What are the qualifications of a mechanical engineer?

The qualifications of a mechanical engineer are education in mechanical engineering, training and certifications, and specific skills. Here are some details on the qualifications of a mechanical engineer:

• Education

To become a mechanical engineer, you need at least a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or mechanical engineering technology. You also need to earn a state engineering license. Master's and doctorate programs are also available for those wanting advanced education and specialized skills in mechanical engineering.

Depending on the job description, advanced degrees may be a requirement for certain mechanical engineering roles.

First, we'll deal with bachelor's degrees in the field. All aspiring mechanical engineers need to obtain a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or mechanical engineering technology. Most also seek a program that is accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.

Courses for a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering include engineering, math, design, and life and physical sciences, which focus less on theory, and more on practical applications.

Graduates of bachelor's programs who take and pass the Fundamentals of Engineering exam can seek out most entry-level mechanical engineering jobs.

Master's degrees are good options for mechanical engineers who want to specialize in specific fields, such as automotive technology, nuclear energy, or robotics. Master's degrees expand on and deepen the knowledge that is gained from bachelor's degrees. They cover a wide range of engineering principles and strategies.

Those looking to pursue a teaching career in mechanical engineering or conduct research in the field should seek to get a doctoral degree. Mechanical engineering doctorate programs focus on research and theories in the field. Doctoral graduates can then go on to become college professors of mechanical engineering or conduct research in a specific industry.

• Training

Hands-on and practical training is a considerable part of becoming a mechanical engineer and is a required qualification for most positions in the field. Before a mechanical engineer can get a Professional Engineering license, they need at least four years of relevant professional experience in the field.

Professional experience trains mechanical engineers in practical terms. Only through performing mechanical engineering duties can they gain the proper experience. Professional experience will focus on things like specific software programs that mechanical engineers use, and learning how to navigate setbacks in the field.

• Certifications

In order to get high-level mechanical engineering jobs, candidates need a Professional Engineer certification related to the specific area of engineering they wish to work in. There are three different certifications that apply to mechanical engineers, and obtaining one, two, or all three may be a requirement for certain positions.

Mechanical engineers can earn the Professional Engineer certification after completing a bachelor's degree program, passing the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, gaining four years of experience, and passing the Principles and Practice of Engineering exam. PE certifications allow mechanical engineers to pursue high-level engineering jobs.

The next is the Certified Systems Engineering Professional certification. This certification proves a mechanical engineer is fully capable of handling a multitude of systems engineering duties independently.

The last one is an Expert Systems Engineering Professional certification. This certification is typically only obtained by mechanical engineers that have been working in the engineering systems industry for 20 or more years.

• Skills

There are many skills that qualify a mechanical engineer; here, we will talk about some of the most common ones. Mathematical skills are essential to mechanical engineering. Mechanical engineers use statistics, advanced calculus, and other complex math subjects to properly design, analyze, and fix their engineering work.

Communication skills are essential for mechanical engineers. This is because many mechanical engineering projects are made up of large teams of engineers, and other important personnel, such as computer scientists and architects.

They must be able to clearly and concisely communicate their ideas to their colleagues and superiors during an engineering project to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.

They also need great listening skills because their coworkers will be communicating different information and data to them. To properly analyze and work on this data and information, they must be able to take it all in and retain it.

In somewhat of the same area, teamwork skills are also very important to mechanical engineers. Once again, this emphasizes the importance of being able to effectively communicate with coworkers and to work in unison as a team.

They need to be able to effectively deal with problems or issues on projects by collaborating with colleagues and developing solutions. Because the work they perform may involve cross-disciplines, such as computer science and architecture, it is important that they are also informed on these areas and can collaborate with professionals in these fields.

Problem-solving skills are absolutely essential to mechanical engineers. Highly complex projects can experience any number of complicated setbacks. These can happen during the design stage all the way up until the completion of the project.

Mechanical engineers must be well equipped with problem-solving abilities to understand specific issues or problems they may face and find the best solutions.

Creativity skills come into play all the time for mechanical engineers. Since they are the ones developing and designing various engineering projects or products, they must be skilled in this area. It takes creativity to conceive and invent a product or project, and also to find ways to complete it in a timely manner and within a budget.