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Can I be an engineer and still dress conservatively?

I'm passionate about maths, physics, and problem-solving and want to be an engineer (I like mechanical and electrical right now), but I worry that the way I dress will limit my opportunities. I dress conservatively, remaining covered and not showing the form. I don’t want to work at a desk all the time, but is loose, flowing clothing permitted on jobsites or around moving machinery? Are there workarounds for someone like me?

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  • Jeremiah Marcos

    Added Saturday, August 11, 2018 at 3:46 AM

    I have a general idea of what a civil engineer does. Before you majored in civil engineering, did you know a lot about what they do?
    Answers 3
    Julia Lopez, Turner Construction
    Answered Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at 8:43 AM
    I had no idea what civil engineering was. I went to college as an engineer but hadn't declared which engineering major I wanted to do. I kind of just ended up falling into the major and I love it. There are SO many amazing career paths you can go down in ...
    Yamini Grover, Fugro
    Answered Tuesday, April 30, 2024 at 3:36 PM
    Hi Jeremiah! I had no clue what civil engineering was up until secondary school. It was when I had to finally decide what majors to choose for my bachelor's degree that I googled about all options I had. I just knew that in civil engineering courses, I ...
    Kara Kockelman, University of Texas at Austin
    Answered Wednesday, August 15, 2018 at 12:35 PM
    Fabulous question! Honestly, I had almost no idea what civil engineers do when I was in high school. I simply found math and physics not as ambiguous, open-ended and subjective (and thus difficult, for me) as writing essays, and not as memory-intensive ...
  • Ajay asked Andrea Gonzalez, Collins Aerospace

    Added Friday, October 30, 2020 at 7:13 AM

    I am a 3rd year engineering student studying in Instrumentation department ... I honestly feel like I don't know anything and this is affecting my day to day life.... I am worried if I will get a job since I feel I don't know anything. Is this normal or should I be worried?

    Answers 1
    Andrea Gonzalez, Collins Aerospace
    Answered Thursday, December 10, 2020 at 10:36 AM
    Hi Ajay! First of all I do not believe you do not know anything. Engineering can be a really broad career, and in school they throw at you as much information as they can. What you need to understand is that school is giving you a taste of all the ...
  • Hamna asked Janelle Leafblad, WoodWorks - Wood Products Council

    Added Wednesday, August 26, 2020 at 4:11 AM

    What is the life and role of architectural engineer in green building? How much and what impact do they have? I am asking because I am looking for engineering careers that help the planet. I am currently an A level student trying to decide whether to study Architecture or Architectural Engineering.

    Answers 1
    Janelle Leafblad, WoodWorks - Wood Products Council
    Answered Friday, October 30, 2020 at 4:37 PM
    That's such a great question, Hamna! We need every designer (architect, structural engineer, contractor, etc.) doing their part towards responsible, sustainable design. I've really seen this change over my career: sustainability was a "nice to have" ...
  • R Z asked Diya Dwarakanath, Self-employed

    Added Monday, May 11, 2020 at 8:56 PM

    Hi! Throughout college, I thought I wanted to go into medicine or some allied health field. Then I got to my senior year and realized I didn't want to do that (or so I thought, perhaps it was just senioritis). I had never even considered engineering before or during college. Fast forward to two years after graduating with my bio pre-med degree and engineering has been something I have gotten really interested in. Except, I don't know where to start... I have always loved math and often said ...

    Answers 1
    Diya Dwarakanath, Self-employed
    Answered Thursday, July 9, 2020 at 6:37 PM
    Hello!
    Apologies for the delay. I didn’t see this. 
    Great question and it’s okay if you’re changing your mind now. All engineering fields fit what you’d like to do. Given your Bio degree and if you have an interest in medicine or helping people through ...
  • Alyssa

    Added Sunday, January 27, 2019 at 4:43 PM

    Hello, I am a sophomore college student in need of advice. I originally decided to be a civil engineering major in my first year of school because I thought the jobs were interesting. However, my professor recommended that I look into industrial engineering because it suits my personality and my skill set better. I have been comparing civil jobs vs. industrial jobs. What I have gathered is that there is (currently) a better job outlook and slightly higher pay for civil engineers. In ...

