Mechanical engineers produce specifications for, design, develop,

manufacture and install new or modified mechanical components or

systems.
Mechanical engineers need to be technically minded, able to demonstrate numerical
and scientific ability and have problem-solving skills.

What are the skills needed to be a mechanical engineer?

Key skills for mechanical engineers
 effective technical skills.
 the ability to work under pressure.
 problem-solving skills.
 creativity.
 interpersonal skills.
 verbal and written communication skills.
 commercial awareness.
 teamworking skills.
What does a mechanical engineer do?
Mechanical engineers can work on components and equipment for many industries
including healthcare, power, transport and water.

Job responsibilities vary greatly according to the size and type of employer. However,
duties typically include:

 assessing project requirements

 measuring the performance of mechanical components, devices and engines
 agreeing budgets, timescales and specifications with clients and managers
 maintaining and modifying equipment to ensure that it is safe, reliable and efficient
 using computer-aided design/modelling software
 liaising with suppliers
 undertaking relevant research
 producing and implementing designs and test procedures
 presenting designs to managers and clients
 testing, evaluating, modifying and re-testing products
 writing reports and documentation
 providing technical advice
 analysing and interpreting data.
Typical employers of mechanical engineers
 engineering, transport, manufacturing, construction and process companies
 research and development organisations
 consultancies
 utilities companies
 the Civil Service
 the armed forces
 government agencies.
Self-employment via consultancy and contract work is possible for individuals with
several years' experience.

Qualifications and training required

There are routes into this profession for both school leavers and university graduates.
Graduates need a degree in a relevant subject such as mechanical, automotive or
aeronautical or manufacturing engineering. A list of accredited courses is available on
the Engineering Council’s website.
Civil engineers design and supervise large-scale public work construction
projects, such as roads, buildings, tunnels, dams, and bridges. They are
responsible for gathering project requirements, testing and evaluating building
sites and materials, and managing the overall building process from start to
finish. That means that civil engineers need to see and understand the big
picture, and also be able to execute the tiniest of details.

Civil engineers typically require at least a bachelor’s degree. Graduate degrees

and licensure often are needed for promotion to senior positions.

The skill requirements for any civil engineer job vary widely based on the
position. However, every civil engineer should have a strong understanding of
industry and government standards, requirements, and guidelines. In addition,
civil engineers should have strong analytical thinking, technical writing, and
communication skills.

ELECTRICAL ENGINEER

When you decide to become an ELECTRICAL ENGINEER, you're committing

yourself to a profession that involves developing, designing, testing and
supervising the manufacturing of electrical devices and equipment, including
navigation systems, electric motors and power generation equipment.

Therefore, to be able to handle such complex concepts and theories, and

understand how to apply them to real-life projects, you need to possess a very
unique and tailored skillset. Indeed, it's no secret that a high proportion of
engineering students drop out or change course, with a lack of
preparedness often cited as the biggest reason for this unusually high attrition
rate.

So, to see if you have what it takes to stay the course and develop a
promising career in the field, here are the top 10 electrical engineering skills
that you will need.
1. Problem-Solving Skills
Regardless of their discipline, engineers are, at their core, problem solvers.
This is particularly true in electrical engineering, where you are often required
to think logically and apply a particular rule or concept to a problem in order to
solve it.

This is easier said than done, of course, but there are numerous techniques
that can improve your approach to problem solving. It's pointless, after all,
having all that expertise if you don't know how to troubleshoot issues or
approach a new project in the right way.

2. Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking is a broad skill that can be applied to a wide array of
situations, but it's just as important in electrical engineering. Possessing the
ability to approach things differently or take a different view to the norm can
make a big difference when you are trying to achieve a certain goal with your
project.

This includes analysing the strengths and weaknesses of the project or the
problem in front of you, and offering alternative solutions, approaches and
conclusions – all key aspects of critical thinking.

3. Basic Circuit Knowledge

Electrical design can become a very complex topic, especially where large
installations are concerned (such as energy grids), or even within highly
advanced pieces of small hardware, such as those used in smartphones.
Therefore, if you're to have any hopes of getting to grips with it all, you need to
first have a solid understanding of basic circuit design.

If you struggled with the fundamentals during your physics lessons in school,
then you need to ask yourself if electrical engineering really interests you.
Meanwhile, working on small (and safe!) projects at after-school clubs or in
your own time can develop your knowledge and dexterity.

4. Enthusiasm for Learning

Although it's an essential and unavoidable step, having a degree is not the
end of the educational road for an electrical engineer; in fact, it's just the
beginning of your active learning journey.
Much of this is borne out of necessity. Electrical engineering is one of the
fastest evolving and fiercely competitive engineering fields, so you'll need to
be constantly up to date (particularly if you work in the product design and
manufacturing sector). It's also a good quality to possess for your professional
growth and development, too, with the ability to learn new things quickly
being highly valued by top employers.

5. Communication Skills
There is barely a profession in the world where the ability to communicate isn't
important, and electrical engineering is no different.

7. Numerical Skills
Writing for HowtoBecome.com, Louisiana Tech University professor Paul
Hummel says that a common issue for electrical engineering students is that
their mathematical background is not strong enough. Therefore, he highly
recommends focusing on calculus at school, as well as taking as many maths-
related electives as possible at university.

'Math to an engineer is like a wrench to a mechanic', he says. 'The mechanic

doesn't need to know all of the intricacies of how a wrench works, but he does
need to know how to use it to fix things.'

8. Creative Thinking Skills

Engineers are not just problem-solvers – they are pioneers. Whether it's on a
grand scale or a simple one, the solutions they provide change the way we
live; therefore, to be able to explore and implement such radical ideas, you
need to be able to think outside the box.

This is especially true in the commercial sector, where electronics giants are
constantly competing to develop new and exciting technologies; it's also an
essential quality that top engineering schools look for in potential candidates.
Remember: you can have all the knowledge in the world, but if you don't know
how to be creative and explore new possibilities with it, then you're going to be
left behind.
9. Work Ethic
According to Hummel, a strong work ethic is another hugely important part of
a successful engineer's makeup. 'You do not have to be incredibly intelligent
to get a degree in electrical engineering', he says, '[but] you must be willing to
work hard'.

Hummel claims that the typical workload for an electrical engineering student
involves around four hours of additional work for every hour in class, a ratio
that is also reflected in the workplace – particularly if you are working on a
high-stakes, time-sensitive project. Therefore, you must be determined and
willing to work until you find a solution to whatever technical problems you
encounter in your role.

10. Programming Skills

Although the importance of coding is higher in some areas of electrical
engineering than others, it's still a very useful skill to possess, particularly
when working with low-level embedded systems or when analysing data.

Java, C, C++ and Basic are the most useful languages to learn in this field,
although any programming knowledge that you can bring to the table is
valuable. In the long run, it will certainly make your job easier as well as boost
your CV, so if you haven't already, invest some time into picking up some
coding skills.