Engineering profiles: what is an engineer?

Engineering is a field with a lot of growth nowadays. Many young people decide on studies related to it and its benefits to society, but do we know what an engineer is?

An engineer is…

An engineer is someone who develops solutions for different technical problems that require a certain level of knowledge on the matter in question, using mathematics and scientific knowledge. This is a very generic definition because the rest of the details depend on the area of activity.

However, it is one of the fastest developing professions in recent times and one of the most in demand profiles in the current job market. In addition, engineering has been a fundamental pillar in achieving the advances that we have today. We are not only talking about advances in terms of construction, which may be what first comes to mind when talking about engineering, but also advances in the field of computing, chemistry and electricity.

Apart from the technical knowledge of each of the branches of engineering, an engineer profile must have some general skills, such as:

Analysis capacity

An analytical character will help us in many aspects, above all, in the prevention of future problems or in the search for more efficient solutions. These are very important aspects because by trying to provide a solution to a problem, we can create another. To give a simple example of planning a new stretch of bike lane, we can make the mistake of planning it in unsuitable areas where there is insufficient space because there are already bus stops or lampposts occupying it.

Be multidisciplinary

It is clear that we cannot be experts in everything, but we can have knowledge of other fields beyond ours. A profile that is capable of seeing further will allow us to know, for example, the path to follow or if it is better to contact one type of professional or another because they already know what our needs may be. Being able to open our area of action allows us to add value to our work.

Teamwork

Teamwork may be a common skill for all types of profiles and one of the most important today. Being able to work with other points of view, share projects and learn from others is a capacity that allows us to grow as professionals. If we close our field, we will be left behind in a world that moves faster every day.

Proactivity

Proactivity does not mean taking the lead just for the sake of it, it means always trying to be one step ahead of our needs in order to create solutions to the complications that arise and improvements to what we already have. In short, someone proactive is someone with initiative.

How many branches does engineering have?

There are many types of engineering, for example, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, biomedical engineering or materials engineering.

In addition to those that we have just mentioned, we have others such as computer engineering that is dedicated to the design and implementation of software and firmware as well as hardware components, that is, both programs and physical components of our computers.

On the other hand we have electrical engineering which, as its name suggests, deals with issues related to electricity. We find this type of profile for example, in electrical substations, that is, in enclosures that make it possible for electricity to reach our homes safely.

And we can also find engineering fields such as industrial design and product development that combine knowledge from other areas of engineering in order to open up new avenues and cover new needs that arise, such as the figure of the industrial design consultant or the production manager.

As we have seen, engineering profiles hold an important weight in the development of the advances that we experience daily. They are highly prepared profiles who are capable of developing effective solutions to specific problems or needs. Therefore, if we are looking for an engineer profile, we need to consider what we are developing as this will inform which type of engineering profile we should be seeking.