EngineerGirl

Hi, you said in your interview that you help in the replacement of bridges. Have you ever gotten to construct one? If the answer is yes, can I ask you more questions about it?

posted by Deirdre from Round Rock on February 18, 2013

my dad was a civil engineer. Because of that, I really love civil eng. However, I am really interested in biomedical engineering. I want to go in that career, but I am little afraid because of my english. I am really good at math and physics. I do love science but because of English sometimes I have a really hard time with those subjects. I was wonder if is there any engineer job which dont have to require a lot of communication and writting.

posted by ly from on March 28, 2012

by

Colista Freeman

Ly, There are so many career options in engineering. The more technical options, such as design, may require less writing than other areas, but verbal and written communication is still important. There are many wonderful, smart, and successful engineers who are continuing to improve their English skills. In my experience, engineers are a very diverse group of individuals, and I have worked well with people for whom English is a second (or third) language. I would urge you not to limit yourself because you arenn?????????????????????????????????????????????t yet confident in communication and writing! There are plenty of people who will be willing to help you (in college and your career) with English, while you can help them with math and physics (and I have experienced this myself). Personally, I think the diversity of the people in engineering is one of the benefits of the field! Colista

What should I wear? I am going to a engineering firm where they do surveying and drafting (civil). I am 16 and will be job shadowing for four hours what should I wear?

posted by Jessica from Calhoun GA on March 29, 2012

by

Colista Freeman

A nice pair of slacks and a blouse is always a safe choice for visiting an engineering firm (often referred to as business casual). Dont wear anything too snug or too revealing. Open-toed shoes or dressy sandals are fine - but NO FLIP-FLOPS! Also, make sure your clothes arent wrinkled. Remember - you might want to get an internship there in a few years, so youll want to make a good first-impression. Colista

I'm currently an environmental civil engineering student and I find myself struggling with my core classes such as Physics. Does this mean I may be in the wrong career path? Or are there other careers that I could pursue with this degree?

posted by Rebecca from Milwaukee on March 30, 2012

by

Colista Freeman

You are not the only person in engineering who has struggled with core classes! Each student has trouble understanding material from time-to-time ????????? I certainly did. Before changing your career path, try meeting with your professor, getting a tutor, or studying with others in your class. Also, sometimes taking the class under a different professor can help ????????? it might just be a matter of finding a teaching style that meshes with your learning style. The core classes you are taking now do not necessarily define what you will do as an engineer in the ?????????real world.????????? They give you basic knowledge that you can build upon with future engineering classes, and they help develop the critical problem-solving skills you?????????ll need as an engineer. I would suggest that you look into engineering internships, which will give you a good idea of what working in that field is like. That will really help you decide if it?????????s the right career path for you. Colista

by

Karen Strauss

Hello Rebecca, Have no fear! I think a lot of us struggled in Physics courses. I also worried that because I didn’t “get” all of my core classes such as Physics or Statics that I might be in the wrong profession. I had to fight very hard to earn my “c” in statics and wondered if this meant I should have majored in English. However, I found that other engineering classes that weren’t so physics-based definitely piqued my interest and made me feel more secure that I had chosen a good profession. I enjoyed highways and traffic classes, and I also enjoyed some of my environmental coursework where I learned about anaerobic sludge digestion. These were the same classes that the A-students in Physics didn’t do so well in! I think everyone is balanced differently. I am really glad I got my degree in civil engineering, by the way. I’ve worked in several different genres because the degree is so versatile. I’ve worked for transportation firms designing roadways and culverts. I’ve worked for land development firms designing subdivision layouts where I graded the lots for the houses and designed the water, stormwater and sewer systems. I’ve worked for an environmental firm where I did noise pollution studies and site assessments. And now I work for the Idaho Transportation Department where I’m their pavement management engineer. I had all of these opportunities because I got this degree and it gives me so many choices. Go to your physics professor and admit you’re struggling, and see if you can get some help from him/her during office hours. A good tutor or learning lab on campus never hurt, either. Study hard and I’m sure you’ll do well. And I personally thought this degree was very well worth it. Warm regards from another engineer that struggled mightily in Physics, Karen

Engineer Girl

Colista Freeman FAQ