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Mechanical engineering today is very different from
what it was 50 years ago. Back then, mechanical engineers
usually worked with other mechanical engineers to solve
mechanical engineering problems.
Today, as technology becomes more complex, engineers
are tackling such multifaceted problems as harnessing
the potential of the human genome, developing sustainable
energy systems and dealing with far-reaching issues
such as global warming. These tasks require solutions
beyond the reach of any single discipline, crossing
the boundaries of many. Much of your work will involve
teams of people, other engineers and people in disciplines
such as science, marketing, finance, and information
technology. In some cases, team members will work in
other locations around the world.
Your work environment, working hours, and specific activities
will depend on the specialty you select and the field
in which you are employed., These will affect the clothes
you wear, how much you travel, and where you go. Code
of dress can vary, for example, from suits and ties
for office work to hard hats and overalls at installations.
Many engineers work in offices, but some also work in
manufacturing facilities, construction sites, classrooms,
laboratories, or power plants, all or part of the time.
It is common for engineers to travel within a working
day and to be away from home at night, but overseas
work or travel is also possible depending on the organization
and job description.
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worst part about [the job] is that it isn't ever
ending. There's never a day, and there has never
been a day, that at the end of the day I was done.
And that's something that I'd never really thought
of as an engineering student. When you're a student,
you accomplish the task and you're done with that
task and maybe there's a different assignment or
a different chapter or a different course, but there's
closure. In this position, as I say, you could work
24 hours a day, nonstop, and the world always needs
more engines or they need assistance with the ones
they have already. - Dominick Vermet, Vice President,
Midwest sales, Detroit Diesel Corp.
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Many engineers work a standard 40-hour week. At times,
deadlines may bring extra pressure to a job, sometimes
requiring them to work longer hours.
Sales engineers, however, often work more than 40 hours
per week to meet sales goals and their clients' needs.
Some sales engineers have large territories and travel
extensively, and may be away from home for several days
or even weeks at a time. Others work near their "home
base" and travel mostly by automobile. International
travel, to secure contracts with foreign customers,
is becoming more important.
Engineers have a great deal of responsibility in their
jobs, and many transfer to management later in their
careers. Work is often tied to deadlines, particularly
in consulting. In the early years, working demands study
time; later on, continued professional development is
expected.
For a more in-depth look at what your first months on
the job may be like, see the PPC Module Introduction
to an Engineering Career.
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