An evergreen branch and probably the only field of engineering that is resistant to the impact of economic recession, Mechanical Engineering offers immense private and government sector employment scope in India due to rapid industrialisation, and also copious job prospects abroad. In this discipline, mechanical engineers design and test machinery and other products before they go to market. These products can vary tremendously, from giant manufacturing systems to small tools and parts. Without mechanical engineers, we wouldn’t enjoy many of the recent advances in modern tools we use daily. Smartphones, electric cars, 3D printers, and even our home’s utilities would not be as advanced as they are today. As it encompasses a broad field of interdisciplinary studies including major aspects of power generation, transportation, aerospace technology, and construction, Mechanical Engineering offers numerous benefits like excellent employment prospects, the opportunity for advancement, job security, higher pay, and exciting work environments.
Job responsibilities of a Mechanical Engineer 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 on 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. Mechanical engineers develop and use a vast array of skills to be successful in top engineering positions.
Key skills for Mechanical Engineers encompass effective technical skills, the ability to work under pressure, problem-solving skills, creativity, interpersonal skills, verbal and written communication skills, commercial awareness, and teamworking skills among others.
Engineering and mechanical conceptual skills allow engineers to apply the right concepts as per the requirement of the product. A portion of every mechanical engineer’s day involves solving client problems. Mechanical engineering is often figuring out how to make mechanical or thermal devices work better, more efficiently or have different capabilities. Solving the problems requires hard skills, of course, but it also requires strong analytical ability, which is a soft skill.
Mechanical Engineers also need to have strong mathematical aptitude to excel at the job. For instance, the world has many people who might love to design new solar panels, robots and innovative batteries. But however strong their desire is, they won’t be able to do those things if they don’t have an aptitude for mathematics.
Software skills mean that Mechanical Engineers need to learn new software tools that will aid them to design and execute the concepts. It also helps in designing prototype products before the actual commencement of the product development.
Mechanical engineers are required to design complex pieces of machinery and equipment. In the case of mechanical engineers, the products can be anything from robots to environmentally friendly power generation. Conceptualizing, developing and inventing entirely new products calls for creativity.
Clear communication abilities are a must a lot of your colleagues may not be trained as engineers. You will need to communicate priorities, issues, and needs clearly. Second, clients will need to be walked through the workings of the exciting new products you and your team will develop. You will need to explain to non-engineers the how, what and why of new products and processes.
Almost all engineering roles take place in a collaborative environment. You will likely work on a team, and need to be an excellent team player. You need to collaborate effectively with a broad range of people. You’ll also need to collaborate across functions. Many mechanical engineers work with other types of engineers, architects or IT professionals. The teams can be very diverse. Top job candidates exhibit an ability to collaborate across functions and with diverse sets of people. Apart from communication and teamwork, a Mechanical Engineer should also possess other qualities like leadership, judgment and decision making, critical thinking, time management, coordination, negotiation, and active listening.
Learning strategies are important, where you select and use training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things. Management of personnel resources includes motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job. Management of financial resources determines how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures. Lastly, management of material resources signifies obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain types of work.
