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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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  • Ivan Reyes asked Shima Hajimirza, Stevens Institute of Technology

    Added Tuesday, December 15, 2020 at 11:22 PM

    Is an engineering degree still valuable to employers if the college is regionally accredited but not ABET accredited? I recently applied to school called ECPI university. I want to pursue a bachelor's degree in mechatronics at this school but they are not ABET accredited

    Answers 1
    Answered Friday, April 11, 2025 at 2:34 PM

    Response provided by the ABET Senior Director of Communications

    Thank you for your thoughtful question.

    ABET plays a critical role in providing quality assurance for programs in engineering, as well as in applied and natural science, computing, and ...

  • Nathan

    Added Friday, November 29, 2024 at 1:51 PM

    Answers 1
    Donna Hull, Verizon
    Answered Friday, December 6, 2024 at 7:03 PM
    Choosing the Military will take just as much energy and research as choosing a college. There a many avenues which can lead to you being an engineer in some capacity in the military.  
    
    I encourage you to just not go on the answer I provide here but ...
  • Trenedy Brown-Player

    Added Friday, June 9, 2023 at 8:44 AM

    I'm 21 years old and currently working as a part-time cashier. I have struggled to get back into school due to financial issues and owning tuition for college. I have tried everything and nothing has worked out and I really want to pursue this career.

    Answers 2
    Julia Lopez, Turner Construction
    Answered Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at 9:12 AM
    What aspect of civil engineering interests you? I went the typical route of getting a civil engineering degree and now work in construction management. However, I know quite a few people in the industry that had very different routes. If you like the ...
    Alicia Bailey, Sain Associates
    Answered Tuesday, July 18, 2023 at 11:03 AM

    A couple of thoughts on this. In the public sector (state agencies, utility companies, municipalities), there would be plenty of options for non-civil engineering related jobs. Anything you could learn about how public agencies work and function will ...

  • Added Monday, February 26, 2024 at 3:24 PM

    FeatureQuestion.jpg

    There are many colleges that I can go to to get a degree in engineering and I was wondering, does it matter whether I go to a huge, world-renowned college or a smaller and lesser-known college? Will it make a big impact on my career? What should I look for when deciding between the different types of colleges?

    Answers 16
    Tina Swangphol, Chevron
    Answered Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at 3:12 PM
    This is a very difficult question to answer but I would have to say that graduating from well-known universities will help your career. For example, if you want to work in Texas then try to go to U. of Texas or Texas A&M.  If in other states, then try to ...
    Kerri Phillips, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory
    Answered Monday, March 4, 2024 at 7:37 AM

    When looking for a school to study engineering, one of the main things I prioritized is that it was ABET accredited. ABET is the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, and they accredit college and university programs in the disciplines of ...

    Sarah Wright, Chevron
    Answered Monday, February 26, 2024 at 3:57 PM

    In my experience, how you take advantage of the resources and opportunities available to you is more important than what college you go to!

    I did not go to prestigious schools and have still done okay because I worked hard, showed up, and recognized ...

  • Sean Thieshen

    Added Thursday, January 11, 2024 at 11:48 AM

    Hello, I'm the Chief Engineer at my building currently. Prior to that position I had 10 years of HVAC commercial/residential service and installation experience. I'm looking to get my degree in HVAC Engineering Technology and Energy Management but it isn't accredited by ABET. Would I be better off pursuing a mechanical engineering technology degree that is ABET accredited? I'm looking to get into energy consulting. HVAC building system design and selection.
    Answers 1
    Andrea Gonzalez, Collins Aerospace
    Answered Wednesday, January 17, 2024 at 10:55 AM
    Hi Sean, 
    
    Unfortunately I am not familiar with the energy consulting requirements. I would suggest you make an appointment with a degree counselor in the school you are looking to get your degree from and ask all these questions. They should be able to ...
  • Allecksy

    Added Tuesday, August 29, 2023 at 10:14 AM

    Hi, i'm intersted in studying bioengineering, however it seemed to me that it's harder for them to find jobs as employers prefer mechanical, chemical or electrical engineers. Is that really true?

