• Question: would you recommend engineering to other people as a line of work?

    Asked by cfgsgirls64 to Alex, Chris, Harriet, Jed, Ken on 13 Mar 2012.
    • Photo: Alexander Zacheshigriva

      Alexander Zacheshigriva answered on 12 Mar 2012:


      Oh, yes, definitely. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think so. However there is no one job that is perfect for everyone. And I know a lot of people who either would not be very good at engineering or would not enjoy it.

      The good thing about engineering is that there is a wide range of things you can do as an engineer. Just to give a few examples: you can design products, you can supervise large constructions and manage large teams of people, you can create complicated computer models, you can be a well engineer and work offshore, you can be a business improvement consultant and work with different companies to help them become more efficient, you can be teaching at different levels.

      It may all sound too good to be true. The catch is that you have to work hard to get any of these jobs (just like in any other field) and you have to be flexible (go where the job takes you). And the job that you really like may not give you the salary that you aim for. These are things to consider.

    • Photo: Jed Ramsay

      Jed Ramsay answered on 12 Mar 2012:


      The other good thing about engineering is that you can also do it all around the world.

      I’ve just got back from 3 months in Costa Rica and Nicaragua where I was designed a water supply system which has been built in a rainforest. Now I’m back to the day-job and working on rivers in Oxford which is also good work, just not quite as exciting. I hope one day to get back out and do some more international work as I think you can make more of a difference working like that.

      As a recommendation then, yes, I’d say defininitely – there’s so many things can keep you interested and also it never seems to get boring as the problems you have to solve are always different.

    • Photo: Ken Gibbs

      Ken Gibbs answered on 12 Mar 2012:


      @cfgsgirls64: I would recommend engineering which is why I am taking part in this event, and I wholly support what Alex is saying. I want lots of others to enjoy a career as interesting as the one I have enjoyed. Engineering has such a wide range of things you can do unlike – for instance – being a chartered accountant or an administrator where the routines are much the same every day.

      I’ve been doubly fortunate because I have been able to travel to loads of different places and meet loads of different people, and learn so much about the world that school never taught me, all to do the engineering which I know will improve people’s lives.

    • Photo: Harriet Fletcher

      Harriet Fletcher answered on 13 Mar 2012:


      Yes. If you’re interested then it’s great.

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