    Answers 1
    Jessye Talley, Morgan State University
    Answered Wednesday, February 27, 2019 at 10:35 AM
    Hello Alyssa,
    
    I am an Industrial Engineering professor. Industrial Engineering is a very diverse field and I believe the job outlook is great. We do everything from cost estimation, human factors, operations research, manufacturing, process improvement  ...
  • Mariela Romero Vasquez

    Added Thursday, October 4, 2018 at 2:45 AM

    Answers 1
    Taneka Lawson, United States Postal Service
    Answered Thursday, October 25, 2018 at 8:08 AM
    Communication might be a challenge for an Engineer. You may be tasked with providing technical information to different audiences. The key is to know your audience and have an understanding of what they are trying to gain from your interaction.
  • Derek

    Added Wednesday, September 19, 2018 at 7:18 PM

    due to mechanical engineering being competitive i will not be able to get into the department for undergrad. when i say i'm more interested in the mechanical field i mean like designing a part or product, as opposed to what an industrial engineer usually does.
    Answers 1
    Kate Fay, Verizon
    Answered Monday, September 24, 2018 at 4:54 PM
    Hi Derek,
    
    Thankfully Industrial and Mechanical Engineering share a lot of similar classes. I was a mechanical engineer but actually took a few industrial  courses. I would ask your adviser if you can take some mechanical engineering courses as electives ...
  • Destiny

    Added Friday, September 14, 2018 at 1:32 AM

    Does anyone have young children while pursuing a degree in engineering? Is it challenging, do you have time for your kids. What is the normal schedule of a chemical or Industrial engineer?
    Answers 1
    Sarah Foster, STEM Like a Girl
    Answered Monday, September 24, 2018 at 12:16 PM
    Hi Destiny,
    
    While I didn't have my kids when I was in school for engineering, I do have two children now so I'll try to answer your question as best I can. 
    
     Having kids makes life in general more challenging!  You are constantly trying to manage their ...
  • Rachel Foy asked Jamie Steinberger, DENSO International America, Inc.

    Added Sunday, August 12, 2018 at 4:37 PM

    I am an upcoming sophomore in college currently pursuing a mechanical engineering degree. I am starting to think that industrial engineering may fit my interests more, though. Unfortunately, the college I attend does not have an industrial engineering degree. I am contemplating transferring, but I am reluctant to leave the school I love. Is it possible to work in an industrial engineering position as a mechanical engineer? Or should I try to transfer or get my Masters in industrial engineering ...
    Answers 1
    Jamie Steinberger, DENSO International America, Inc.
    Answered Monday, August 13, 2018 at 4:11 PM
    Hi Rachel,
    
    Great question! I, myself, have an ME degree, also from a university that doesn’t explicitly have an IE major. I think you have tons of options and bottom line: you do not need to transfer. 
    
    The amazing thing about an ME degree is the ...
  • Caroline Marshall

    Added Thursday, June 21, 2018 at 6:07 PM

    I'm a high school student. I love math, and engineering has always sounded like a good career path for me. However, I don't want to live my life stressed out and busy ALL the time. Will this be typical if I go into an engineering field? I'm prepared to do a lot of work, but I do not want to be overwhelmed. How complicated is the work that goes into being an engineer, on a scale from 1-10?
    Answers 1
    Michele Miller, Campbell University
    Answered Tuesday, June 26, 2018 at 11:05 AM
    Caroline,
    
    That's a great question.  There isn't really one answer to it.  I also loved math as a high school student.  That is a big help in engineering school. Engineering classes are demanding (maybe complicated at times), and you will learn a lot.  ...
  • Hannah

    Added Monday, April 30, 2018 at 8:24 PM

    Hi, I’m thinking about majoring in industrial engineering in college. The field really interests me and I think I could have the skills to do well in this type of job. I’ve been looking at typical college coursework for the major and seeing many advanced calculus and physics courses (among other challenging subjects). I’m good at math and physics and I know with some hard work I’ll be able to handle it in college. I was just wondering how often you really use intense calculus and mechanics on ...
    Answers 1
    Yamile Jackson, Nurtured by Design
    Answered Sunday, May 13, 2018 at 12:44 PM
    Hi, Hannah,
    
    I am happy to know that you are considering industrial engineering as a career path.
    
