Do you have to be good at other subjects to be an engineer?

Very few individuals are proficient in every subject in school. And often when they are, they struggle at other things that others deem as "common sense".

With new technology, you don't have to be good at reading, just listening and comprehending what you hear. When you speak of Social Studies are you referring to the history side or current events? While both are important as they shape our cultures, buildings, and even new technologies you don't have to be an expert.

The fun things in engineering are actually developing a new concept technology, solving a problem, or building a structure. Your sister is correct that there is research and funding; documents, logs, experiments which need to be logged for future reference. There are trials, errors, defeat and triumph.

But don't let this discourage you from your passion. Just like there are individuals who want to work with animals as veterinarians, trainers, etc. The glamorous part is working with the animals, yet along with that comes cleaning up excrement, preparing food/ diets specified for each animal and endless hours logging tedious events for each animal.

Communication skills are very useful in all fields, particularly engineering which increasingly involves working in teams. However, technical communication is not necessarily the same as those used in English or Social studies. Good technical communication skills can be gained in many places outside of the classroom.

When you first start out, your work focus will be on STEM stuff. But as you advance, you may have people on a team reporting to you. You need to be able to communicate clearly with them. You also need to find opportunities to learn various leadership skills. Even in applying to get that first job, you really need to be able to represent yourself well and clearly communicate why you are the best candidate for that job. It’s okay if you are an introvert, but being an introvert is no excuse for not taking the opportunities available to you to learn and practice leadership and communication skills.

It depends on what kind of engineering you choose. Chemical engineering will require a passion and good understanding of chemistry, chemical processes, etc. Organic chemistry, synthesis, and surely the most important molecules involved in industrial reactions and production processes. On the other hand if you choose Mechanical engineering you need to be very good in technical drawing. If you choose electronics or computer engineering it will be about programming and circuits, etc.

So bottom line, Math and, especially, Physics, sort of underpin all Engineering. Then the other subjects will be necessary to a lesser degree and you should choose based on your passion and interest. I chose ChemE – I had a course on Fortran Programming which I detested and understood nothing of… But that will always be the case! There is always something you will be very bad at. The important thing for me was loving and understanding all chemistry and materials science and all production process-related topics

There are many types of jobs in STEM. For many of those jobs it’s necessary to be able to write well: preparing reports and communicating results of studies. But, in today’s world, we often work in teams, dividing the roles according to who is best suited for each task. A team member who is skilled at math and science can be valuable even without writing skills. On the other hand, you should still try to develop communication skills as these will always be valuable, too, and as you get older you may find that writing becomes easier for you, especially because you may find that communicating about your scientific results is something you like.

Math and science are the priority. In high school, I didn't like social studies either. It took more effort because math and science came so easy to me and almost seemed like doing puzzles. That said, social studies is good to learn because it helps you to understand the world that you live in. Reading is foundational.

The other point to consider is that total grade point is usually considered for admission to university and when receiving your first job offer, so even if you don't like these subjects, try to get the best grade possible!!

Your question is interesting, and I will have an equally interesting answer. In general, engineering coursework focuses on science and math and I'm glad that you enjoy doing it. You will find as you study more about the engineering problems you will encounter in your career that social science and English/writing/communications are equally as valuable.

As engineers, we often create a solution to a "perceived" problem and seek to find a societal application. This is absolutely backward – we need to understand the societal problem and then create a solution. The better we can understand all aspects of society – which comes from a basic understanding of social studies, humanities, anthropology – the better we can consider groundbreaking solutions. Also, if you have a great idea or solution and have a problem communicating the solution, the solution will not progress. You need to be able to adequately explain through words, written and oral, to make your engineering solution a success. Furthermore, you will need to interact with other people in your work, so self-awareness of your words is crucial.

I would recommend that you give those subjects a try through a different lens and maybe you'll see that they can teach you how to be a better engineer!

