• Question: have u any tips for someone who wants to be an engineer

    Asked by Sinead to Ashley, Catherine, John G, Laura, Ray on 11 Nov 2014. This question was also asked by Isobel.
    • Photo: Ray Alcorn

      Ray Alcorn answered on 11 Nov 2014:

      most engineering needs maths.. so thats important

      but tips… you have google and youtube and you probably have discovery channel and national geographic. Use these to look into engineers and what they really do. There is engineering in almost everything that is part of the modern world… you just have to think which part interests you. For example, I have been asked a lot on this forum about tractors… well, they dont just arrive at the farm shop. they have to be engineered.. everything from the tyre size to the PTO shaft diameter will have a specification and a design.

    • Photo: Laura Tobin

      Laura Tobin answered on 11 Nov 2014:

      Don’t give up. I didn’t get the points or maths grade for engineering and I thought I’d never be an engineer. I did my degree in science but now I’m working in engineering. There are many ways to get to engineering or any career path. It might take a little longer but that just means you’ll have a broader view & extra skills when you get there. I don’t regret the path I took. I could have repeated and studied harder but in the end I finally got into engineering. Also just because you study one subject, that doesn’t mean you can move into another area. The lines between science/engineering and other subjects become very blurred – there’s a lot of cross overs.

      Best of luck!

    • Photo: John Ging

      John Ging answered on 11 Nov 2014:

      Try and visit some engineering companies and see what they do. If you can apply for a multi-denominational college course, do that. Basically it allows you to do all types of engineering in first year before you pick between civil, electrical, mechanical, chemical, food, bio, electronic etc.

    • Photo: Ashley Culbert

      Ashley Culbert answered on 16 Nov 2014:

      I suggest sudying Physics for you leaving cert. That will help you if you do engineering in college also it will give you an understanding of the types of problems that engineers face. You migh consider an alternative career if you you dont like it.

    • Photo: Catherine Conaghan

      Catherine Conaghan answered on 19 Nov 2014:

      My main tips in relation to subjects choices would be to stay in higher level maths and keep on Science so you can keep your options open.

      Then start to look at the different types and see what appeals the most to you. I think electronic is a good basis and you can follow into most other types of engineering afterwards if you want. I did electronic and then did a post grad in Civil engineering – it would have been harder to do that the other way around. There is so much info on Google, and of course ask us any other questions you have over the next few days!! 🙂

Comments