There has never been a better time to train as an engineer. The impending "perfect storm" of food shortages, scarce water and energy resources will only be solved by engineers putting into practice the ideas developed by the scientists. And agricutural engineers will be in the forefront of implementing these developments.
Other reasons why you should consider a career in engineering include:
-
You will love your work. Almost invariably, those who choose a career in engineering would do so again if they had the choice.
-
You will be creative. Engineering is an ideal choice for independent thinkers and can be a great outlet for your imagination.
-
You will work with great people. Whilst an agricultural engineer will need the ability to work in isolation from others and often in remore areas, you will most likely also have the opportunity to work with other same, likeminded and inspiring people.
-
You will solve problems and design things that matter, probably coming up with ideas that no else has thought of.
-
You will never be bored. Creative problem solving with colleagues will stretch your talents in ways you never expected.
-
You will earn a decent salary. You will not only gain the respect of others but will also be paid well. Starting salaries recognise the importance of engineers.
-
You will enjoy job flexibility. There are many engineering sectors and as technology develops, the boundaries between these sectors have become blurred and are now seen as ever expanding horizons. A well trained engineer will have many baseline skills which can be applied across many sectors. Agricultural engineering in particular is a very broad based qualification with skills development in civil, mechanical, electrical, electronic, hydraulic, pneumatic, design etc.. Whilst we would hope that having chosen a career in engineering, you will stick with us, the reality is that with an engineering qualification, you will have a myriad of transferable skills such as:
-
numeracy
-
design skills
-
problem solving
-
project management skills
-
You will have opportunities to travel. Many engineers in our sector are in demand internationally, both in the developing and un-developed regions of the world. Indeed, many international companies recruit from the UK because of the quality of staff available.
-
You will undoubtedly make a difference. Look around and you will see the positive effects that engineering solutions have provided in your day to day life.
-
You will have the opprtunity to contribute to changing the world and making it a better place to live. Imagine what life would be like without pollution controls to preserve the environment, life-saving medical equipment, or low-cost building materials for fighting global poverty. All this takes engineering. In very real and concrete ways, engineers save lives, prevent disease, reduce poverty, and protect our planet.
We gratefully acknowledge the "Engineer Your Life" website for some of the above material.
