Top 20 Alternative Careers For Mechanical Engineers — Mechanical engineering is one of the largest and oldest fields in engineering. It is an interesting discipline with numerous growth opportunities. The field is complex, demanding, and yet rewarding. Mechanical engineers can work in different sectors ranging from airlines to even healthcare facilities.
Meanwhile, Mechanical engineering is incredibly broad and has several sub-sectors. The field has several alternative job opportunities that graduates of mechanical engineering do not even have to work as mechanical engineers. In this article, we have compiled 20 Alternative careers for mechanical engineers. Read on.
Top 20 Alternative Careers For Mechanical Engineers
With a degree in Mechanical engineering, you can select a career from different career paths. Below are several alternatives to choose from.
- Project Management
- Technical Writing
- Lecturing
- Aerospace Industry
- Construction Industry
- Supply Chain Management
- Product design engineer
- Chemical Industry
- Application Engineer
- Operations Management
- Manufacturing Engineer
- Logistics
- Research and development engineer
- Technical Consulting
- Product development engineer
- Technical sales
- Marine engineer
- Technical Consulting
- Land-based engineer
- Materials engineers
1. Project Management
Project Management involves the use of skills, knowledge, and experience to lead a team toward the actualization of a project goal. It deals with designing clear layouts, planning strategies, developing, identifying possible risks, and testing projects to ensure all its predefined objectives are met.
Project managers are required to have excellent communication skills because they perform a lot of interaction with teams, departments, etc. And by taking a three-month project management course and using their interpersonal skills, mechanical engineers can perform excellently in this leadership position.
2. Technical Writing
Technical writing is a form of writing that informs the documentation of processes, instructions, and directions about a specific project. Technical writers, especially people with technological or engineering knowledge are in high demand.
Technical Writing is an alternative that mechanical engineers can consider. Using their engineering knowledge and skills, mechanical engineers are going to make excellent technical writers. Mechanical engineers can easily come up with well-researched and detailed technical articles on different subjects related to engineering.
3. Lecturing
If you do not wish to practice mechanical engineering, you can decide to acquire your graduate degree in mechanical engineering and pursue a career in Academics. Teaching is a humble yet rewarding career alternative for mechanical engineers. You can train mechanical engineering students in Universities and colleges.
4. Aerospace Industry
As mentioned earlier, mechanical engineering is a broad field. Mechanical engineers receive extensive knowledge and skills that are applicable in other fields aside from engineering. One of these fields is the Aerospace industry.
Provided they have the required skills and knowledge, Mechanical engineers can work in the Aerospace industry. Their role includes the designing, production, and testing of aircraft. They also partake in projects like flight tests, mission systems, designing spacecraft structures, testing spacecraft structures, etc.
5. Construction Industry
The Construction industry is among the many fields mechanical engineers can pursue. They help design, test, and maintain mechanical tools. Mechanical engineers also inspect and repair machine tools and ensure the tools are working safely.
Aside from that, mechanical engineers can work alongside civil engineers in the construction industry to supervise and ensure construction is carried out smoothly. In the construction industry, mechanical engineers with technical skills can take roles such as;
- Construction supervisor /inspector
- Material management
- Planning department
- Sales and marketing team, etc.
There are several alternative careers for mechanical engineers in the construction industry.
6. Supply Chain Management
Supply Chain Management requires the services of mechanical engineers during production to ensure the proper and swift execution of projects. In this role, mechanical engineers are expected to supervise manufacturing processes, deal with raw materials, and optimize the distribution chain. To venture into this career path as a mechanical engineer, you are expected to have excellent communication skills to execute the job excellently.
Aside from that, mechanical engineers employ their technical and analytical skills to suggest new possibilities that will generate more revenues for the business. Supply Chain Management is an excellent career alternative for mechanical engineers.
7. Product design engineer
Mechanical engineers can pursue careers as product design engineers. In this role, mechanical engineers are to integrate their knowledge of engineering with design to research and develop marketable and irresistible products.
8. Chemical Industry
Mechanical engineers can work alongside professionals during chemical processes in the Chemical industry. In this role, mechanical engineers partake in the planning, designing, and developing of mechanical tools used during chemical activities in the industry. They also test and supervise the mechanical equipment to ensure they are working properly. The chemical industry is another rewarding field mechanical engineers can venture into.
