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Over many years, we have known people who had

enrolled in an engineering curriculum and then

decided that was not what they really wanted to do.

There were also those who switched their engineer-

ing major when they decided there were conditions they

preferred to work with that may not be available in their cur-

rent planned field. For instance, one decided he would like

to work outside, not in a laboratory or office, so he switched

from a chemical to petroleum engineering curriculum, with

the expectation that the new choice would have greater

opportunity for outside work. Such changes are not uncom-

mon, but the student must realize that the change may be

costly, both in time and money. Depending on when the

change is made, the degree completion may be pushed

beyond the expected four years by two or more years—and

suffer considerable additional costs.

It is interesting to talk to young people, high school

seniors and college freshmen and discuss with them the

course of study they plan to follow in college and for their

career. Frequently, an individual will simply say, “I’m going Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MPOT.2010.936927

BOY—CAN STOCK PHOTO/GEOTRAC; GIRL—CAN STOCK PHOTO/PHOTOEUPHORIA; WOMAN—CAN STOCK PHOTO/4774344SEAN; NAVY—U.S. NAVY

Raymond E. Floyd and Richard H. Spencer

So, you are going to be an engineer!

10 IEEE POTENTIALS

into engineering.” That is somewhat

akin to saying trees are green—there is

such a variation in what an engineer is,

what courses need to be studied, the

interests of the student, and the jobs

that are available to the graduate,

among others. If the individual can nar-

row the choice, even slightly, to say,

“I’m going to be an electrical engineer,”

a large number of choices still remain

as one embarks on the studies needed

for the new career.

While it would take a fairly large

book to discuss all of the variations of

engineering studies, this article will pro-

vide some insight will be provided into

the types of studies required for general

engineering and some specifics for a

few more clearly defined engineering

occupations (and even those few will

have enough variation to cause confu-

sion). It is also important to note that

engineering in the United States may be

significantly different when considering

other nations and the curriculum imple-

mented within their schools.

Basic engineering skill needsTo begin, the student should have a

high interest in science and mathemat-

ics. High school courses should have

included basic math, algebra, trigonom-

etry, and geometry. In addition, one or

two classes in chemistry and physics

would be helpful. In general, a college

curriculum in the engineering path will

require the student to include such

courses as college algebra, trigonome-

try, calculus (integral and differential),

physics, and strength of materials, with

most of these classes coming during

the first two years and specialization

coming in the final two years. Added to

these are other science, humanities,

and communication courses required

for accreditation, and the list of

required courses is quite extensive.

The Technology Accreditation Com-

mission (TAC)/ABET has very specific

requirements for accreditation of school

programs, both in technical and hu-

manities content. In the latest criteria,

one-third of the total required hours

must be in the technical specialization,

but no more than two-thirds, with the

remaining hours reserved for the sci-

ence, humanities, and communication

course requirements. For those readers

who may not be aware of the TAC/

ABET role in education, it provides ac-

creditation reviews for school pro-

grams in engineering and engineering

technology, both in the United States

and other countries that may request

its review.

The student may also be able to exer-

cise an option to take either an engineer-

ing degree program or an engineering

technology degree program. In most

cases, the engineering degree will have

greater emphasis on mathematics and

design courses, while the engineering

technology will have greater emphasis on

labs and general technical studies. While

both degrees are in engineering, the first

would be more inclined to work in

design or research, while the latter would

more often be found in field support,

manufacturing, and product testing.

As noted earlier, the list of “engineer-

ing degrees” is quite large, ranging from

microbiology, to computers, to mechani-

cal, civil, electrical, aeronautical, and the

list goes on. We will examine some of

the more typical engineering career

fields and some of the choices offered

will be discussed.

Electrical engineeringWhen one hears that someone is

an electrical engineer, the first thought

may be that the person is designing

computers (i.e., a digital design engi-

neer). Just as easily, the thought may

encompass the work of a power engi-

neer or radio frequency engineer,

across many different fields—all asso-

ciated with electrical engineering.

