devices, augmented and
virtual reality, and wearables.
While consumer applications for such devices are the most visible, there is an increasing
number of industrial and commercial applications emerging behind the scenes. Thanks to
Industry 4.0, these technologies have completely revamped the way that we manufacture,
treat illness, grow crops, and beyond.
For engineers, the future will involve making these devices smaller, more accessible,
and even more precise, with an increased reliance on nano and quantum computing,
both of which have the potential to usher in an entirely new, unimaginable technological
landscape.

A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE THROUGH
ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
As individuals and businesses become increasingly concerned about the environment, they
will look to environmental engineers to develop sustainable technologies and methods to
replace current systems.
These future engineers will have a nuanced understanding of the best ways to harvest
alternative energy sources, improve wastewater treatment and management, leverage
safe material handling and mining techniques to obtain precious resources, and alleviate
the global plastic trash problem that plagues the oceans. Some environmental engineers
will focus on more specific elements, such as developing alternative fuels for ships or
utilizing automation and artificial intelligence to create cleaner machines and equipment.
ONGOING TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

WITH SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
While the future is sure to see the rise and fall of many technological innovations, it’s
almost certain that these technologies will be highly reliant on computers and software.
In order to support such massive systems, software engineers of the future will need to
continue developing agile, state-of-the-art programs.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning will surely continue to play a major role in
software development, as well as complex data collection and analytics.

STANDARDS OF LIVING IMPROVEMENTS
WITH MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Mechanical engineering is considered the broadest of all engineering disciplines, mainly
due to the field’s overlap with other areas of study, such as civil, chemical, and industrial
engineering. As a result, mechanical engineers can be found in numerous industries
working on a wide range of projects. Below are some of the areas where mechanical
engineers are expected to be in high demand.
Electric Vehicles
The transportation sector continues to generate the largest share of greenhouse gas
emissions in the United States. Mounting pressures to use alternative sources of energy
has helped to fuel the rise of electric vehicles. While mechanical engineers have always
been essential in the automotive industry, their role is crucial now more than ever.
Replacement of the traditional internal combustion engine with cleaner, battery-powered

systems brings new challenges regarding torque and energy loss, and the design of
mechatronics to support new electrical systems.
Furthermore, as vehicle manufacturing becomes more automated, mechanical engineers

will be front and center in the design of robotics and assembly lines.
Nanoengineering
Nanotechnology refers to the manipulation of materials at the smallest level. This rapidly
growing field is one that offers abundant opportunities for mechanical engineers.
In the years ahead, mechanical engineers are expected to be integral in using

nanotechnology to:
• Create stronger composite materials

• Develop superior renewable energy storage systems
• Create advanced biomedical devices

Biomechatronics
The role of mechanical engineers in robotics is taken a step even further with the rapid
growth of biomechatronics. This field, which seeks to merge body and machine, involves
the design and testing of complex and intricate device architectures that mimic the body’s
musculoskeletal design.
Mechanical engineers will be primarily involved in the design of mechanical sensors,

controllers, and actuators for biomedical devices used in prosthetics and miniature medical
implants. In addition to the medical field, research is also being carried out on the use of
biomechatronics in the military industry.
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is an ever-evolving field. Mounting pressures to increase production efficiency

while minimizing operating costs have fueled demand for new and innovative technologies.
Automation and robotics — an area in which mechanical engineers are crucial — continue
to be essential in helping manufacturing industries keep up with consumer demand while
maximizing profit.
However, according to HuffPost38, despite the exponential growth of the manufacturing

industry, many U.S. manufacturers are finding difficulty filling vacant positions for
skilled workers, engineers included. This industry is therefore ripe with opportunities for
professionals with mechanical engineering degrees.

THE FUTURE OF ENGINEERING EDUCATION
Regardless of specialty, engineers have always been characterized by their dedication to
and passion for lifelong learning. In the future, education will continue to be one of the
most paramount pillars of engineering.
Furthermore, because so many disciplines are becoming increasingly cross-linked,

engineers of the future will need to take a multi-disciplinary approach to their studies and
constantly add to their knowledge base by learning things on a just-in-time basis.
In his keynote speech at the 2017 IEEE Vision Innovation Challenges Summit39, Stanford
University engineering professor James Plunger said that the engineers of the future will be
in a category all their own when compared to the engineers of the past.
From his perspective, doctoral education probably won’t change substantially, but
undergrad education will need to change dramatically and master’s-level education will
likely disappear. Lifelong professional learning will also become increasingly important and
prevalent with additional educational opportunities available online.
Education programs may also focus more on the importance of integrating engineering
with liberal arts studies in order to increase creativity — which would ultimately help to
prepare engineers for an uncertain future.
THE FUTURE OF ENGINEERING

Because engineers deal with real-world scenarios, the role of engineering is constantly
evolving to meet the fluctuating needs of society and the environment, and, because of
Industry 4.0, engineering is transitioning toward a new technological renaissance. Utilizing
ingenuity, a constantly growing knowledge base, and creativity, the engineers of the future
will face the challenges that lie ahead.

