how did you get into engineering?

Question: how did you get into engineering?
- Keywords:
  career
Asked by Kameron to Adam, Eloise, Iona, Jarrod, Yip on 11 Jun 2016. This question was also asked by Stacey, 454kgrf46.
- Adam Drake answered on 11 Jun 2016:
  
  I applied to go to university and went from there. It’s important to pick a good university with links to local employers. Having a degree isn’t enough anymore, you need work experience too.
- Man Hang Yip answered on 12 Jun 2016:
  
  I am taking your question as how did I choose to get into engineering. If your question is how to apply to study engineering, then my answer is pretty much the same as Adam’s.
  Here my story of how did I choose to get into engineering.
  When I was 15, in Hong Kong, where I grew up, I needed to choose between taking Physics, Chemistry and Biology versus History, Chinese Literature, English Literature. (Mathematics is a compulsory subject).
  I asked around to find out more about different disciplines. At that time, I like fixing things at home, I like planning and measuring how well I did against the plan, I like laying out things in a certain things to make it more efficient to do things. For example, where to put the different bowls, spoons and ingredients to make baking a cake easier. How to laid out school uniforms, which route to take to walk to school, to make getting ready and going to school more efficient. Someone studying in university (studying literature) reckons I might like engineering. So, I borrowed a book from the library. The book describes different disciplines within engineering and I realised I would enjoy to be an industrial engineer or manufacturing system engineer. That’s how I get into engineering.
- Jarrod Hart answered on 12 Jun 2016:
  
  I had no idea what an engineer was when I was at school – I was good at maths and science and wanted to be a scientist.
  When it came to deciding a degree, I discovered there was a job where you could do science – but be well paid, travel the world and also solve important problems – it was a revelation, and I never looked back!
- Iona Strawson answered on 12 Jun 2016:
  
  I chose my A-levels based on subjects I liked. I knew I wanted to go to university but I didn’t know what I wanted to study. If my memory serves my school wasn’t big on careers advice! I did a questionnaire that told me I should be a Royal Marines Commando – wrong for so many reasons, not least because they don’t let women in! It was actually my Dad that suggested it, and as soon as I looked at Mechanical Engineering I knew this was what I wanted to do. It links you to so many potential careers, and industries.
  
  So then I went to uni, and did a placement year with the company I now work for. Having work experience helps you stand out as well as putting you in touch with potential employers.
  
  University isn’t the only way in to engineering though. Apprenticeships are a great way to get experience whilst learning about engineering.

Question: how did you get into engineering?

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