A study perfumed last year revealed that engineering is the single most popular major for college students throughout the USA. This is a statistic which surprised many who believed that business would be the most popular election for many students thanks to the rise in entrepreneurialism. After the figures were released, I sat down and had a chat with master engineer Reddy Kancharla to try to understand why engineering was such a popular choice for so many people.
Rewarding
Engineering is a career which offers those who work within the profession a very rewarding job in terms of salary as well as personal accomplishment and professional success. This is one of the key reasons why many young Americans have decided that this is the career path for them and it is something which appeals to many younger students who are looking at making the most out of their career. Engineers are some of the highest earners in the country and when this fact is considered with a sense of accomplishment, it becomes a highly desirable career choice.
Security
There is a great level of job security for engineers as they are always in demand across a wide range of different industries. Engineers are not only reasonable for building highways, buildings and bridges, they also help to create chemicals and medicines, computer programs and airplanes amongst a whole host of other products. For this reason there is very little turnover in terms of engineering staff and it is this security which makes the profession endearing to many students.
Transferrable Skills
Whilst the specifics may change amongst the various branches of engineering, many of the skills remain the same which makes them easily transferrable. This means that someone who spends years in the profession of engineering can turn their hand to another area of the profession without too much upheaval. The result of this is that many see it as an opportunity to have a ling and varied career in which they can find great success.
Career Path
The large majority of engineering firms have a clear and structured career ladder which anyone can climb should they so wish. There is a wide variety of different jobs and positions within engineering from management to other leadership positions and those who are ambitious about their career can find a route to the top through this profession. Young people are very often hungry for success and aim for the stars, engineering gives them the chance to do this in a measured and structured way.
Ultimately the engineers of this world are the creators of all that we see and do and for anyone who has a creative streak in them, a career in engineering makes perfect sense.
Are you an engineer or currently taking a major in engineering? What made you decide upon this career? Let us know in the comments section below.