    Industrial is probably the most versatile so you can go either way.  Choose intense calculus and mechanics or not, however, if you are looking for ...
  • NORA

    Added Friday, February 9, 2018 at 1:53 PM

    Answers 1
    Kristin Malosh, North Star BlueScope Steel
    Answered Sunday, March 4, 2018 at 9:50 PM
    Hi Nora,
    That's a lofty goal- to become a CEO! That isn't the job title that one gets fresh out of college. It takes hard work and time to develop the skillset and business knowledge required to be a Chief Executive Officer. Certainly a faster path is ...
  • s a
    Answered Friday, December 22, 2017 at 2:33 PM
    Hi Katie,
    I am not aware of any portals for Mechanical engineers as I do not belong to that stream of work. However I would recommend posting job descriptions on websites like LinkedIn and Indeed as many people search through those sites. 
    Good ...
  • Sharon Kenny, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
    Answered Friday, November 3, 2017 at 12:59 PM
    Congratulations on the completion of your B.S. in Industrial Engineering!  A graduate degree in environmental engineering will require knowledge in a particular set of fields that you may have not been exposed to while a student in industrial ...
  • Samantha Patrick

    Added Tuesday, June 6, 2017 at 9:29 PM

    Hello, my name is Samantha Patrick from Thornburg Middle School, and currently are working on researching a career project. I am focusing my project on engineering, and I have a few questions that if you could please take your time to answer. Thanks, Sam. What classes in college helped you with your career? What do you find most enjoyable about engineering? Is there anything that specifically made you want to become an engineer? Where are you hoping to get to, with your career choice? Is ...
    Answers 1
    Katelyn Lichte, Corteva Agriscience
    Answered Friday, July 28, 2017 at 11:11 AM
    (Post 1/2)
    
    Hello Sam,
    
    I'd be happy to answer your questions.  First of all, I'm a mechanical engineering major now working at a seed (think corn/soybeans) production facility.
    
    There weren't any specific classes that helped me with my career but ...
  • Emma

    Added Tuesday, July 18, 2017 at 8:09 AM

    Does everyone who chooses engineering already have a fair amount of engineering skills?
    Answers 1
    Katelyn Lichte, Corteva Agriscience
    Answered Friday, July 28, 2017 at 8:15 AM
    Hello Emma,
    
    Your question is very honest and one that I had asked myself before attending engineering school.  The answer is absolutely, you'll be okay.  I went into college with having absolutely zero engineering skills outside of the two advanced ...
  • Belen

    Added Wednesday, June 21, 2017 at 8:43 PM

    Hi! I would like to know if you can help me... Im studying industrial engineering. I like it but I also find very interesting programming languages. I have been thinking about a career change. Maybe I can be a Software Engineer but I'm not sure if i want to leave behind industrial engineer ( I'm in my third year!)... Can I be an industrial engineer and, also, work in IT sector? Thanks! (Sorry for my english, I'm from Argentina :) )
    Answers 1
    Jessye Talley, Morgan State University
    Answered Wednesday, July 5, 2017 at 5:47 PM
    Hello Belen,
    
    You definitely can use programming in Industrial Engineering. We have a specific concentration that focuses specifically on that called Operations Research. Operations Research actually uses programming to come up with tools to solve ...
  • Emily

    Added Wednesday, April 5, 2017 at 12:22 PM

    I love math and physics and can see myself in engineering in the future. I have however not done well in physics 2 twice (I completely blame myself for not trying hard enough and feel like I have ruined my future because of poor choices). My college only allows two attempts for this class so my advisor told me to start looking into new majors. I can't see myself doing anything else. I've been so passionate about engineering ever since I got into it and don't think there's another major that ...
    Answers 1
    Elizabeth Schlegel, KSN Inc.
    Answered Tuesday, June 13, 2017 at 12:40 PM
    Not all fields of engineering require electromagnetic physics skills to succeed!  Find out whether you can stay in engineering if you pass this course at a community college.  If not, are you willing to attend a different school?  I did not do well in ...
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