final

Alex Smith

Professor Kerr

EN 101-23

September 7, 2011

Mechanical Engineering

                Mechanical engineering is a specific branch of engineering, a career that basically finds out how and why things work.  Mechanical engineering requires a serious education, can provide great job opportunities and also produce a significant income.  Mechanical engineers design and develop everything you can think of as a machine. (Michigan Tech)

                Becoming a mechanical engineer is not the simplest of tasks.  Getting into an engineering program is very competitive, and only the most qualified are accepted into a school’s program. The only required degree to become a mechanical engineer is a bachelor’s degree, although due to competition and the job market,  it is recommended to continue an extra one to two years full-time and receive a master’s degree.  In fact, many jobs have a minimum requirement of a master’s degree.  (Mechanical Engineer Jobs).  In order to work as a mechanical engineer doing research or as an instructor at a university, a minimum of a doctoral degree is required. (Mechanical Engineer Jobs).  Mechanical engineers whose work affects the lives of people, or who work privately, must be licensed in the state where they work. (Mechanical Engineer Jobs).  In order to receive a license, a mechanical engineer needs a minimum of a bachelor’s degree plus four years of work experience in the industry before they qualify to sit for the state engineering exam.  They must then receive a passing grade on their examination in order to receive a license. (Mechanical Engineer Jobs)

                The jobs that await mechanical engineering majors are almost endless. There is no specific type of job to which mechanical engineers are limited.  Seventy five percent of mechanical engineers go into manufacturing. (Mechanical Engineer Jobs).  Additionally, mechanical engineers can go into fields such as robotics, automatic transportation, and air conditioning.  (Michigan Tech).  From within these fields, a mechanical engineer can expand out further into areas of greater specificity.  They can choose to work and fix things, construct from scratch, modify and perfect, or even invent new things.  Mechanical engineers are instrumental in developing and creating the machines, products and technologies that make our lives easier. (Engineers Edge)  Where would the world be today if it weren’t for the insight and intelligence of the famous mechanical engineer, Henry Ford, who founded the Ford Motor Company in 1903, making automobiles affordable to the masses.  (The life of Henry Ford)  Today, mechanical engineers work on the development of more energy efficient vehicles, such as hybrid automobiles that utilize both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor for greater fuel economy (Engineering Projects)  Taking it a step further, mechanical engineers work on the creation of vehicles that run on alternative energy sources, such as hydrogen powered vehicles.  These vehicles utilize a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to create electricity which is then engaged to power the vehicle.  (Engineering Projects)  Eli Whitney, a mechanical engineer in the late 1700’s, invented the cotton gin, a machine that easily separated the cotton seeds from the fiber, giving birth to the American mass production industry and helping to propel the South to prosperity.  (Eli Whitney)  The Hubble Space Telescope, which allowed the world to see the universe as never before and provide previously unimaginable information about space and the creation of the universe, was largely due to the genius of Dr. Edward Cheung, a native of Aruba and a PhD graduate from Yale University in the specialized mechanical engineering field of robotics.  (NASA/Edward Cheung)   Mechanical engineers are a huge part of the technological revolution that has taken place in the past two centuries.

                Salaries are just one of the perks of mechanical engineering.  An average salary is approximately $69,850, with the top ten percent at $104,900 and the bottom ten percent at $45,170.  Starting salaries vary on degree. A starting salary for a mechanical engineer with a bachelor’s degree is approximately $54,128; a master’s degree $62,978; and a doctorate degree $72,763. (Mechanical Engineer Jobs). Mechanical engineering is a career with many options. If problem solving, being creative, hands on-understanding, networking, leadership/conflict resolution, or knowledge management is appealing, then it is likely that mechanical engineering will provide an enjoyable career. (Michigan Tech).   It has been said that if you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life.  With the many interesting options available to mechanical engineers, this saying definitely applies. There are so many things that can be done in this career that anyone who does it is bound to find something they enjoy and can continue to do throughout their life.

                Mechanical Engineering is projected to grow about four percent by 2016. (Mechanical Engineer Jobs).  It is the study of how things work and, more specifically, how to design new products. (Education Portal).

        

 “Michigan Tech.”             "Mechanical Engineering: What Is It?" Mechanical Engineering at Michigan Tech. Michigan Technological University, 10 June 2010. Web. 14 Sept. 2011. <http://www.me.mtu.edu/admin/whatme.html>.    

              “Mechanical Engineering Jobs.”                   "Mechanical Engineer Jobs." Mechanical Engineer Job | Career Opportunities and Growth.. 2009. Web. 14 Sept. 2011. <http://www.mechanicalengineerjob.net/>.

“Education Portal”           "Mechanical Engineering Majors: Information and Requirements." Degrees, Schools, Online Courses and Careers - Education-Portal.com. Education Portal. Web. 14 Sept. 2011. <http://education-portal.com/articles/Mechanical_Engineering_Majors_Information_and_Requirements.html>.

“Highest-Paid Bachelor’s Degrees”          "News Headlines." CNBC Mobile Home. 2011. Web. 14 Sept. 2011. <http://www.cnbc.com/id/29408064/Highest_Paid_Bachelor_s_Degrees_2010?slide=5>.

“Engineering Projects”            "MEP." Mechanical Engineering Projects Ideas-Seminar Topics-Final Year Projects on Mechanical Engineering Topics. Creative Commons Attribution, 14 Aug. 2010. Web. 14 Sept. 2011. <http://www.mechanicalengineeringprojects.net/>.

“Engineers Edge”             "What Do Mechanical Engineers Do? -  Engineers Edge ." Engineers Edge - Design, Engineering & Manufacturing Solutions. Engineers Edge. Web. 15 Sept. 2011. <http://www.engineersedge.com/mechanical_engineering/what_do_mechanical_engineers_do.htm>.

“The Life of Henry Ford”               "The Henry Ford: The Life of Henry Ford." A Michigan Family Attraction : The Henry Ford. The Henry Ford, 2003. Web. 15 Sept. 2011. <http://www.hfmgv.org/exhibits/hf/>.

“Eli Whitney”     "Hall of Fame | Search | Inventor Profile." Invent Now. National Inventors Hall of Fame, 2002. Web. 15 Sept. 2011. <http://www.invent.org/hall_of_fame/152.html>.

“NASA/Edward Chung”        "NASA - Hubble Engineer Becomes a Knight." NASA - Home. Goddard View Newsletter, Aug. 2010. Web. 15 Sept. 2011. <http://www.nasa.gov/topics/people/features/cheung.html>.