These thoughts just scratch the sur-

face of what an electrical engineer

may be trained to do. While the com-

puter industry does use a large num-

ber of electrical engineers, not all are

involved in digital design. Many will

be involved in power supply design,

analog equipment design, and periph-

eral equipment design (such as disks,

memories, tape units, and printers).

Some may also be found in the design

of wide area network equipment,

converters, modems, and other asso-

ciated equipment.

Beyond the computer industry, electri-

cal engineers may be found in the com-

munications industry, designing line

amplifiers, transmitters, receivers,

modems, and wide area network com-

ponents. (Note the crossover in engi-

neering applications from the computer

industry into communications.) In addi-

tion, communication industry electrical

engineers may specialize in radio fre-

quency technology, thus being employed

in radio and radar applications, or even

satellite communications.

Another area that employs many

electrical engineers is the power indus-

try. Here, the emphasis is on the gen-

eration and distribution of electrical

power—power used by industry and

the private sectors. The engineers in

this case are trained in ac power gen-

eration and distribution and frequently

have more training in the design and

use of electric motors and generators.

One industry that uses motor

designers is the petroleum industry,

where motors are designed as sub-

mersible units to provide the power

needed to lift the crude oil from the

well to the surface. Of course, sub-

mersible motors are not the only

motors used in the petroleum industry,

nor are they the only application found

in motors across many industries. As

part of the power industry sector, the

engineer may also have additional

training in the development of solar

cell technology and wind turbines.

The electrical engineer may also pick

up programming experience along the

way, experience used to support the

mechanical engineer in the design of

automated manufacturing tools. The pro-

gramming may be on devices used to

control machine automation, like a pro-

grammable logic controller, where the

programming language may be a special

application language like LabView for

control of the device, or it may be assem-

bler, BASIC, or C11 in the event a PC is

used as the controlling device.

Mechanical engineeringMechanical engineering is as diverse

as electrical engineering. In this case,

the mechanical engineer may be con-

cerned with structural engineering (i.e.,

buildings, bridges and roads, where the

concern is in loading and structural

integrity). The courses of interest will

be strength of materials and physics of

forces acting on structures.

As noted in the electrical engineer-

ing section, mechanical engineers are

also heavily involved in the petroleum

industry, designing the pumps that

provide the lift needed to bring the

Frequently, an individual will simply say, “I’m going into engineering.” That is somewhat akin to saying trees are green.

MAY/JUNE 2010 11

crude oil from the well to the surface

(powered by the electric motors men-

tioned previously). Not only do the

pumps have to provide lift, the materi-

als and surface treatments must be

selected by the engineer to survive in

a very hostile environment—heat, pres-

sure, and corrosive liquids. From that,

the mechanical engineer must be

trained in the reaction of metals to cor-

rosive liquids, a crossover into the

chemical industry.

Factory automation depends heavily

on the mechanical engineer, where the

machines to build components, subas-

semblies, and final assembly are typical-

ly designed by the mechanical engineer

(with help from the electrical engineer

and programmer). One class, or classes,

most typically found in the mechanical

engineering curriculum will be computer

aided drawing, or CAD, offered in either

two-dimensional programs or the newer

three-dimensional modeling techniques

such as SolidWorks.

The power industry also calls heavily

on the mechanical engineer, where the

towers for transmission lines must be

designed to support the power lines in

all types of weather and other adverse

conditions such as ice, high winds, and

large temperature ranges. In addition,

the physical structures such as dams,

spillways, and generator housings are all

within the pervue of the mechanical

engineer.

Chemical engineeringBesides the mathematics and phys-

ics, chemical engineers should enjoy

both organic and inorganic chemistry

studies. If they enjoy organic chemistry

the most, typical jobs will be found in

the oil industry as a petroleum engineer,

applications engineer, corrosive engi-

neer, and similar job titles. They may

also find themselves employed within

the chemical industry, involved in the

development and manufacturing of such

products as rubber, tires, carbon black,

and fuel oils and gases.

