Introduction
Engineering is involved in many hobby pastimes such as woodworking, mechanics, and even things like Meccano.
Because of this, there are many general questions that people ask about engineering such as how much you can make and what it takes to develop a skill set in an engineering field.
Today, we’re going to address and answer those questions to hopefully satisfy your curiosity about engineering.
Engineering: 6 Popular Questions Answered About This Inventive Pastime
1. Are Engineers Smart?
Yes, the average engineer is degree-educated and will usually have a good grasp on mathematical concepts which they can apply to real-life situations to build things such as bridges or structures.
This makes them smarter than the average person as they require a unique skill set that helps them solve advanced problems or overcome problems relating to physics i.e. building a towerblock without it collapsing.
With that said, there is some debate around what makes a person smart; in a traditional sense, most people would consider the aforementioned criteria a good filter for separating people who can, and people who can’t.
2. Are Engineers Rich?
Salaries will vary across the field of engineering as there are different things you can specialize in, however, the average engineer gets paid far more than most entry-level jobs meaning you can have a very comfortable lifestyle and could be considered rich by most people.
Essentially, you could live a decent middle-class lifestyle from a typical engineering salary if you were to only rely on that as your source of income.
This doesn’t include things like investments or side-ventures which are likely to make you even more money, especially since engineering is an in-demand skill for lots of different tasks.
A portion of your salary is likely going towards investments too which could yield you some nice growth over time; when factoring in compound interest it’s not totally unrealistic that you could become a millionaire by the time you retire.
Michigan Tech have collated some useful information in relation to engineer-specific salaries in case you want to know more.
3. Do Engineers Travel Much?
Yes and no.
Engineers can be required to travel depending on the projects they’re involved in.
For example, a civil engineer may need to travel up and down their country to work on construction projects such as building bridges or tower blocks.
Conversely, a chemical engineer or a computer engineer may be used to working from a more fixed location due to the type of work they’re involved in i.e. it wouldn’t be practical to move lab equipment around.
It really depends on the nature of the contract and what they’ve signed up for — engineering consultants might be more mobile even if their specialty typically doesn’t involve a lot of travel.
4. Do Engineers Build Things?
Yes, most engineers are involved in building or making things, however, this doesn’t apply to all fields of engineering.
Some of the most obvious things that engineers build are manufacturing equipment, bridges, tower blocks, and even unique scientific projects such as the Large Hadron Collider at the CERN site in Geneva, Switzerland.
Engineers are also involved in some hands-off tasks such as city planning or blueprint production to set the general instructions for projects i.e. they won’t always undertake the physical labor themselves.
5. Is Engineering Fun?
We always say that it’s best to get involved in things you enjoy, whether that be as a hobby or as your full-time job.
With that said, most people find problem-solving tasks, such as engineering, more engaging than the average job or role, and that can make it really fun to get involved in.
It’s also one of the most satisfying fields to be in because you’re literally leaving a permanent mark on the planet, especially if you’re involved in civil construction projects or making new roads and bridges.
Think about it like this, if you had the choice between filling out forms all day or creating something unique and special, then you’d probably go for the latter, right?
Humans have an innate desire to create and leave permanence on the world around them and engineering ticks both of those boxes which is why it’s so fun.
6. Is Engineering for Me? (How to Know if Its for You)
The most important skills to have when it comes to engineering include technical expertise, innovation, a creative mindset, and the ability to communicate with others.
Depending on the task, it may involve some level of mathematical understanding and physics that can be applied to the project you’re working on.
If you think you could meet this criteria or if you think you’d enjoy this then engineering might just be for you.
Most engineers cite problem-solving as being one of the most enjoyable parts about engineering and this could be a good indicator that it may or may not be for you.
There are lots of factors involved in deciding what you’re going to be doing as a career or as a hobby, especially since you’ll be dedicating lots of time towards it which you don’t want to have wasted.
The bottom line is that you won’t know if it’s for you until you give it a try, that’s why we recommend starting a practical course in engineering in your local area to see if you have what it takes to become an engineer.
Relevant Articles
- Top 21 DIY Hobbies to Get You Making, Breaking, and Creating
- Good Attention to Detail? Here Are 12 Tinkering Hobbies for Inventive Minds (Start Fiddling Now)
- 10 Clever Hobbies That Involve Problem Solving
Engineering: Bottomline
Engineering is a multi-faceted, multi-skilled role that involves undertaking different creative tasks such as planning, building, and even theorizing new ways of doing things in society.
It can be hard work and might not suit most people’s skill sets, however, it can be rewarding for the people who genuinely have an enthusiasm for it.
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