    Answers 1
    Jenny Boothby, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab
    Answered Thursday, October 5, 2023 at 11:09 AM
    Hi Allecksy,
    First, I'll point out that bioengineering and biomedical engineering can actually be quite different, depending on your institution. Biomedical engineering focuses more on human physiology and medical devices, supplementing with many ...
  • Carly asked Leila Akello Gonasa, National Environment Management Authourity (NEMA), Uganda

    Added Monday, December 21, 2020 at 2:41 PM

    I'm looking at different colleges and a couple of them offer environmental science, but not environmental engineering. Is it feasible to get a degree in environmental science then transition to environmental engineering for grad school? I'm wondering if I take certain electives or something maybe the transition would be smoother? Or are they different enough that I should prioritize environmental engineering exactly when I'm researching schools. Thanks so much for your help!

    Answers 1
    Leila Akello Gonasa, National Environment Management Authourity (NEMA), Uganda
    Answered Friday, April 22, 2022 at 4:24 AM
    Yes Carly, it is very possible!
    
    The concept of study is related and the course units studied at Bachelors of Science give one enough grounding and theoretical concepts to Master in Environmental Engineering. 
  • Sally Kimberley asked Kim Linder, Honeywell FM&T

    Added Wednesday, May 26, 2021 at 4:04 PM

    Answers 1
    Kim Linder, Honeywell FM&T
    Answered Wednesday, December 8, 2021 at 8:43 AM
    That is an interesting question. I learned that to be an engineer I should go to an ABET accredited university and earn a four year engineering degree. There are many good universities I found that I could attend. I also learned of the requirements to ...
  • Added Sunday, September 26, 2021 at 1:40 PM

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    I'm preparing for college and I would like to study engineering, but I'm afraid I won't fit in. How do I judge a school or engineering program from the outside? What should I look for to help me know if the program really has a good environment for women and one that will work for me?

    Answers 19
    Katherine Kehres, Florida Department of Transportation
    Answered Sunday, September 26, 2021 at 2:07 PM

    Checking out the statistics for percent of females and for ranking would certainly be a good indicator on the engineering program's welcome of women. I went to a school that was ranked in the top 8 percent nationally for bachelor's degrees awarded to ...

    Jamie Krakover, The Boeing Company
    Answered Sunday, September 26, 2021 at 2:04 PM

    Finding a good fit for college can be tough, but there's a few things you can consider that will help narrow down your choices:

    • Look at what majors and classes the university offers. Does this align with where you want to take your career?
    • Does the ...
    Danielle Schroeder, STEM Changemaker
    Answered Sunday, September 26, 2021 at 2:03 PM

    Congratulations on starting the college preparation process! A great way to judge a school’s engineering program is getting the chance to talk to as many current students as you can to find out if this program would be a good fit for you! Now with social ...

  • Holly Engle asked Kelly Reid, Collins Aerospace

    Added Monday, November 16, 2020 at 11:54 AM

    For example, a school ranked 11th in the nation vs a school ranked 75th in the nation for their engineering programs. I'm a returning student and have applied to several schools. I am trying to determine which school will be the best option in terms of future employment. For example, UT Austin ranks 11th and Univ. of Central FL ranks 75th in the nation for their engineering programs. Will one school give me an edge of over the other when it comes to future employers? Or in the end, is ...

    Answers 1
    Kelly Reid, Collins Aerospace
    Answered Thursday, August 19, 2021 at 2:17 PM
    Obtaining your degree is the most important thing!  Both schools are great and when making your decisions, you should consider other factors. Do both programs have ABET accredited programs? Which offers you access to a better network, club involvement, ...
  • Audrey asked Yeshani Wijesekara, Collins Aerospace

    Added Sunday, November 1, 2020 at 11:25 PM

    If the degree isn't, can you still land a job?

    Answers 1
    Yeshani Wijesekara, Collins Aerospace
    Answered Monday, December 21, 2020 at 10:17 AM
    Hi Audrey, 
    
    In my personal experience, I have found that having gone to an ABET accredited school to be very useful. When I was searching for jobs right out of college, almost all jobs I was interested in had asked for a degree from an ABET accredited ...
  • Claudia Ketcham asked Jacquelyn Berry, Collins Aerospace

    Added Wednesday, August 5, 2020 at 12:57 PM

    I worry that because my school isn't well-known for its engineering degrees (we only have 2) that it will make it difficult to find a job because employers will hire people from schools with bigger names, so I feel like I should transfer to a more well know school to have a chance. How much does school name really matter in the hiring process? Am I overthinking this?