If the student’s interests and studies

lean more to the inorganic side, the job

opportunities can overlap the organic

side, with employment in the chemical

industry involved in the development of

new materials, additives, exotic chemi-

cal mixtures, and so forth. The inorgan-

ic chemical engineer may also find

interesting work in the development of

new metal mixtures, where the new

mix may provide better life in corrosive

environments, have higher temperature

characteristics, or be more malleable

under certain stress conditions. Many

new materials found in use in the vari-

ous space programs are the result of

chemical engineering discoveries.

Manufacturing engineeringThe manufacturing engineer, some-

times called an industrial engineer, is

primarily concerned with the movement

of products through the manufacturing

floor, from raw parts to finished prod-

uct. These concerns cover the move-

ment of parts from inventory to the

proper point on the manufacturing

floor, the generation of operator assem-

bly procedures, the proper functioning

of manufacturing tools, and the routing

of the product as it progresses through

the entire manufacturing process (prod-

uct routing). Specific tools needed by

the operator will also be identified and/

or designed by the manufacturing engi-

neer. Assembly procedures will be stud-

ied and time-in-motion studies carried

out to ensure the procedures embody

the most efficient manner of assembly

possible. To quote the old adage, “Time

is money.”

Computer engineeringThe field of computer engineering is

another one of those careers that may

take one of two very divergent paths.

The first path is directed toward the

design of new computer systems, where

the design is more involved with new

application-specific integrated circuits,

new methods of using multiple proces-

sors for increased throughput, ever

decreasing circuit spacing within the

chip designs, and similar activities aimed

at new computer designs.

The second path is more along the

lines of designing new operating sys-

tems that provide real-time process sup-

port, multiprocessor support, and new

applications for the average user. In the

first path, the program will more than

likely be referred to as computer engi-

neering, while the second path may be

called computer science. The first path

will be more oriented to digital and ana-

log circuit design, with courses and labs

designed to support the needs for circuit

awareness. The second path will be

more involved with the programming of

computer systems, from basic assembler,

to compilers, to the operating systems

needed to support new computers in the

most efficient manner possible. In some

cases, the two paths may be offered in

two different departments within the

university, the engineer through the

Department of Engineering and a degree

in computer engineering or computer

engineering technology, while the sec-

ond may be offered through the

Department of Engineering or Math, with

a degree in computer science.

Test engineeringNow, some might say, you almost

always field-test products. Yes, very true,

often where the field can be a fabric mill,

car rental counter, hotel lobby, or deep

water oil rig. Of course, testing is not lim-

ited to the field but may also be under-

taken within a test facility within the plant.

In this latter case, there will often be spe-

cialized equipment not easily transported

to the field. For example, temperature-

humidity-altitude chambers, anechoic

chambers, and radio field measurement

chambers are all large physical units not

generally portable. The point is that engi-

neering, whatever the chosen field, will

probably require effort in many different

environments and involve certain subspe-

cialties within a given engineering field,

be it civil, electrical, or mechanical.

One problem with test engineering is

that few universities offer such a special-

ized degree. Test engineers generally

develop through assignments in Product

Test, or similar organization, where a

team will perform testing on a new prod-

uct to include mechanical tests, electrical

tests, and software tests. In many instanc-

es, usability testing may be included to

ensure the product is useable by the

intended user group.

One of the authors, as an experi-

enced cameraman, investigated a job in

television, during its infancy, and was

told to get an electrical engineering

degree first. So, no matter what your

intent is for a career, investigate the

The point is that engineering, whatever the chosen field, will probably require effort in many different environments, and involve certain subspecialties within a given engineering field.

(continued on page 21)

MAY/JUNE 2010 21

producing a single result, MC provides a

number of expected outcomes and the

probability of each one occurring. The

basic goal of MC analysis is to quantita-

tively characterize the uncertainty and

variability in estimates of exposure to

risk. A secondary goal is to identify key

sources of variability and uncertainty and

to quantify the relative contribution of

these sources to the overall variance and

range of NPV results.

The sensitivity analysis can clearly

point out the factors that could put the

planned cash flow at largest risk and

we now have to plan how these risks

can be mitigated. For example, addi-

tional marketing research and competi-

tor analysis could be undertaken to

provide more accurate estimates of

unit selling price and sales volumes.

