Mechanical engineering is one of the most notable applications we used in the old world until today that literally helped us achieved what we have in our present industries. Its disciplines and practices are so vast that anything that we have in our modern world is credited to it.
Today, we all depend on the use of contemporary science to carry us to a more modernized world and this is made possible with the disciplines derived from mechanical engineering concepts. We are now on the first phase on the use of nanotechnology that is one of the specializations mechanical engineers are engaging to revolutionize the creation of materials that can be used on making more reliable consumer products, more effective medicine, stronger metals and many other innovations. With the information technology we all depend from, our mechanical engineers can help electronic and computer experts create satellites to enhance transfer of data from space. In short, the mechanical engineers are always there helping scientists in the development of advanced products and machineries that our industries heavily rely on.
But how one can become a mechanical engineer? Like other engineering degrees, a student must undergo a series of education before he can become a full pledged engineer. In mechanical engineering, there are four significant processes that must be fulfilled before you can become a professional. Here they are.
Educational Requirements To Become a Professional Mechanical Engineer
- Undergraduate Coursework
This coursework must be taken by a student under a university or college and must complete all the core curriculum courses. In these institutions, students will learn the fundamentals of mechanical engineering. There are a lot of disciplines that students can learn from the bachelor’s degree. These can provide them the solid foundation before choosing their majors or specializations. Available for learning are the manufacturing processes, creative design, testing and evaluation, thermodynamics and mechanical design. For later part of the college year, the students will learn more about advanced courses in heat transfer, kinematics and system dynamics and a lot more. In some countries, a bachelor’s program can run for five years while in other countries this could be completed in four years. - Graduate Study Program
So called a master’s degree program, the graduate study program will provide the mechanical engineering students the advanced knowledge in their chosen field. With what they have learned from their bachelors’ programs, they can strengthen their education with more sophisticated mechanical engineering principles. The students will be able to explore the latest trend in technologies and progress in the area of mechanical engineering and they can also add more courses with the types of technologies they want. Generally, the master’s degree program takes about two years to complete. In this level, students can choose to study more advanced specializations that are now trending in the modern world like robotics and controls, aerospace, thermo-dynamics, integrated design and manufacturing and more highly advanced technical courses. - Apprenticeship or Experience
Mechanical engineering apprenticeship or internship or sometimes known as on-the-job programs are required by most colleges and universities to their mechanical engineering students to participate in. The students are given the option to choose the institutions in which they want to take their training be it with local companies or private institutions. Most often, the students will be managed by professional mechanical engineers so that they can learn and practice in real time at the same time. These opportunities will provide students the actual feel on how to work in actual setting and can apply what they have learned in schools. This will also give them the advantage once they start applying for jobs. - Passing the Mechanical Engineering Licensure Exam
This is the last crucial stage wherein the mechanical engineering graduates can prove they clearly qualify to be considered government-registered engineers. Failing this may alter the graduates’ dream of catching up with best engineering profession the certified ones are getting. However, this exam can be retaken to give chances to those who fail but have persevered in their studies.
Earning a degree in mechanical engineering is really a difficult venture because not too many people are very good in mathematics, sciences and physics all at the same time. Aside from that, you have to overcome all these different challenging stages of education and must pass licensing exam to be a certified engineer in your own right. Some individuals even enroll to online mechanical engineering degrees just to get ahead.
Nonetheless, once you have completed all these, you can now be ready to build your career. It’s now up to you where you want to use your earned talents and skills. Some professional mechanical engineers want to take their professions to the fore and work for companies that are into high-end technologies. These people can prosper in terms of finances and career growths. On the other hand, some mechanical engineers would settle for jobs that can likely excite them like becoming a technician for car racing teams or work for companies that deals with rocket science or space explorations. But however you want to use your learned talents, you would always be in demand because the world can never get enough of the mechanical engineers as they are of the rare talented breeds.