Earlier this week, I posted a reply to a CR4 question about
whether it was better to major in chemical engineering or mechanical
engineering. The asker had an interest
in the oil & gas industry and, at present, there is a demand for chemical
engineers in that industry so that leads to one answer. But, there are plenty of opportunities for
mechanical engineers and engineers of every shape and flavor in the oil and gas
industry! So, I suggested that the person
assess their own personal interests and, in so many words, find a good balance
between their own interests, abilities and energy and the needs of the
marketplace. For someone who is probably
about 20 years old, it would be a horrible situation to spend the next 40 years
doing work they did
not enjoy.
I also raised the issue of taking courses beyond the core
curriculum, meaning for a mechanical engineer to take some higher level
chemical engineering classes. And, from
my perspective, it's really important to remember that four years of college
education are merely a foundation and represent only the beginning of lifelong
education. As the college president
commented at my daughter's graduation, the awarding of degrees is done at a "commencement",
a beginning, a going-forward and not an ending by any stretch of the
imagination.
Last night I was on the golf course in the company of two
college students. We had a great time
(thank you). One of these fellows is a
Mechanical Engineering student who has just finished his junior year. He's been working with a major manufacturer
during school breaks and has now joined them for a six month assignment. This so-called "co-op" (co-operative
education) assignment is similar to something I did in school and I think it's
a very valuable and relevant part of the educational process. And, even though he's just starting, he
shared an interesting insight.
He said, "Well, I'm not doing very much engineering
work." Oh? I wasn't surprised by his comment and I've heard
it from other new engineers, too. Ah,
but you are doing important work! And,
while you may not be developing a lot of mathematically-derived process
improvements or new products, that kind of work may come in time. At the moment, he is developing other skills
relevant to progress that are certainly applicable to industry (his current
role), to research, academia and any other endeavor he chooses. Communication is essential to success!
I had also commented on the CR4 reply that it was important
to place a fair emphasis on non-technical pursuits as part of lifelong
learning. As I've come to learn,
communication is more than just sharing facts with other people. It's also requires understanding, different
perspectives and experiences and it's very much about building trust. By studying history, literature, theater, the
arts, music, religion, politics and more, we gain perspective and insights that
can build our self-awareness, our understanding of others (something like
walking in their shoes) and our ability to truly engage others in communication
that is effective.
It never ends! And,
it never should…..
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