Also, the development program could

be refined by splitting it in more

stages, hence a more accurate estimate

of its duration and the manpower

required could be obtained. Further-

more, product bill of materials and

labor costs should be generated and at

least budgetary quotations from sub-

contractors obtained.

ConclusionNet present value analysis has been

described as a simple analytical tech-

nique to evaluate financial return of an

investment into an engineering project.

NPV is based on a detailed forecast of

all the project’s income and expendi-

tures as well as an easy way of translat-

ing the value of money across time. The

method is suitable for assessment of

assumptions and concerns through sen-

sitivity analysis. The variables which put

the cash flow at most risk can be identi-

fied and ways of reducing risks may

then be introduced. Finally, IRR can be

used to compare a number of projects

in terms of their earning potential.

About the authorVladimir Stoiljkovic (vladimirs@ieee.

org) is head of antenna systems with

Cobham Technical Services (www.

cobham.com). He holds a Dipl. Ing. degree

in electronic engineering and an M.Sc. in

microwave engineering from the University

of Belgrade and a Ph.D. in microwave

engineering from the University of Leeds,

UK. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE

and a chartered engineer of the Institution

of Engineering and Technology.

requirements and understand the off-

shoots relative to what you feel you

really want to do, and in what environ-

ment, then make your decision as to

any engineering field associated, if any.

In author Spencer’s case, he elected not

to take a television cameraman’s job, for

reasons having nothing to do with the

technical side, and had a very satisfying

career with IBM.

ConclusionFrom this discussion, it should be

evident that the term “engineer” may

encompass a variety of studies and

career paths for the engineering stu-

dent. It is somewhat like an onion, it

appears simple on the surface, but as

you peel back the layers, there are

many more layers to explore. There is a

growing demand in industry for trained,

skilled engineers. No matter what field

of engineering, engineering support, or

other technical field you may choose,

you must be able to communicate your

findings, suggestions, or results to oth-

ers. Those “others” will in many cases

be other technical or scientific persons,

and such communication may be easy.

On the other hand, those others

will often be nontechnical persons

such as business oriented manage-

ment, sales people, product or service

users, people who are not technically

trained. It is your responsibility to

make yourself understood, whether it

be in writing reports and proposals or

speaking at conferences. This is one

aspect of scientific and engineering

fields that we found absolutely essen-

tial in our work as engineers, instruc-

tors, and managers.

One other aspect of engineering

that must be remembered is that over

time, the field will change as new

materials, technologies, and applica-

tions are brought to the marketplace,

regardless of the engineering degree

obtained. As a result, you will need to

maintain your skill set by continuing

education and training. Find the partic-

ular subjects you best enjoy and pur-

sue the necessary courses to fulfill your

dream—and be an engineer.

Read more about it • ABET Inc. (2010). Criteria for ac-crediting computing programs [Online].

Available: www.abet.org.

About the authorsRaymond E. Floyd (icubed@tritel.net)

earned a B.S.E.E. from Florida Institute

of Technology in 1970, an M.S.E.E. from

Florida Atlantic University in 1977, and

a Ph.D. in industrial management from

California Coast University in 2009. He

served in the U.S. Air Force as a missile

systems technician, spent six years with

Philco-Ford as a senior training instruc-

tor, and worked 26 years with IBM as a

senior engineer, retiring in 1992.

Richard H. Spencer (rhs385@juno.

com) holds a B.S.E.E. from the University

of Southern California. He was awarded

a scholarship to study cinematography,

and, in 1942, joined the Army as a com-

bat photographer in Burma, filming the

war effort there. He spent 38 years with

IBM as a senior engineer, retiring in

1992. He formed his own company,

Author’s Service Group, with an empha-

sis on documentation, system design,

integration, and usability testing. He has

taught courses in usability, technical

writing, and product testing, both in

industry and as an adjunct professor.

So, you are going to be an engineer! (continued from page 11)

Engineering is like an onion, it appears simple on the surface, but, as you peel back the layers, there are many more layers to explore.