At an ASME Early Career Forum in Chicago three accomplished professionals participated in a panel discussion entitled “What Can I Do with My Engineering Degree?” all having one thing in common: an education in Engineering. Jeff Dinski, a recent MBA graduate (Harvard Business School), a mechanical engineer graduate and a former writer/producer (for NBC, MSNBC, and ESPN); Larry Dickinson, the founding principle at 3F, LLC (a textile engineering company); and Laura Wojcik, a senior director with Packer Engineering, shared the benefit of their experience with the group of student and early career engineers.
 
“The most important thing engineering teaches you is simply this: it teaches you to think,” said Dinski in his description of the value of an engineering education.  As he discusses the various projects he had worked on in his writing career, he stresses the significance of having the analytical, problem-solving skills acquired through an education in engineering.  These skills provide both the know-how and the confidence that is critical in any complex problem situation, “and that applies just as much to breaking down the latest development in a steroid scandal or looking at the National League pennant race as it does to some complicated dynamic system.”

Dinski says, “the fact that you major in engineering should extend your options, not limit them.”  The mathematical and problem solving skills gained in the pursuit of an engineering degree allow you to work in a variety of fields in which this knowledge directly applies, but they do not preclude you from becoming a historian, a writer, or a TV producer.  Dinski’s advice: “Let your goals, your desires, your abilities, your dreams determine your career path in your future.”

 Jeff Dinski discusses engineering as a way to "Open Doors" (Interview)
 Jeff Dinski on the path to an alternative career (Presentation) 

Dr. Larry Dickinson’s passion is research and development, and his experience and career reflect this.  In his portion of the discussion he asks, “Where do you want to go?  What do you want to do?”  In his own business plans, Dickinson has “a very clear vision” of what he wants out of his company, and he recommends that everyone have an idea of where they want to be several years down the line.  Dickinson’s personal stand is, “I  never stop looking where I want to go and what I want to do.  I’m always eyeing the next promotion.  What’s going to get me the next raise?  Where I want to be?”

Another tenet of Dickinson’s philosophy “it’s that extra effort that really makes [a difference], and allows you to not only get to where you want to be, but help you figure out where you want to be.”  By taking advantage of opportunities available outside of your job, you can gain the leadership skills and the soft skills necessary for success.  Dickinson highlights the ASME ECLIPSE (Early Career Leadership Interns to Serve Engineering) program as a “personal growth opportunity that is tremendous.”  This program allows early career engineers to experience a high level leadership position in ASME, something that otherwise wouldn’t be available for them.

 Larry Dickinson discusses his path to entreprenuership (Interview)
 Larry Dickinson on Personal Growth and Vision (Presentation)

You “never quite [know] where your career is going to lead you,” declares Dr. Laura Wojcik at the beginning of her segment.  Wojcik had originally planned to become a professor after obtaining her PhD, but after several years of experiencing a position at a university she decided that it was not what she wanted to spend her life doing.  “You get bored with what you’re doing, or you’re not enjoying it anymore … and it’s time to look for a new challenge.”

Wojcik’s current position with Packer Engineering mostly involves litigation consulting.   Though it seems law and engineering have little overlap, in many legal cases, attorneys hire outside experts to determine what actually occurs in an accident.  According to Wojcik, there are all sorts of really wild cases, which you don’t think about, until an attorney says, “there has to be a way to analyze cases with some engineering skills.” 

 Laura Wojcik discusses her academic and consultant experience (Interview)
 Laura Wojcik on being an "expert" in your field (Presentation)

All three speakers emphasizes the importance of “soft-skills” in addition to engineering knowledge and skill.  “Clarity of writing and clarity of presentation play a huge role in this business,” says Wojcik in reference to her own line of work. The ability to communicate effectively is necessary in all walks of life; “It’s those soft skills that will make or break that promotion, that pay raise,” states Dickinson during his presentation.

Regardless of what field you enter, the skills of an engineer will prove to be valuable tools.  As Dinski says, no matter what career you choose to pursue, “Never let anyone tell you, ‘don’t you think you should make use of that engineering degree’, because you probably are.”