how to become engineer

Right here on Collegelearners, you are privy to a litany of relevant information on how to become engineer in australia, how to become engineer manager, how to become engineer in railway, and so much more. Take out time to visit our catalog for more information on similar topics.

how to become engineer

CareerExplorer’s step-by-step guide on how to become an engineer.

In this article:
Step 1: Is being a engineer for me?
Step 2: High School
Step 3: Select a major and a school
Step 4: Bachelor’s Degree
Step 5: Internship / Practicum
Step 6: Licensure
Step 7: Graduate Degree (required for some roles)
See more
Step 1
Is becoming an engineer right for me?
The first step to choosing a career is to make sure you are actually willing to commit to pursuing the career. You don’t want to waste your time doing something you don’t want to do. If you’re new here, you should read about:

OVERVIEW
What do engineers do?
CAREER SATISFACTION
Are engineers happy with their careers?
PERSONALITY
What are engineers like?
Still unsure if becoming an engineer is the right career path? Take the free CareerExplorer career test to find out if this career is in your top matches. Perhaps you are well-suited to become an engineer or another similar career!

Described by our users as being “shockingly accurate”, you might discover careers you haven’t thought of before.

Step 2
High School
High school students who find that they have a knack for solving analytical problems and mathematical equations may be suited to an engineering role. Accelerated courses in the following subjects will help to lay a foundation for undergraduate studies:

Algebra
Pre-Calculus and Calculus
Trigonometry
Computer Science
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Language Arts
Foreign Language
In addition, talk to practising engineers and ask them several questions:

What led you to choose engineering as your career?
What do you like about your job? What do you dislike?
What kind of training do you have?
What is your day like from the time you get up in the morning until you go to bed at night?
What kinds of interests did you have as a child/teen?
Where did you go to college? Was it a good choice? Why?
If you could choose a career all over again, what would it be?
What advice do you have for me?
What classes or books or experiences do you recommend to me before I go off to college?
Are there other people in your field that you think I should talk to?
Step 3
Select a major and a school
According to the College Board, there are more than thirty college engineering majors, including the following:

Aeronautical/Aerospace
Agricultural
Architectural
Bioengineering
Chemical
Civil
Computer
Construction
Electrical
Environmental
Industrial
Manufacturing
Marine/Navel/Ocean
Materials
Mechanical
Metallurgical/Mining
Nuclear
The Board’s annual publication Book of Majors includes a section dedicated to the engineering field. It addresses what the engineering majors are, what the training teaches, and what the academic programs entail. The book also identifies colleges and universities in the U.S. that offer different engineering specialty programs, and at which levels: Associate’s, Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate.

Select a school that specializes in your chosen engineering sector. Select a program that is accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). ABET accreditation is based on criteria such as faculty, curricular content, facilities, and ongoing program improvement, and practical/industrial applications versus theoretical focus.

The College Board administers a group of standardized tests which assess college-level knowledge in thirty-six subject areas. The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) allows students to earn college credits by passing exams that test knowledge in various areas. Students can also use the website to find out which educational institutions accept CLEP.

Step 4
Bachelor’s Degree
At the undergraduate level, students receive a general overview of various engineering fields, with exposure to areas such as mechanical, electrical, and civil engineering. Once they select a specialty – typically, in their second or third year of undergraduate studies – they narrow their focus to design, laboratory, and computer classes specific to their chosen discipline. For example, a student majoring in electrical engineering may take course such as Electronics and Semiconductor Devices, while a chemical engineering student may take courses like Physical Chemistry and Fluid Mechanics.

Many engineering positions are available in developing countries. Prospective engineers who hope to work overseas should add an international component to their education. This is often comprised of a minor in a foreign language, international relations, or a related discipline. In addition, some colleges and universities offer study-abroad programs, which expose students to foreign environments and cultures.

Step 5
Internship / Practicum
Not only does an internship or practicum help students gain a further understanding of the subject matter, it can significantly improve their career prospects. Forbes Magazine reports that these work experiences turn into job offers sixty percent of the time. This can cut out all of the time and energy that would otherwise be spent searching for a job. And even if an internship or practicum does not result in an offer of employment, it provides invaluable experience and a step up on competing job candidates.

Major companies and institutions with engineering departments often have internship and/or practicum programs. The process of securing an internship or a practicum varies considerably from one company to the next, but it is often no different than securing a job. Engineering firms generally list these opportunities on their websites.