    Answers 1
    Jacquelyn Berry, Collins Aerospace
    Answered Wednesday, September 23, 2020 at 4:19 PM
    I am sure people have differing opinions on this, however, from my standpoint, the school matters a lot less than what you did at that school, what your grades were, and what you got involved in. I went to a California state school, and while it was ...
  • Jenna marbles asked Nancy Latimer, Collins Aerospace

    Added Saturday, July 11, 2020 at 3:53 AM

    I want to change the world <3

    Answers 1
    Nancy Latimer, Collins Aerospace
    Answered Monday, August 10, 2020 at 4:33 PM
    Hi Jenna - Where you go to school matters depending on your goals.  Ensure that it is a quality engineering program and has your area of interest (and maybe a few others in case you change your mind ;-). Some companies recruit at certain schools and not ...
  • Sarah Fortuno asked Agatha Kim, AECOM

    Added Tuesday, June 11, 2019 at 12:27 PM

    I'm looking to attend UT Austin, which is one of the best engineering schools, but it's not ABET accredited for environmental engineering, which is what I want to study. Although it's not accredited in my major, it's still a really good engineering school. Will it be enough that it's a highly rated school? Should I still attend or keep looking for other schools?

    Answers 1
    Agatha Kim, AECOM
    Answered Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at 12:45 PM
    Hi Sarah,
    
    I'm sorry that this response is coming so late.  But to answer your question...
    
    You're at a time of your life where the world is your oyster and you don't want to limit yourself by anything because you are capable and have the potential to ...
  • Leyna

    Added Sunday, February 10, 2019 at 6:57 PM

    Do all grades matter or just math and science grades? I know most engineering is mostly math and science and I LOVE math and science. I want to be an Engineer when I grow up

    Answers 1
    Ursula Gibson, Dartmouth College
    Answered Friday, March 22, 2019 at 11:57 AM

    While the math and science grades can be enough to get you where you want to go, often your GPA will be used as a filter when looking at your admission file, so other courses could count against you. Perhaps you can find a school that has enough of a ...

  • Nita Patel, Otis Elevator

    Added Friday, August 3, 2018 at 12:48 PM

    Hi. My story is a bit unusual and may raise a few eyebrows. I was in my final year of my Medical degree (MD) and tbh, I failed (for certain reasons) my final exam. Worst phase of my life. I searched hard to find another uni to complete my MD but it was painfully difficult. I swallowed my pride and looked into some common alternatives like Biomed Sciences, Optom, Pharm etc. But I just couldn't see myself doing any of these as a career. One day I stumbled upon Biomedical Engineering. It intrigued ...
    Answers 1
    Nita Patel, Otis Elevator
    Answered Sunday, December 23, 2018 at 4:33 PM
    I don't think it's a crazy decision. Congratulations on making the change. You definitely have to enjoy (85%) of your career -- all jobs have some amount of work that just isn't fun but overall, you need to enjoy it. If you are excited about BME, you are ...
  • Louise Seftel

    Added Sunday, November 18, 2018 at 7:37 AM

    I am interested in pursuing a four year civil engineering program and would like to start at a community college and transfer to a four year college.
    Answers 1
    Kristin Sweeney, US Aggregates
    Answered Monday, December 3, 2018 at 2:45 PM
    Hello Louise!
    This is a great question. I would say the answer is two pronged. DO you have an idea which four year college you'd like to go to? if so I would reach out to their Civil Department and see what classes students are required to take in the ...
  • Katelyn Lichte, Corteva Agriscience
    Answered Wednesday, November 28, 2018 at 9:20 AM
    Hi Albert,
    
    This question hits close to home for me.  My parents weren't able to help me with my education finances either.  
    
    The best thing you can do right now is to start applying for every grant, scholarship, etc that's available.  Some of these ...
  • Carly

    Added Tuesday, August 7, 2018 at 11:59 AM

    I’m pretty good at math now but I’m only in 8th grade. I really like the idea of being an environmental engineer, but I’m worried I’ll struggle with the advanced math classes...are some schools easier than others? Or do all of them require a lot of math and I’ll just have to deal with it. Would environmental studies be easier?
    Answers 1
    Stacy Clark, AI Engineers
    Answered Tuesday, August 7, 2018 at 4:36 PM
    Hi Carly! It's great that you're thinking about this already! I'm going to tackle your question in three parts:
    
    (1) "Are some schools easier than others?"  -  Yes - some universities are harder than others, and some professors within a university are ...
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