Mechanical Engineering: Career Goals and My Plan

Why I want to be a Mechanical Engineer (essay)

With these two career goals in mind, I have plans set for both of them. With mechanical engineering I would like to dive in to the field of Automotive design. I have grown to really like cars and how each car has its own unique aesthetic build/design. It seems to me that everyone wants to be more successful in their careers, and I think that an important stage is the initial choice of work. Undoubtedly this should be your dream job, for this I advise you to read the article about “Golden Rules for Choosing a Dream Career”. I want to be able to work, improve, and design engines, accessories, and various vehicle structures. With Psychology, I would like to dive into the field of clinical therapy. Finding out and treating Mental illness is very important to the people in our society. Personally, I know quite a few people in my life who suffer from mental illness, from family members, to friends and I want to be able to help out.

Mechanical Engineering is tough and rigorous. Many of the required classes you have to take is what strays people off from trying to pursue a degree in the field. As you may or may not know, Mechanical Engineers have to do a lot of Math. Required classes range from taking calculus 1-4, chemistry classes, intro to python and computer/programming classes etc. At GRCC I can get my associates degree, but will have to transfer to a university to get my bachelors. I plan to transfer to Michigan State University, and the required GPA to get into the college of engineering (specifically mechanical engineering) is a 3.1. This an average GPA of classes required to take such as Calculus 131 & 132, Physics 183, Computer science 231 etc. The practicum assignments that you can go into and experience in this degree are varied. An internship that I would like to get into as it will benefit me and expand my knowledge is one in automotive design.

I currently work at Undercar, which produces, assembles, and manufactures many different types of car parts, Mostly for GMC and some Ford. Some of these Car parts are center consoles, cup holders, windshield wipers, and various others. Info. About my degree is the Salaries in this field range from $53,640 to $83,590 to $128,430+ and has a fair (medium) employment prospect; skills in math, scientific, and computer & work environment is mostly indoors.

There’s this line that I really like that comes from an article I read as I was doing research. Mechanical Engineering is extremely useful in society as it is the foundation of how many machines are built and designed. You learn the essentials in college but there is some stuff that you have to learn apart in the actual workforce. “College prepared you to be a mechanical engineer. It didn’t prepare you to be a technical manager. That’s your next path career path, if you choose it”. I like this quote because it gives you a real understanding of your job as when you get your degree you’re assigned a specific task. To get higher up in the chain, such as a boss or leader, you must learn and gain new skills to get you the desired outcome. Although you learn a lot in college, a lot is learned in the real world and workplace.

Another quote I really liked about mechanical engineering is a quote on the rise to being a leader in your field. “We all know that cream rises to the top. Let the management candidates compete against each other and the best leader will appear”. I really like this quote as well because there are various things you can do with mechanical engineering. Once I get my degree I want to continue to improve and work on my skills and one day become my own boss. This quote is helpful because it informs me on how the process goes. It’s not just graduating with a degree in engineering but rather to keep working and learning so you can climb up the ranks and one day become a boss.

Mechanical Engineering is a crucial role in our society for it is the foundation on how we live our everyday lives. From riding elevators, to climbing stairs, to even driving your vehicle, we design it all. The automotive design is my particular interest when it comes to mechanical engineering. I love cars and I want to be able to continue to work and expand my knowledge on them. Not only do I want to know all the parts to the car, but also the design and just how each part functions. I like learning how each car differs from each other. I want to pursue a career in this field, for I love cars and want to continue working on them. Some of the steps needed to do this is first graduate college, get an internship, continue doing research on cars, and get a job in my field. The pay is another reason why I want to work in this field as it gives me the financial freedom I want to be able to travel and not worry about expenses. In conclusion, I want to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering, with a backup plan in psychology for it is what I enjoy doing and I’m passionate, and it grants me a good salary.

Works Cited

1. American Society of Mechanical Engineers. (n.d.). Careers in mechanical engineering. Retrieved from https://www.asme.org/career-education/articles/career-and-education-news/careers-in-mechanical-engineering
2. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (n.d.). Occupational outlook handbook: Mechanical engineers. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/mechanical-engineers.htm
3. Felder, R. M., & Brent, R. (2005). Understanding student differences. Journal of Engineering Education, 94(1), 57-72.
4. Michigan State University. (n.d.). College of Engineering.
5. National Society of Professional Engineers. (n.d.). Licensure for engineers. Retrieved from https://www.nspe.org/resources/licensure/licensure-engineers
6. Occupational Information Network. (n.d.). Mechanical engineers.
7. Pechenik, J. A. (2004). A short guide to writing about biology (5th ed.). Longman.
8. Reid, R. D., & Petocz, P. (2004). Strategic learning in first-year engineering. European Journal of Engineering Education, 29(2), 191-200.
9. Shertzer, A., Stone, S., & Lampert, C. (2018). Technical writing for success (4th ed.). Cengage Learning.
10. U.S. Department of Labor. (n.d.). Occupational Outlook Handbook: Psychologists.