About the Engineering field

In a world that is technologically driven, Engineering careers are among the most popular today. Engineering Careers are sought after not only because of the high pay packet but also because they give you an opportunity to contribute to a growing technological world. Engineering courses generally offer specialization in particular fields. With correct career guidance, you can choose the fields of your choice. The subjects you choose at this stage determine what type of trade you would follow. It is imperative that all prospective students should choose Mathematics and Science subjects at High School level in order to meet the pre-requisites or minimum requirements to study Engineering related courses at tertiary level.

Certain personal qualities like analytical abilities and out-of-the-box thinking with an eye for details will be an added advantage when you aim for an Engineering career. With technology touching different spheres of our lives today, it is important for an Engineer not to only have technical skills but also good communication skills. This is important when you interact with people related to non-technical fields.

Engineering Career Types

Engineering is a vast field and specialization is required to pursue an Engineering career. However, a number of Engineering institutions offer many different branches of specialization. The most popular Engineering courses are: Automotive Engineering, Computer Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Chemical Engineering to name a few.

The job description for Engineers would include many skill-sets. Engineers are generally involved in designing, developing, testing, manufacturing, producing, and maintain products. The safety of the functioning of various products also becomes the responsibility for Engineers. In keeping with the evolving technology advances, Engineers are expected to continually update their subject-knowledge and skills-sets.

Depending on the branch of Engineering, you may be either working in an office environment, laboratory or an industrial plant. Most of the time you are expected to put in 40-hour work week. The working hours can be longer in some circumstances to meet production targets. However, working under the constraints of a limited budget, meeting deadlines and coping with unexpected problems can get stressful.

Engineering or Artisans earn at minimum of R 15 000 a month at junior level and can earn from R 30 000 to as much as R 50 000 per month at a senior level. Most certainly there are good opportunities in this field. It is great to see more and more women entering the workforce as Engineers and Artisans. It’s not only males who can do physical and hard work. Females are embracing Engineering careers too these days.

ADVICE

It is imperative that all prospective students should choose Mathematics and Science subjects at High School level in order to meet the pre-requisites or minimum requirements to study engineering related courses at tertiary level.