Mechanical Engineering is quite a challenging field and students are required to possess many skills besides the knowledge of Maths and Science. This is a demanding field but with some assistance, students can attain success.
Institutes like the TERNA Nerul and other BE colleges in Mumbai place their Mechanical Engineering graduates in various job profiles and industries. The question arises, here, how does one navigate the working environment once hired?
To help the upcoming graduating class of Mechanical Engineering, a guide has been prepared to make it big in Mechanical Engineering.
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering, in simple words, is about the design and manufacture of machines. Students in this field are taught the principles of mechanics and how to apply them in an industrial setting. The knowledge of Mechanical Engineering is used in many industries such as automotive, aerospace, computer, electronics, energy conversion, robotics, and automation.
Skills Required for Mechanical Engineering
For any field or career, candidates must possess certain skills in order to stand out from other applicants. These applicants are necessary to optimally perform in Mechanical Engineering. Arguably, freshers will pick up most of the soft and technical skills with time and experience but if one can provide proof of these skills right at the start, they are geared for success. Stated below are some of the soft skills and technical skills a mechanical engineering student must have.
Soft Skills
- Communication
- Time Management
- Sound Judgement
- Leadership
- Team Work
- Analytical
Technical Skills
- Mathematically Strong especially in Calculus, Statistics, Geometry, Algebra, Trigonometry
- Software such as AutoCAD, MathCAD, EPDM, MATLAB etc
- Science especially Physics and Chemistry
- Fault Detection
- System Analysis
- Operations Analysis
Top Job Profiles for a Mechanical Engineering Degree Holder
Mechanical Engineer: The first and most popular choice of a job profile for mechanical engineering students is that of a Mechanical Engineer. These individuals primarily work in the manufacturing of different products, mainly large scale machinery. They are involved in planning, designing, creating prototypes, the actual product and also testing. To work as a Mechanical Engineer, one must have a bachelor’s degree such as BE in mechanical engineering. The whole designing process is a team effort with other Mechanical Engineers. Besides knowledge of designing software, they must also know local Government rules and laws for the said manufacturing process. The average salary for a ME is INR 3,54,073 LPA.
Automative Engineer: As per the name, an Automative Engineer is a professional who designs new automobiles. They generally work with automobile manufacturers or with auto parts manufacturers. Automotive Engineers could be either working on a new design or working at improving an existing design. Most of the work is done in the field, hands-on with the automotive. They have strong knowledge of CAD along with electrical components and circuits. To start working in this role, one must start with internships in the automotive. Knowledge of sales, customer preference and market trends will also help. For their efforts, Automative Engineers are paid INR 6,24,402 LPA.
Maintenance Engineer: Maintenance Engineers work across many industries like airlines and medical working on the installation and maintenance of machinery. All repairs and troubleshooting are also done by the Maintenance Engineer. They are mainly given the task of making sure all machinery is running smoothly and are up to standard. For this role, the Engineer is required to talk with clients and organizations to get an idea of the goal, budget, and how to finish the work quickly and efficiently. Another part of their job role is to train employees on how to use the machines. The average pay at Indian organizations for Maintenance Engineers is INR 3,07,757 LPA.
Construction Engineer: Construction Engineers are given the responsibility for large construction projects. All aspects of the project, budgeting, talking to clients, planning, and designing is done under the purview of the Construction Engineer. During the course of the project, they also look after all of the staff working at the said project, make sure the schedule is being stuck to and look after the accrued costs too. They will also ensure all local and national guidelines and laws for construction projects such as safety regulations must also be met. This is a role where one is performing both Engineering duties and managerial duties. For a Construction Engineer, the average pay is INR 498,774 LPA.
Control and Instrumentation Engineer: Another popular role at engineering college in Navi Mumbai is that of a Control and Instrumentation Engineer. As opposed to a Mechanical Engineer who works at designing and making machines, the Control and Instrumentation Engineer makes instruments. These instruments and equipment are for control and monitoring purposes that are used in other different engineering processes. This is an important role as the functioning of the instruments is necessary to ensure all machinery is running efficiently and there are no breakdowns and delays. Control and Instrumentation Engineers earn around INR 4,50,950 LPA.
Tips for Future Mechanical Engineers
Doing everything by the book and as one is supposed will lead to success. However, some tips from seniors in the same field can help give direction and also clear up any doubts a Mechanical Engineer could have. Some such tips are as below.
- Engineers are people who need to do both Engineering duties as well as managerial responsibilities. Strategising, planning, and talking with clients are also occasionally done. For this reason, ME students must be able to think like a businessperson.
- Any Engineering concentration is a team effort. Being able to work along with everyone without any hitches towards a goal is a skill all ME students must have.
- Tools, machinery and equipment constantly keep changing and evolving. For this reason, one must keep up with their education. Keeping up and building the knowledge bank in their field, will enable people to explore more career options and get faster growth.
- While Mechanical Engineering is a purely technical position, often one should have communication abilities as well. Now and then they would have to talk with clients to understand the project goals, budget etc. Additionally, for managerial roles, one must have strong communication skills to be able to lead teams.
- Mentorship benefits engineers during times of confusion and for overall guidance. For Engineering students approaching a senior Engineer can be approached for mentorship. Many companies also have their own mentoring programs.
Engineering is one of the most popular professional courses in India. Mechanical Engineers, in the same vein, are able to find some of the best jobs and have illustrious careers. For freshers, however, if there is confusion regarding what to do after graduation, research should be done before hand or they can refer to the write up mentioned above.