FURTHER READING
BOOKS
For Understanding Design Like Elon Musk Does
Structures: Or Why Things Don’t Fall Down by J. E. Gordon
The book Elon Musk credits40 for being helpful in moving him from coding to building rock-
ets, Structures teaches concepts like torsion, stress, and shear and the mechanics of joinery,
ceilings, and floors. Using examples from both the natural world and man-made creations,
it covers the design of eggshells, skyscrapers, suspension bridges, and kangaroos. Although
its lack of technical jargon will make it appeal to the lay reader, engineers will find it useful.
For Mastering Six Sigma
The Lean Six SIGMA Pocket Toolbook: A Quick Reference Guide

to Nearly 100 Tools for Improving Quality, Speed, and Complexity
by Michael L. George, David Rowlands, Mark Price, John Maxey, and
Paul Jaminet
While an engineer at Motorola in the mid-80s, Bill Smith introduced the world to Six Sigma.
Jack Welch found his management techniques for reducing glitches and mistakes so effec-
tive that a decade later he implemented them at General Electric. The Lean Six SIGMA Pocket
Toolbook is a definitive guide to analyzing manufacturing processes. Chockfull of handy
resources like checklists, it teaches how to evaluate bias, shows you how to make various
charts, and provides details on Kano analysis, Complexity Value Stream Map (CVSM), the
Pugh matrix, and much more.
For Sharpening Your Product Design Skills in One Week

Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days
by Jake Knapp, John Zeratsky, and Braden Kowitz
Three Google employees teach you the strategies they learned on the job to answer the big
questions leaders and entrepreneurs encounter within a single workweek. You’ll get insider
tips on how to go from idea to prototype to decision in only five days in the New York Times
bestseller Sprint. Whether you’re at a Fortune 100, a startup, or launching your own prod-
uct, the book can be applied in e-commerce, mobile, healthcare, education, finance, and
more. Learn how to build great products — fast!

For Improving Your UX Skills
Don’t Make Me Think, Revisited: A Common Sense Approach
to Web Usability by Steve Krug
When Don’t Make Me Think first came out, it focused on traditional websites. Revisited
updated the classic to include advice on mobile usability. Chockfull of examples, the book
is known as much for its engaging writing as it is for its practical tips. UX engineers will find
guidance in such sections as Why Users Like Mindless Choices, Designing Navigation, and
Usability Testing on 10 Cents a Day.
For Getting a Leg Up on Your Competitors with Artificial Intelligence

Human + Machine: Reimagining Work in the Age of AI
by Paul R. Daugherty and H. James Wilson
Utilizing research involving 1,500 organizations, Human + Machine shows how businesses
are using artificial intelligence (AI) to innovate and compete — and it includes a leader’s
guide so you can apply the principles. Here you’ll read about robots, as well as how a
supply chain can comprehend and how a computer can anticipate your needs. This
isn’t about some far-off future. This is about six hybrid human + machine positions your
company needs to develop right now.
For Enhancing the Soft Skill That Many Workers Lack

Creating Great Choices: A Leader’s Guide to Integrative Thinking
by Jennifer Riel and Roger L. Martin
Riel and Martin’s Creating Great Choices teaches how to use integrative thinking to move
past choosing the better of two bad options to creating a preferable new answer. Through
a four-step process, and with engaging stories of accomplished individuals, this book
instructs on the process of creative problem solving. It also provides exercises you can do
to hone your own critical thinking skills.
This books section includes affiliate links.

ARTICLES
Get Insights on Education Opportunities

• The Ultimate Guide to Finding Your Dream Manufacturing Internship
or Apprenticeship [Guide]
• 5 Virtual Learning Platforms to Advance Your Skills at Home
Get Insights on Your Online Presence

• Recruitment AI Bots Are Reading Your Social Media Posts
• 5 Do’s & Don’ts of Creating a Personal Website to Showcase
Your Professional Achievements
Get Insights on Networking

• 85% of Jobs Get Filled Through Networking —
Here’s How to Grow Your Professional Network
• 5 Ways to Shine When Virtual Networking
• Digital Networking Is Up by 55% —
Here’s How to Effectively Network in a Virtual World
• How to Find Your Next Job Opportunity by Networking from Home
Get Insights on Resumes & Cover Letters

• 10 Things Not to Put on Your Resume or CV
• Should You Use SEO Techniques to Optimize Your Resume?
Get Insights on the Job Application Process