Aim for a paid internship whenever possible
Summer internships may be full-time positions
Some schools may offer credit for internships

A practicum can sometimes replace or take up a significant portion of the final year of undergraduate studies

A practicum can carry a competitive salary and provide a deeper, longer-term experience than an internship
Companies that do not offer internships or practicums may have work shadowing programs, which allow students to follow an engineer throughout their work day.

Step 6
Licensure
In the United States, engineers who offer their services directly to the public must be licensed. After completing an ABET-accredited undergraduate program, they are required to complete a two-part state licensure examination administered by the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE). Once they pass the first part of the test – the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) – they must gain at least four years of engineering experience through an internship or supervised training. Following that, they may sit for the second part of the test to become a Professional Engineer (PE).

Even if they are not mandated to hold a license by the nature of their work, most engineers – especially those interested in leadership and management roles – pursue licensure.

Step 7
Graduate Degree (required for some roles)
A master’s or Ph.D. is essential for individuals seeking core faculty positions or careers in research and development. Graduate level education may also be required for advancement in some specialties and/or with specific companies.

how to become engineer in railway

Railway engineering is concerned with designing, constructing, operating and maintaining railway transport systems and networks. Engineers from various disciplines such as civil, electrical, mechanical, electronics and instrumentation engineering collaborate and work in the railway sector. By understanding the different interdisciplinary roles of railway engineers, you can decide if an engineering career in this field suits you. In this article, we discuss how to become a railway engineer, explore their responsibilities and look at the career scope of this position.

How to become a railway engineer
You can become a railway engineer by following these steps:

  1. Pass 10+2
    It is essential to pass the 10+2 Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examination in the science stream from a recognised board. You can benefit from selecting physics, chemistry and mathematics or physics, chemistry and biology. Since the admissions to engineering colleges can be competitive, it may be beneficial to score more than the minimally required 45% aggregate marks.

Related: How To Get A Railway Job After 12 (With Benefits And Tips)

  1. Clear college entrance exams
    For admission to graduate and postgraduate programmes in various engineering colleges, it may be necessary to clear any of the following competitive college entrance examinations:

Joint Entrance Examination-Main (JEE Main)
Joint Entrance Examination-Advanced (JEE Advanced)
Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (MHT CET)
Birla Institute of Technology and Science Admission Test (BITSAT)
West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination (WBJEE)
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Aptitude Test (IISER Aptitude Test)
Manipal Entrance Test (MET)
Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE)

  1. Complete an engineering programme
    You can do a four-year bachelor’s degree or a two or three-year diploma in any engineering stream from a recognised college or university. Programmes that focus on the railway sector include a four-year bachelor of technology (B.Tech) in railway engineering and a two-year master of technology (M.Tech) in railway engineering. The M.Tech course requires a B.Tech or a B.E. degree and at least two years of railway engineering experience.

You can also do a one-year correspondence diploma in railway engineering with the Institution of Permanent Way Engineers. It is open to railway employees with an HSC in the science stream and B.E./B.Tech/diploma holders with two years of railway engineering experience. Additionally, you can do the following courses:

Diploma programmes by the Institute of Rail Transport
After getting a bachelor’s degree or a diploma in engineering, you may be eligible for the distance education diploma programmes that the Institute of Rail Transport offers. They are as below:

Rail transport and management: a one year course that covers the economics and management of railway transport
Multi-modal transport (containerisation) & logistics management: a one-year course that deals with transportation, cargo handling and logistics management
Transport economics & management: a one-year programme that covers transport economics and management
Port development & management: a two-year course with a focus on expanding and managing port infrastructure
Postgraduate diploma in metro rail technology
Designed by railway and metro experts, the course is open to engineering graduates. It covers the technologies, manufacturing processes, implementation and operational procedures used in metro and modern rail industries. You may wish to explore this option is you want to broaden your expertise.

  1. Appear for railway selection exams
    After you get an engineering qualification, you can appear for the following exams:

Railway recruitment board assistant loco pilot (RRB ALP) and technician exam
The railway recruitment board conducts the RRB ALP and technician exam to recruit assistant loco pilots and technicians between 18-28 years old for Indian Railways. The online exam frequency is vacancy-based. The first computer-based test is for one hour, and a second computer-based test is of two hours and 30 minutes. You can give the exam in English, Hindi, Marathi and various other regional languages. After clearing the second exam, you can appear for a computer-based aptitude test. Next, you can go for an interview and document verification, taking along all original documents that the RRB requires.

