What I Do As a Chief Project Engineer, I am responsible for managing cost and schedule for a bunch of different engineering software and electrical programs for one engine manufacturer. Projects could include proposing future work, developing new applications, or fixing issues out in the field (on an airplane). Each day I work with different engineers, program managers, and operations to develop the next electrical controller on an airplane.
Why Engineering? There were 2 events growing up that solidified me becoming an engineer: 1. I went to an all girls engineering summer camp in 10th grade. There was a woman who retired from the military who told a story about how she got to tell men who thought they were smarter than her how they were wrong and show them why. She became my role model. 2. In High School, I convinced my dad to drive to a nearby town so I could see an airshow. I fell in love with all things airplanes. Immediately, I made a decision to become an engineer and work on planes.
Best Part Every day is different! I have traveled around the world to train technicians how to operate parts of the airplane or do hands-on work myself. Other days have been supporting testing, presenting to customers, or just knocking things off my to-do list.
Challenges I had the opportunity to rotate through 5 different roles in my company. Every 8 months, I moved to a new state to work on a new system as a new type of engineer. That is really scary! As long as we try, learn from our mistakes, and try again - we can overcome most challenges. Never be afraid of asking too many questions, and know there are no dumb questions (I know because I have asked them all).
Want to be an Engineer? You can go anywhere with an engineering degree: Interested in being a doctor - Biomedical Engineering is for you! Interested in make-up or perfume - Chemical Engineering is for you! Interested in building or playing on computers - Software or Electrical Engineering is for you! And on and on. Engineering teaches you how to think about problems differently. Don't worry about the math and science. If you like doing it, there will be plenty of opportunities. If you don't, there are other opportunities for you too!