• The Secret to Answering the “Tell Me About Yourself” Question in Interviews
• How to Succeed in a Video Job Interview
• 5 Tricks to Answering Curveball Interview Questions to Land Your Dream Job
• 5 Ways to Answer “What Are Your Salary Expectations?”
• How to Prepare for a Second Interview and What to Expect
• How to Follow up After a Job Interview

Get Insights into How to Choose the Right Job for You
• 9 Red Flags to Look Out for When Job Seeking
• 6 Red Flags to Watch Out for in a Job Contract
• 4 Steps to Professionally Declining an Industrial Job Offer
• You Told Us the Best Advice You’ve Received for Choosing a Job
Get Insights on How to Find Success on the Job

• 6 Do’s and Don’ts of Writing Work Emails That Won’t Annoy Your Colleagues
• 7 Ways to Build Meaningful Relationships With Your Colleagues
• How to Gain Visibility and Really Make an Impact in a Meeting
• 7 Ways to Say No to Your Manager
• How to Become Employee of the Year
Get Insights on Mentorship

• Finding a Mentor in the Industrial and Manufacturing Sphere
• 6 Traits You Should Look for in a Workplace Mentor
• A Day in the Life of a Conservation Business Co-founder
Get Insights on Growing Your Career

• 10 Books to Plot Your Career Growth
• 10 Podcasts to Keep Your Tech and Industry Skills Sharp
• 5 Behaviors of Highly Successful People
• 6 Ways to Pick Yourself up After Losing Your Job
• Top 10 In-demand Skills in a Post-COVID World,
According to World Economic Forum
• How to Respectfully Quit Your Industrial Job: A 7-Step Guide
• How to Write a Resignation Letter That Doesn’t Burn Bridges
• How to Make a 5-year Career Plan (and Actually Achieve It)

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Complete Guide to

Engineering Career Development

© 2022 Xometry. All rights reserved.

Part 1: Explore Your Engineering Career Path......................................5

Part 2: Build Your Skill Set..................................................................................42

Part 3: Grow Your Career.....................................................................................57

Sources & Endnotes.................................................................................................77

Let’s dive in!

Complete Guide to Engineering Career Development | Page 4

Complete Guide to Engineering Career Development | Page 5

Complete Guide to Engineering Career Development | Page 6

To achieve these objectives, the discipline of engineering requires trained engineers

Complete Guide to Engineering Career Development | Page 7

• By industry — in what vertical industry are they employed?

Complete Guide to Engineering Career Development | Page 8

Aerospace Engineering Design aircraft, spacecraft, missiles,

Bioegineering & Biomedical Engineering Develop equipment and devices used in

Chemical Engineering Work in the field of production of food,

Civil Engineering Plan, design, and supervise the construction

Computer Hardware Engineering Typically focused on the hardware

Electrical and Electronics Engineering Design, develop, manufacture, test, and

Environmental Engineering Work to understand and develop solutions to

Industrial Engineering Develop effective and efficient production

Materials Engineering Perform research, testing, and evaluation

Mechanical Engineering Design mechanical devices and systems,

Nuclear Engineering Focused on designing and creating the

Petroleum Engineering Design equipment and plans to harvest oil

Complete Guide to Engineering Career Development | Page 10

Job Title Job Function

RF Design Design systems and components that

Thermal Design Focus on the modeling, analysis, and

Digital Design Develop designs for systems and prod-

Complete Guide to Engineering Career Development | Page 11

Job Title Job Function

Design Engineer Designs specific parts of a system or

Field Engineer Installs and operates equipment in

Logistics Engineer These engineers manage aspects of the

Manufacturing Engineer Uses knowledge of production and fabri-

Table 3 Complete Guide to Engineering Career Development | Page 12

Packaging Engineer Studies and develops optimal ways of

Quality Control Engineer Monitors and assures the overall qual-

Safety Engineer Monitors and manages the manufac-

Systems Engineer Determines the top-level system

Test Engineer Develops test processes and proce-

Complete Guide to Engineering Career Development | Page 13

Specialized Engineering Disciplines

Agricultural Engineer Seeks to improve the efficiency and

Automotive Engineer Works to create safe and reliable

Biomedical Engineer Seeks to apply the principles of

Complete Guide to Engineering Career Development | Page 14

HVAC Engineer Designs, develops, and supervises the

Marine & Naval Engineer Naval engineers focus on the design

Petroleum Engineer Works to address the challenges of

Complete Guide to Engineering Career Development | Page 15

Figure 1 – Engineering Employment Since 1960

Complete Guide to Engineering Career Development | Page 16

Complete Guide to Engineering Career Development | Page 17

2021 Median Projected

Aerospace Engineering $122,270 8%

Bioengineering & Biomedical

Chemical Engineering $105,550 9%

Civil Engineering $88,050 8%

Computer Hardware Engineering $128,170 2%

• By industry — in what vertical industry are they employed?