Related: What Is A Loco Pilot? A Complete Guide

Railway recruitment board senior section engineer & junior engineer (RRB SSE JE)
The railway recruitment board conducts the online and zone-wise RRB SSE JE exam to recruit qualified engineers for various senior section engineer and junior engineer positions with the civil engineering department of the Indian Railways. Only Indian citizens can appear for the exam, and the age limit is 20-34 years for RRB SSE and 18-25 for RRB JE. The RRB SSE and RRB JE exams comprise a first stage computer-based test, a second stage computer-based test, medical examination and document verification.

You can give the online examinations in English or Hindi. Each exam has 150 objective-type questions, with four options for each question. The five main topics the exam covers are general intelligence and reasoning, general awareness, reasoning, technical ability and general science. After passing the online exam, you may undergo a physical/medical test. It may be essential to have excellent eyesight to clear the test. The next step is an interview and document verification.

Related: How Much Does An RRB JE Make? Salaries, Perks And Benefits

Indian engineering services examination (IES/ESE)
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the IES/ESE exam once a year to select qualified civil, mechanical, electrical and electronics engineers for Class-1 officer designated positions. Candidates are in the 21-30 years age group, and the selection process consists of a preliminary exam with objective-type questions, a conventional main exam and an interview.

  1. Get a railway job assignment
    After the recruitment process, successful engineering candidates undergo training for a year. The railway recruitment board then assigns them to work in various zones in the technical cadre, Group A. Engineers from different engineering disciplines may have specific work duties related to the construction, logistics, operations and maintenance of Indian Railways.

Work responsibilities of railway engineers
Railway engineers may have the following work responsibilities:

planning, designing, constructing and maintaining railway tracks, bridges, tunnels, stations, signals and overhead wires
assessing railway construction materials, calculating soil capacity and analysing groundwater levels
estimating costs, material requirements, personnel and work completion dates and forecasting railway traffic
inspecting old railway infrastructure, preparing proposals for upgrading it and overseeing the work
implementing and operating automated systems to move freight and passenger trains in railway yards
undertaking the mechanical maintenance of trains and documenting the repairs undertaken in maintenance logs
tracking train schedules, implementing railroad regulations, ensuring safety measures and supervising the traffic control
halting or stopping trains in case of cyclones, heavy rains and other bad weather conditions
reporting to a manager or head of a railway unit or department
operating and monitoring the controls of locomotive trains, such as their battery power, air pressure and speed
Career scope for railway engineers
The career scope for railway engineers can be good as there are plenty of engineering opportunities in the railway sector. Selected candidates can work in the following services:

Civil engineers
Candidates with a civil engineering background can work in the following services:

Indian Railways service of engineers
Indian Railways stores service
central engineering service
Indian defence service of engineers
Indian ordnance factories service
central water engineering Grade A
central engineering service (roads)
assistant executive engineer (in Border Roads Engineering Service (BRES) Grade A)
Mechanical engineers
Candidates with a mechanical engineering background can work in the following services:

Indian Railways service of mechanical engineers
Indian Railways stores service
central water engineering Grade A service
central power engineering service
Indian ordnance factories service
Indian naval armament service
assistant executive engineer Grade A in corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME), Ministry of Defence
assistant naval store officer Grade-I in the Indian navy
central electrical & mechanical engineering posts
assistant executive engineer (in Border Roads Engineering Service (BRES) Grade A)
Indian supply service (Junior Time Scale (JTS) Group A)
central engineering services (roads) Grade A
Indian inspection service (assistant director Grade J)
Electrical engineers
Candidates with a background in electrical engineering can work in the following services:

Indian Railways service of electrical engineers
Indian Railways stores service
central electrical & mechanical engineering service
Indian naval armament service
Indian ordnance factories service
assistant executive engineering Grade A in corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME), Ministry of Defence
central power engineering service
Indian defence service of engineer
assistant naval store officer Grade-I (electrical engineering posts) in the Indian navy
Related: What Is Electrical Engineering? Definition And Opportunities

Electronics & telecommunication engineering
Candidates with a background in electronics & telecommunication engineering can work in the following services:

Indian Railways service of signal engineers
Indian Railways stores service (electronics & telecommunication engineering posts)
Indian naval armament services (electronics engineering posts)
assistant executive engineer Grade A (electronics & telecommunication engineering posts) in corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME), Ministry of Defence
central power engineering service Group A (electronics & telecommunication engineering posts)
engineer GCS Grade A in wireless planning and coordination (WPC) wing/monitoring organisation (MO) (Ministry of Communications and Information Technology)
assistant naval store officer Grade-I (electronics & telecommunication engineering posts)
Indian supply service (Junior Time Scale (JTS) Group A) (electronics and telecommunication posts)
Indian telecommunication service Group A
Junior telecom officer Grade B

Leave a Reply