9. Application Engineer
Mechanical engineers can decide to work as application engineers. In this role, mechanical engineers are to work with customers’ reviews and technical needs to ensure that products are designed to meet their specific requirements. Other roles of application engineers include the designing, developing, and testing of software.
10. Operations Management
Operations Management involves supervising the entire process of converting raw materials into products. Operations Management entails developing and managing products. Mechanical engineers already have experience in the designing, operation, and execution of products and thus can perform the role of operations management excellently.
11. Manufacturing Engineer
Manufacturing engineers make research on better manufacturing processes that enables the production of high-quality and marketable products. They also design and manage the operation systems used during production processes. Manufacturing Engineering is an excellent alternative for mechanical engineers.
12. Logistics
Logistics involves the coordinating and movement of resources, products, equipment, Machinery, etc from one location to another destination. Logistics also deals with shipping, tracking orders, processing orders, etc. In logistics, Mechanical engineers help in the maintenance of vehicles and the installation of new logistics innovations.
13. Research and development engineer
Research and development engineers perform research, design, develop, and test products. Aside from developing new products, Research and development engineers also help in redesigning existing company products. Mechanical engineers can employ their skills and knowledge to design highly-competitive products. Research and development engineering is a rewarding career path with several growth opportunities, this is a good career alternative for mechanical engineers.
14. Technical Consulting
Technical Consulting is the process of providing organizations with solutions to business issues. Technical consultants use statistics, technical knowledge, and data analysis to recommend unique and effective solutions to business problems. Mechanical engineers can pursue careers as technical consultants. They use their technical skills and knowledge to provide solutions to issues surrounding businesses.
15. Product development engineer
Product development engineers perform the role of designing, managing, and testing product development. It entails the transformation of products from mere designs to actual products. Mechanical engineers can use their technical skills to design, develop, and manage products for businesses or organizations.
16. Technical sales
Another career that mechanical engineers should consider venturing into is Technical sales. As Technical sales representatives, your role includes the researching, innovation, and pitching of business ideas to organizations or investors.
Using their engineering knowledge, mechanical engineers can perform excellently as technical sales representatives. Compared to others, mechanical engineers in the technical sales field have an edge.
17. Marine engineer
Mechanical engineers can work as marine engineers. This is a good alternative where mechanical engineers employ their technical knowledge in the designing and managing of equipment such as submarines, ships, etc. They also supervise systems and ensure they are working effectively.
18. Technical Consulting
Technical Consulting deals with providing organizations with IT solutions to help them operate swiftly. They also help in creating solutions for possible future threats that organizations might face. Mechanical engineers in the technical consulting industry integrate their technical skills with data analysis to provide efficient solutions for organizations.
19. Land-based engineer
Mechanical engineers can work as Land-based engineers. Their role includes the designing and developing of machinery for different industries including forestry, health, agriculture, etc. Aside from developing this Machinery, land-based engineers also help in supervising the Machinery. Mechanical engineers employ their technological knowledge and skills toward the development of efficient equipment.
20. Materials engineer
Mechanical engineers can pursue careers in the Materials engineering field. Their role includes the research and observation of different materials to improvise and develop new options. Materials engineers’ main function is the production of improved versions of products. They usually use materials like metals, ceramics, and plastics during production.
Conclusion
Mechanical engineering is among the broadest fields in engineering. The knowledge, skills, and training gotten from the field can be applied in various sectors, thus mechanical engineers can work in different fields. Above are the top alternative careers for mechanical engineers who want to venture into different career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, mechanical engineers are in demand. It is a broad field and there are numerous job opportunities for mechanical engineers.
- Senior mechanical engineers
- Automation engineers
- Senior design engineers
- Instrumentation engineers
- Power train engineers
- Research and development engineers
Here are other aspects of engineering aside from mechanical engineering;
- Chemical engineering
- Civil engineering
- Electrical engineering
- Computer engineering
- Software engineering
- Aerospace engineering
- Industrial engineering
- Manufacturing engineering
- Thermal engineering
- Architectural engineering
- Biochemical engineering
- Agricultural engineering, etc.
References
https://scholarshipshall.com/best-alternative-careers-for-mechanical-engineers/
https://studyabroadnations.com/alternative-careers-for-mechanical-engineers/
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/mechanical-engineers-similar-professions
https://resumeworded.com/career-profiles/mechanical-engineer-career-profile
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