My daughter is looking into being an engineer since she is very good at

[Horse with no Name]

math and science. What is the best type of engineering to get into (regarding employment opportunities, etc).
Anyone know?:shrug:

[HereSince1628]

1. How old is she? The job market will change over time...

[Horse with no Name]

2. She is a senior in HS this year

And is currently 17. However, she also has enough college hours acquired to be considered a sophomore in college.

[MissB]

3. I'd say Civil

Civil is a pretty broad category of engineering.

Infrastructure is always needed. Water is likely to become the next oil.

[Horse with no Name]

42. Thanks for your advice.

Will pass it on to her. I appreciate it.

[Tyler Durden]

4. the BEST form of engineering is the same as the BEST in any job...

...Find one you LIKE, or can at least do with a clean conscience.

2 years of Nuclear Engineering taught me that Nuclear Science was not a moral choice. Chemical Engineering is wide open, but does she want to work for CHEVRON or DOW? Mechanical Engineering could be bridges but usually ends up being CARS. Civil Engineers fill swamps and build more roads.

See the connections?

[Ganja Ninja]

32. Mechanical Engineers also design heating and air conditioning

as well as plumbing systems for buildings. I'd shy away from the Nuclear Engineering because there isn't as much call for it in general. She should go for Architect or Civil, Structural, Mechanical or Electrical Engineering if she wants to have more opportunities.

[electropop]

36. I think that engineering can sometimes be a positive thing.

Engineers design hybrid cars, low-water toilets, compact fluorescent light bulbs, low-E glass, "green" buildings, industrial recycling processes, more efficient electronic devices, telecommuting systems, solar cells, windmills, fuel cells, reduced packaging, more efficient manufacturing processes, and breast implants. Hey, we gotta have fun sometimes! ;-P

I'm an electrical engineer (for about 25 years), and it seems to have been one of the most stable specialties. I have worked on medical devices, improving quality of industrial processes, and homeland security. I'm proud of all of it. And yes, I went into EE because I think it's FUN. At least when I get to design stuff, as opposed to pushing spreadsheets.

[IrateCitizen]

5. Will she be content as a nameless, faceless corporate cog?

I ask that because today is my last day of full-time employment as an engineer, and that pretty much describes most of my experience as one.

If she's not looking for any kind of altruistic benefit, then engineering can be a decent career. However, if she wants to have any real control over the direction her projects point her in, and not just cater to the needs of clients, then perhaps its not the best career.

Personally, after having worked for 8 years as a civil engineer, I never want to go back -- I'm going to become a teacher and part-time organic gardener and farmer instead.

[Tyler Durden]

8. BRAVO!

My second career after dropping out of Nuc Eng School at U of Mich, (which was Marijuana Dealer), didn't pan out.

[MissB]

10. One can still choose public service

(which I did for awhile - safe drinking water.)

[IrateCitizen]

19. Those paths have their own pitfalls...

I've done a good bit of work with the NYC Dept of Env Protection, who handles the city's drinking water supplies. The DEP is FILLED with all kinds of backstabbing and interoffice politics -- and the positions where you can take an altruistic benefit from your job are few.

That's not saying that they don't exist -- it's just saying that they're not as plentiful as you may be portraying them to be.

[MissB]

23. Oh granted, not everyone is public service is there for the public good

But there are career options that keep you away from evil and demanding clients. :D

The biggest pitfall with the public sector over the private sector is the salary difference.

[MildyRules]

6. Electrical

My wife is one. HIGHLY recommend it.

[StayOutTheBushes]

7. Chemical Engineering is where the cream of the crop go.

[bleedingheart]

14. the key is to pass physical chemistry...

all my ChemE friends dreaded taking it and then were relieved to be done with it...

[etherealtruth]

20. P-Chem does "suck" ...

... but, for whatever reason, I thought analytical chem was worse.

The good news is that I passed both ... IF I COULD PASS, ANYONE CAN (anyone willing to do the work)

[Johonny]

41. PChem

is cake if your good at math. It's also fun. Forget Engineering and be a Physical chemist. That's what all the cool kids do.

[chemenger]

40. Speaking from 27 years experience as a ChemE

I would suggest she investigate a career in finance. I've learned over the years that if yoy want to make money then you should choose a career that handles money.

However,if she is intent upon a career in engineering then I'd suggest either mechanical or electrical. If she goes electrical then I strongly suggest she take all the power distrubution couses she can get. Pay is actually comparable to ChemE's also. Civils are largely employed by firms doing municipal engineering. Pay is at the low on the engineers' payscale.

I advise against majoring in Chemical Engineering. It's been a long time since a refinery or any other chemical plant has been built in this country. Environmental regs discourage construction of these projects in the States. Also, the colleges and universities produced a large number of ChemE's during the energy crisis back in the mid-to-late 70's when the country was interested in alternative energy sources. Should the US get reinterested in this research then she would definitely be ahead of the pack. But there are quite a few unemployed, underemployed ChemE's out here.

[northzax]

9. social

in ten years, whe won't be able to compete with India and China anyway.

[bleedingheart]

11. depends upon what she likes....best not to pick on employment

as most are good fields....you have to like it too...

I am an industrial engineer, I work in a speciality field, simulation, though but have worked in other areas of my major like time study, work analysis, analysis of manufacturing lines..etc One thing about my field that is somewhat unpalatable to others is that a lot of the work we do is designed to reduce costs, including labor..which results in layoffs...

[SidDithers]

12. I always wanted to drive trains....

and I like the Woo Woo sound the whistle makes, and the funny hats that engineers get to wear :)

Sid

[Stuckinthebush]

18. LOL!

Woo-wooooooo!

