In terms of the different skilled trades available, an engineering career is perhaps one of the most prestigious. And for good reason, too. Many with a STEM education go into engineering, but it’s not always the only way. Even more hands-on careers in the industry can be a great choice of career. So, what makes them so attractive? As ever, there are a whole slew of factors. We’re going to go through most of them in detail Hopefully, we should help you decide whether or not a career in engineering is the right step for you.

Is it right for you?

Let’s start off with the big question. Is a career in engineering suited to the kind of person you are? Of course, this is a question with a lot of personal answers. If you’re good with your hands, you’re most likely going to be suited to a skilled trade of some sort. Yet engineering requires a lot of know-how and intelligence, too. Even on the less involved ends of the industry, understanding of physics is pretty much mandatory. If you’re a hands-on kind of person and you have the brains to match, it might be the right step.

Career paths

Of course, we’re talking about engineering as a career. But from one end to the other, that’s a wide spectrum of different career paths. A lot of engineers are in the business of buildings and factories. Others deal with vehicles or oil drills. The great thing about this is, if you’re fit for engineering, you have a lot of options for finding a career to suit your passions.

Training

Engineering is not a career that’s easy to get into. More than most of the skilled trades, it takes a lot of book learning and expertise. A lot of companies will teach you the right way to handle a hydraulic torque wrench. But you’re going to need some education in physics and some sort of engineering qualification to even get considered. It’s a path that takes a lot of preparation, but it’s well worth it.

Pay

This is just one of the reasons it’s worth it. The pay grade for entry-level in engineering can be described as ‘so-so’. However, as far as a lifetime career goes, there are few skills that can pay off exponentially as time goes on. Check out some of the pay listings for engineering jobs. Don’t be too surprised to see that the ones requiring more experience can lead right up to six-figures. Though, as we’ve stated, it takes time to get there.

Job satisfaction

This is perhaps why so many engineers are happy to make a life’s work. Even if they have a long way to go till they reach those big pay grades, job satisfaction in the field is near unparalleled. It provides the kind of challenges and need to create solutions that appeals to so many of its practitioners. In a survey of engineering graduates, only 14% measured their career negatively against their expectations.

This post has been contributed by Ryan Gatt, it contains affiliate links.