Career and future prospects in Engineering at a glance

  Significant Points
  Nature of the Work
  Working Conditions
  Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement
  Job Outlook

Significant Points

Nature of work


Engineers apply the theories and principles of Science and Mathematics to research and develop economical solutions to technical problems.

Their work is the link between perceived social needs and commercial applications. Engineers design products, machinery to build those products, plants in which those products are made, and the systems that ensure the quality of the products and the efficiency of the workforce and manufacturing process.

Engineers design, plan, and supervise the construction of buildings, highways, and transit systems. They develop and implement improved ways to extract, process, and use raw materials, such as petroleum and natural gas. They develop new materials that both improve the performance of products and take advantage of advances in technology.

They harness the power of The Sun, The Earth, Atoms, and Electricity for use in supplying the power needs, and create millions of products using power.

They analyze the impact of the products they develop or the systems they design on the environment and on people using them.

Engineering knowledge is applied for improving many things, including the quality of healthcare, the safety of food products, and the operation of financial systems.

Engineers consider many factors when developing a new product. For example, in developing an industrial robot, engineers determine precisely what function the robot needs to perform; design and test the robot’s components; fit the components together in an integrated plan; and evaluate the design’s overall effectiveness, cost, reliability, and safety. This process applies to many different products, such as chemicals, computers, gas turbines, helicopters and toys.

In addition to design and development, many engineers work in testing, production, or maintenance. These engineers supervise production in factories, determine the causes of breakdowns, and test manufactured products to maintain quality. They also estimate the time and cost to complete projects.

Some move into engineering management or into sales. In sales, an engineering background enables them to discuss technical aspects and assist in product planning, installation and use.

Many specialties are available, and the major branches have numerous subdivisions. Some examples include structural and transportation engineering, which are subdivisions of civil engineering; and ceramic, metallurgical, and polymer engineering, which are subdivisions of materials engineering.

Engineers also may specialize in one industry, such as motor vehicles, or in one field of technology, such as turbines or semiconductor materials.

Engineers in each branch have a base of knowledge and training that can be applied in many fields. Electronics engineers, for example, work in the medical, computer, communications, and missile guidance fields. Because there are many separate problems to solve in a large engineering project, engineers in one field often work closely with specialists in other scientific, engineering and business occupations.

Engineers use computers to produce and analyze designs; to simulate and test how a machine, structure, or system operates and to generate specifications for parts.

Using the Internet or related communications systems, engineers can collaborate on designs with other engineers around the country or even abroad. Many engineers also use computers to monitor product quality and control process efficiency.

They spend a great deal of time writing reports and consulting with other engineers, as complex projects often require an interdisciplinary team of engineers. Supervisory engineers are responsible for major components or entire projects.

Working Conditions

Most engineers work in office buildings, laboratories or industrial plants. Others may spend time outdoors at construction sites and oil and gas exploration and production sites, where they monitor or direct operations or solve onsite problems. Some engineers travel extensively to plants or worksites.

Many engineers work a standard 8 to 10 hour a day. At times, deadlines or design standards may bring extra pressure to a job, sometimes requiring engineers to work longer hours.

Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement

A bachelor’s degree in engineering is required for almost all entry-level engineering jobs.

Most engineering degrees are granted in Computer, Electrical, Electronics, Mechanical, civil engineering.

However, engineers trained in one branch may work in related branches. For example, many aerospace engineers have training in mechanical engineering. This flexibility allows employers to meet staffing needs in new technologies and specialties in which engineers may be in short supply. It also allows engineers to shift to fields with better employment prospects or to those that more closely match their interests.

Most Institutes offer 4-year degree programs in engineering technology. These programs, which usually include various hands-on laboratory classes that prepare students for practical design and production work, rather than for jobs that require more theoretical and scientific knowledge. 

Many engineers obtain post graduate degrees in engineering to learn new technology and broaden their education. Many high-level executives in government and industry began their careers as engineers.

About 1200 colleges and Deemed Universities in India offer bachelor’s degree programs in engineering that are recognized by AICTE (All India Council of Technical Education).

Although most institutions offer programs in the major branches of engineering, only a few offer programs in the smaller specialties. Also, programs of the same title may vary in content. For example, some programs emphasize industrial practices, preparing students for a job in industry, whereas others are more theoretical and are designed to prepare students for research work.

Admissions requirements for undergraduate engineering schools include a solid background in Mathematics (algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus) and science (Chemistry and Physics).

Bachelor’s degree programs in engineering typically are designed to last 4 years. In a typical 4-year college curriculum, the first year is spent studying mathematics, basic sciences, introductory engineering.

In the rest 3 years, most courses are in Engineering, usually with a concentration in one branch. For example, an aerospace program might include courses in fluid mechanics, heat transfer, applied aerodynamics, analytical mechanics, flight vehicle design, trajectory dynamics, and aerospace propulsion systems.

Some colleges and universities (all IITs) offer 5-year Integrated Master’s degree programs. Some 5-year plans combine classroom study and practical work, permitting students to gain valuable experience and to finance part of their education.

Engineers should be creative, inquisitive, analytical, and detail-oriented. They should be able to work as part of a team and to communicate well, both orally and in writing. Communication abilities are important because engineers often interact with specialists in a wide range of fields outside engineering.

Beginning engineering graduates usually work under the supervision of experienced engineers and in large companies, also may receive formal classroom or seminar-type training. As new engineers gain knowledge and experience, they are assigned more difficult projects with greater independence to develop designs, solve problems, and make decisions.

Engineers may advance to become technical specialists or to supervise a staff or team of engineers and technicians. Some may eventually become engineering managers or enter other managerial or sales jobs.

Engineering Colleges in Karnataka

Job Outlook

Overall engineering employment is expected to grow more than other occupations. Overall job opportunities in engineering are expected to be very good.

Job opportunities vary by specialty.

Competitive pressures and advancing technology will force companies to improve and update product designs and to optimize their manufacturing processes. Employers will rely on engineers to further increase productivity, as investment in plant and equipment increases to expand output of goods and services. New computer and communications systems have improved the design process, enabling engineers to produce and analyze various product designs much more rapidly than in the past and to collaborate on designs with other engineers throughout the world.

Despite these widespread applications, computer technology is not expected to limit employment opportunities. Finally, additional engineers will be needed to improve or build new roads, bridges, water and pollution control systems, and other public facilities.

Numerous job openings will be created by engineers who transfer to Software Companies , management, sales and other professional occupations.

Many engineers work on long-term research and development projects or in other activities.

It is important for engineers, like those working in other occupations, to continue their education throughout their careers because much of their value to their employer depends on their knowledge of the latest technology. Although the pace of technological change varies by engineering specialty and industry, advances in technology have significantly affected every engineering discipline. Engineers in high-technology areas, such as advanced electronics or information technology, may find that technical knowledge can become outdated rapidly. Even those who continue their education are vulnerable to layoffs if the particular technology or product in which they have specialized becomes obsolete, particularly in Software Industries.  By keeping current in their field, engineers are able to deliver the best solutions and greatest value to their employers. Engineers who have not kept current in their field may find themselves passed over for promotions or vulnerable to layoffs, should they occur. On the other hand, it often is these high-technology areas that offer the greatest challenges, the most interesting work, and the highest salaries. Therefore, the choice of engineering specialty and employer involves an assessment not only of the potential rewards but also of the risk of technological obsolescence.