:D

[BlueEyedSon]

13. Genetic. It will be the Internet of the 2000's

[Tyler Durden]

15. Try Teaching....

Just a thought. Seems like every teacher I had in Engine school was an ex-private sector Engineer.

[AlCzervik]

16. My husband is a mechanical engineering manager, he loved math and science

as a child and he really loves his current job. If she likes to take things apart and see how they work and then put them back together again then maybe she should look into mechanical. Mr brother in law is a structural engineer, mostly road and bridge jobs and my Dad is an electrical engineer by degree, again he loved taking things apart and putting them back together.

[Horse with no Name]

17. Thanks for all the insight on this

She asked me and I didn't have a clue. I had hoped she would major in Poli-Sci.:shrug:
She just came up with this one.

[One_Life_To_Give]

30. BioMedical

I suspect BioMedical engineering will be hot for many years to come. Althought the work environment could be better from what I hear.
(Alot of finger pointinig if/when all doesn't go according to management plan)

But your daughter really needs to decide which area of engineering interests her. When I wass in school. We weren't locked into our specific area till after the first year.

[bloom]

21. Computer engineering would certainly be viable

for a long time.

...

http://www.thecareerengineer.com/

http://www.thecareerengineer.com/cand-pioneersofindustry.php

http://www.engineeringjobs.com/

[merh]

22. Electrical Engineer.

But, if I had it to do all over again, the "office" jobs are for the birds. I would be a plumber or an electrician. Sure, you have to apprentice, but once you have mastered the skills and put in the time, but eventually, you are working for you and not other folks.

:hi: Hi Horse, hope your health is better. :hug:

[Horse with no Name]

28. I dated an electrical engineer

works for Lockheed. He was always worried about getting the government contracts and layoffs so I wasn't sure if that was a good one to get into.
Thanks for the good thoughts!:hug: Very little wheezing, but on the whole, much improved. Thanks.:hi:

[merh]

31. Like I said, if I had to do it all again, I would do a trade.

You have a better chance of becoming an independent business and not being dependent on the corporations.

So glad you are feeling better. :hug:

:loveya:

[converted_democrat]

24. I know 5 unemployed engineers.............

on edit-In all farness 3 of them worked for the same company, Delfi.

[Catbird]

25. Check out SWE

If she has not yet checked out the web page of the Society of Women Engineers, she should do so. They have lots of information about careers in engineering, programs for K-12, inspirational material of all sorts, etc. They may have a chapter or some contacts near you.

http://www.swe.org

Check the Bureau of Labor Statistics (especially the Occupational Outlook Handbook) for fairly high level information about employment outlooks. Keep in mind that demand for engineers tends to be a bit cyclic. This means that you need to keep in mind the long term prospects, not what is going on today.

http://www.bls.gov

Best wishes to her. Tell her to go for it.

[buddysmellgood]

37. Great suggestion. SWE has a menoring program whereby they hook up

an current college student with those in high school. This makes the transition much easier.

[bloom]

26. environmental engineer...

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos263.htm

"Using the principles of biology and chemistry, environmental engineers develop solutions to environmental problems. They are involved in water and air pollution control, recycling, waste disposal, and public health issues. Environmental engineers conduct hazardous-waste management studies in which they evaluate the significance of the hazard, offer analysis on treatment and containment, and develop regulations to prevent mishaps. They design municipal water supply and industrial wastewater treatment systems. They conduct research on proposed environmental projects, analyze scientific data, and perform quality control checks.

Environmental engineers are concerned with local and worldwide environmental issues. They study and attempt to minimize the effects of acid rain, global warming, automobile emissions, and ozone depletion. They also are involved in the protection of wildlife.

Many environmental engineers work as consultants, helping their clients to comply with regulations and to clean up hazardous sites."

[etherealtruth]

29. Looking for a job as we "speak" ...

In fairness, Michigan has the highest unemployment rate in the country

[tridim]

27. If I could do it all over again I'd get into Nanotechnology

It's going to be huge in the 2010's. My second choice would be quantum mechanics. I have no idea what general engineering categories these fields fall under.

[Gold Metal Flake]

33. She should pursue a physics degree.

She will be able to move into may fields. Aerospace, energy, manufacturing. There will be many opportunities, and she can pick according to interest and location.

[Catbird]

35. Physics is not engineering

While there are a lot of physics majors working in fields other than physics, that's not what most physics departments are set up for. A lot of people switch because there aren't that many jobs in physics per se. Some engineering jobs require candidates to have a degree from an accredited engineering program.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

34. Some engineering schools...

...offer an interdisciplinary curriculum that provides the student greater flexibility in designing his/her own academic program. I think an engineering program generally concerned with technology for exploiting alternative energy sources would have to be in big demand in coming years. There would be many specialization options/directions in designing a program like this. Purdue University used to have a School of Interdisciplinary Engineering (not sure if they still do). Hope this helps. Good luck to your daughter.

[buddysmellgood]

38. U of Wisconsin-Madison has an 'Introduction to Engineering" course for

freshmen where they undertake an engineering project in a team setting. This really helps students explore the various disciplines and understand why they will need to understand to understand all of the demanding topics they undertake.
The is also an invention contest at UW-Madison with $22,000 in prizes. As part of the contest, students learn about patenting, marketing, prototyping and how to present ideas to investors.
Your daughter should keep thinking about what she wants to do, but she should not make a decision until she has a couple of years of college under her belt.
The future belongs to the engineer that understands how to work across disciplines.

[wli]

39. not software engineering

That's going to be extinct in the US in short order.

[Mairead]

43. Engineering and science are generally not good career areas for women

You'd think they would be by this time, but they're not. They're not particularly good for anyone, really, since the jobs can be and are being exported, but they're particularly not-good for women.

That said, the most wide-open field for the next 20 years or so should be nano-engineering.