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Sam LakeBusiness 1010Ike Ikeme2-26-2015Mechanical EngineerWe live in a world increasingly filled with technology and growing markets for new, innovative tools and products to enhance our lives and further our insatiable expansion into the unknowns of the universe. The fuel behind humanity’s relentless march forward into the future comes mainly from one area of expertise: mechanical Engineering. Everything that we use in our daily lives, from coat hangers to car seats, was designed, built, and tested by a mechanical engineer. Mechanical Engineering is a wider, more diverse discipline than most other engineering fields. This is because a mechanical engineer’s main responsibility is to provide effective and efficient solutions for the development and design of processes and products. The key here is that processes and products are left intentionally ambiguous. The skills necessary to innovate a new, more efficient solution for one industry, almost always translate into any other industry. Some examples of areas where there is a high demand for mechanical engineers would be Manufacturing, power, construction, medical, etc… development is not the only realm in which a Mechanical engineer can thrive, you can also find them performing well in positions managing people and resources(AGCAS Editors). Some of the day to day responsibilities of a mechanical engineer include; interpreting schematics, blueprints, technical drawings, etc…; working with a team of engineers and other personnel to find resolutions for systems errors; Give feedback to design engineers on specific problems and needs; specify system components and modifications necessary to stay within the specifications of design and performance; monitor and regulate installation, operation, maintenance, and repair of machines and equipment and ensure they are functioning properly and according to specifications; and my personal favorite, researching, designing, evaluating, installing, operating, and maintaining mechanical products, processes, systems, and equipment to meet specific requirements while applying knowledge of engineering principles(?).Because almost every company has some sort of responsibility in these areas of operation, Mechanical Engineers are usually in a high demand. To obtain a position as a mechanical engineer, one must obtain a certain level of education and experience. Generally, the pathway to becoming a full blown engineer begins with education, though, in a field as dynamic as engineering, you don’t necessarily need to have a completed college degree in order to gain some experience. For example, GM seeks to employ entry level engineers who, if they do not already have a degree in engineering, are working toward successfully completing one (General Motors ). Some companies, like Culture Animi in Brooklyn New York, also offer internships for students who are working on completing their degrees (?). While these types of jobs aren’t given the same amount of responsibilities as Sr. Engineers, they are a great stepping stone into this field of expertise. The more time an engineer works with a company and gains experience, the more likely he or she is to be placed over his or her own projects. As projects are completed, new, greater responsibilities are given, and eventually you can call yourself an Engineer. As I mentioned above, any career in engineering is going to require a solid education. There are many degrees which would help someone obtain a position as an engineer, most of which are specifically targeted towards a specific type of engineering. Because engineering is such a vast field of study, there is far too much information for one person to know all of it. Therefore, it is more prudent for engineering students to obtain degrees in their desired fields of work. Mechanical engineers should obtain at least a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, computer programming, civil engineering, electrical engineering, chemical engineering, or a field that covers technical subjects such as fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and hydraulics. Along with a degree in a field such as those mentioned earlier, an engineer should also obtain a Professional Engineer’s license (Education Portal ).Is it fair to ask if a career as a mechanical engineer will be a profitable one? Yes. And the answer to the question of profitability will almost undoubtedly be yes also. The median salary for mechanical engineers in the United States in 2013 was $82,100, with the top being paid $123,340, and the bottom being paid $ 52,550 (U.S. News). This fits fairly well with the amount of education and experience necessary to obtain a job as an engineer, and also the field of business the company employing the engineer resides within. According to a survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers conducted in 2006, people with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering started out with an average salary of $48,503 in the Bioengineering and Biomedical field, $51,888 in the Electrical/electronics and communications field, and $50,236 in the mechanical field. People with a Master’s degrees in those same fields made an average of $59,667, $64,416, and $59,880 respectively (SchoolSoup?). Forbes has published that the average starting salaries of mechanical engineers with graduate degrees to begin at $56,000 (Adams ). Most engineers will begin in the high 50s and, over time, build up into the mid to high 80s as their expertise grow. There is also the potential for those with the entrepreneurial spirit to develop their own products, obtain their own patents, and create their own businesses. This wild card aspect of engineering allows engineers to potentially make as much money as they want. The future of engineers is growing brighter and brighter. According to a study conducted by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) entitled “The State of Mechanical Engineering: Today and Beyond” , more than 1200 engineers with at least two years of experience in mechanical engineering related positions were asked to rate everything from the current levels of optimism surrounding the field to their opinions on the hottest areas in mechanical engineering, along with the personal and professional skills they think are need to succeed in the future. The study revealed that, over the next two decades, the prestige of working as an engineer will increase, the financial rewards of working as an engineer will be greater, the number of engineers working in less-developed countries will be greater, the need for engineers to increase their ability to communicate more effectively, increase language skills, and manage global teams will increase, and the skills in motion simulation, animation, and virtual prototype creation will be needed (ASME ). Because the world is continually growing, there are accompanying problems growing alongside it. Mechanical engineers who are dedicated to finding solutions for global problems in whatever sector they are in are going to be more and more necessary for global economies to succeed. We will always need someone to help us solve our problems. A great example of what a Mechanical engineer’s career looks like can be found in Vince Jones of Orem, Utah. Vince graduated in 2003 from Michigan Technical University with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. Almost immediately following his graduation, Vince started an internship as a process development engineer for Chieftain where he helped design interior trim for their big rig trucks. After a year with Chieftain, Vince contracted with a company called Dacquest as a project manager in 2004. With Dacquest, he mainly worked programming robotic tools and their RSV human interfacing systems. From there, he become a staff engineer with Findlay Industries in 2005 where he continued his work with designing car interiors for GM model cars and trucks. Vince left Findlay industries in 2009 and obtained a position with Moxtek Inc. as an engineer and manager. He is currently still working with Moxtek Inc. Vince’s career path illustrates the benefits and drawbacks of a career in mechanical engineering. Some of the benefits would be the amount of variety in the field, the opportunity to be creative, and the opportunity to work with interesting and exciting tools and equipment such as 3D printers, CAD, and simulation software. This sort of career is fertile ground for people who like to think outside the box and create new things. The problem that comes with demand, however, is a demanding environment. The biggest drawback to working as an engineer is trying to keep up with the pace of innovation. The world is full of engineers all of which are vying to be to first to build this or design that. With competition being so high, a job as an engineer can be very stressful and busy. And if you’re not able to put in as much time as someone else, sometimes that other person gets the credit for finishing first, even if it was your idea to begin with. I think this career is perfect for someone like me. I thrive in busy, vibrant environments full of variety and color. My favorite thing to do in my spare time is innovate new solutions for existing problems. My personality is such that I can’t help but be drawn to learn how something works and how to make it better. The best part about all of this is that it speaks to my soul, which makes me happy. Ultimately, happiness is the goal. Thomas Jefferson said that every human being has the God given right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. For me, I can’t think of a more liberating, more gratifying, more substantial career than Mechanical Engineering. Sources CitedAdams, Susan (Nov.19, 2014), The College Degrees With the Highest Starting Salaries in 2015, Retrieved from Editors, (Jan. 2015), Mechanical Engineer, Retrieved from (Aug. 12, 2012), ASME Releases Study on the Future of the Mechanical Engineering Profession, Retrieved from ?, (2015), Mechanical Engineer, Job Description – Part 1, Retrieved from Education Portal, (2014), Mechanical Engineer Education Requirements and Career Info, Retrieved from Motors, (Feb. 19, 2015), Entry Level – Manufacturing Engineering Job, Retrieved from ?, a Chegg? service, (2015), find Mechanical Engineering Internships, Retrieved from ?, (2007), Mechanical Engineers Career Information, Retrieved from . News (2013), Best Technology Jobs, Mechanical Engineering: Salary, Retrieved from ................
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