YES! Being able to communicate your ideas is the most important thing for an engineer to know how to do. You can be the smartest person in the room, but if you don't know how to tell the people on your team how to fix the problem, then it doesn't matter. That means knowing how to read what people are asking for exactly so you can answer the right question. That means knowing how to write and present your ideas, data, and information in a way that is accessible for your audience. That also means knowing how to "read a room" so you can find the right way to connect with your audience. Being an engineer is about solving problems, but most answers need a team and knowing how to work with people is an important part of that.

You do not have to be good at every subject. I would encourage you to look for STEM in subjects that you aren’t great at. You’d be surprised how much STEM plays a role in history, and you can find books related to your interests or find STEM in the books you’re required to read. Stories and theories are where STEM starts.

I would also encourage some focus on communications. It is important to be able to describe anything you do in STEM in ways that others not in STEM can understand. Learning to speak with others and write my ideas out effectively has taken me further in my career.

I won't lie to you: the better you are with words (reading and writing), the stronger your impact as an engineer will be! I cannot imagine an engineering job in which you won't need to communicate your ideas, plans, and accomplishments to other people. If you cannot do that effectively, it will likely hamper your career progress. So I do encourage you to take learning how to write well as seriously as you take your STEM studies. Try to find ways to practice your reading and writing on subjects that you do love -- it will be easier, more fun, and likely more useful that way!

With respect to social studies, you don't have to like all subjects as well as you do science and math, but I believe that the more broadly you read, learn, and think, the better you will be at engineering. You will see important connections of your work to the broader social context. You may anticipate unintended consequences of engineering by developing an understanding of human behavior -- now, and down through history. You may find inspiration for engineering in art, such as origami engineering.

At a minimum, I would encourage you to remain open to influences (including friends, colleagues, professional reading, and personal reading) from all subjects, and to cultivate an inclination to consider how those subjects could improve and enrich your practice of the engineering that you love.

Hey! It's awesome that you're interested in engineering and that you're strong in math and science – that's a fantastic foundation! Seriously, those skills are super important for becoming an engineer, so you're already on a great track.

Your sister does have a point, though. While math and science are definitely the core tools an engineer uses every day, they aren't the only ones. Think about it this way: engineers don't just solve problems in isolation; they work on teams, create things for people, and need to explain their ideas.

Here's why those other skills, like reading and communication (which you use in English and Social Studies), come into play:

1. Understanding Information (Reading): Engineers constantly need to read complex information. This could be technical manuals for equipment, research papers about new discoveries, project requirements from a client, or even safety regulations. Being able to read carefully and understand exactly what's being said is crucial.
2. Explaining Your Ideas (Writing & Speaking): You could design the most amazing thing ever, but if you can't explain it clearly to your team, your boss, or the people who might use it, it won't get built or used effectively. Engineers write reports, design documents, emails, and proposals. They also give presentations and participate in meetings. Clear communication is key!
3. Working with People (Teamwork & Social Skills): Engineering projects are almost always team efforts. You'll work with other engineers, technicians, designers, clients, and managers. Understanding how to collaborate, listen to different viewpoints, and communicate effectively within a team is really important – skills you often practice in group projects or discussions in various classes, including social studies.
4. Understanding the Bigger Picture (Social Studies Connection): Why are you building this thing? Who is it for? What impact will it have on society or the environment? How do government regulations affect your project? Social studies helps you think about context, history, ethics, and how technology affects people and communities. Engineers need to consider these things to design responsible and successful projects.

Here's the deal: You absolutely DO NOT need to suddenly become a star student in English and Social Studies or start loving them as much as math and science. It's totally okay to have subjects you prefer and are naturally better at.

However, you do need to develop functional skills in reading comprehension and communication. Think of them less as separate subjects you have to ace, and more as essential tools that will help you use your awesome math and science skills effectively in your engineering career.

Your strength in math and science is the most important engine driving you towards engineering. Focus on keeping that strong! But also, see reading, writing, and understanding social context as tools that help you steer that engine and get your amazing ideas out into the world where they can make a difference.

Keep exploring engineering, keep rocking math and science, and don't stress too much about the other subjects – just work on building those communication skills enough so they can support your main goals. You've got this!