Who Should Study Engineering?: The Essentials of Pursuing Mechanical Engineering Jobs

By Kalli Kauffman (BA 27)

Engineering is a diverse field, offering you an unlimited number of opportunities within the real world. High schoolers and college students alike are increasingly drawn to the field, as a mechanical engineering salary is known to be high-paying. In a growing field where mechanical engineering jobs are advancing rapidly, there is a high demand for qualified Christian engineers who desire to advance God’s Kingdom. 

However, pursuing a career in engineering isn’t an easy task. Engineering programs are rigorous at any college and often include a four- or five-year commitment. You may wonder: who should study engineering, and what does it take to be an effective engineer? 

The Helpers 

Students who desire to improve and help the world around them are essential to the engineering profession. If you’re a civil engineer, you are working to improve the roads and infrastructure for your local community. As a mechanical engineer, you may help build implants that enable individuals with osteoarthritis to move, design products, or maintain and improve important systems for your company. 

In Grace’s engineering program, helping others is a vital part of this process. For example, Grace has partnered with Edgewood Middle School in Warsaw, Indiana, to run a program called Enable the Future, an outreach that creates 3D printed prosthetics for those who need them. Through projects like this, engineering students work hard to enable future engineers and support the community around them. 

As you grow in your engineering skills, pursue different hands-on opportunities that allow you to share the love of God with your cohorts. Find internships that prepare you for the profession and help you meet people’s needs. 

Grace students have worked in orthopedics for small automation companies and bustling medtech giants. Engineering students from Grace also apply their knowledge and learn even more during internships in companies such as BAE, DePuy, Zimmer Biomet, and Eli Lilly. A wide variety of mechanical engineering jobs offer you the chance to enhance your skills and assist others. 

The STEM Lovers

To succeed in mechanical engineering jobs, you need a strong foundation in both science and math. Developing your skills in high-level mathematics is especially important so you succeed in your beginning engineering courses, like calculus.

“Math is the language that we use to communicate how the mechanics of the world works,” Chair of the Department of Engineering Dr. Fred Wentorf said. “The ability to do math at a high-level separates the engineer from just a Lego builder.”

As a future engineer, it’s important to take these courses early. According to Ethan Stanley, a mechanical engineering major, you should start pursuing these classes in high school. 

“I would recommend taking many college credit core classes and possibly math and science classes, specifically physics, chemistry or a base level, like calculus,” said Stanley. “That’ll really help you.” 

Some of our mechanical engineering students continue to refine these math and science skills by attending engineering conferences such as the Great Minds in STEM Conference (GMIS). For you, this could offer the opportunity to discover more about what engineering is, build connections, and learn more about your future career. 

Further, developing a deep understanding of science and math helps you form a more biblical perspective of engineering. 

“Appreciating the science that you’re learning means really trying to understand how God put the world together,” said Wentorf. “We get to see Him in a very different way as engineers.” 

The Creators  

If you enjoy designing, building, and creating, you might be called to engineering. What better way to honor Christ than through the art of creation and design? 

According to mechanical engineering major Julian Claybough, this is exactly what interested him about engineering. 

“I’ve always thought of myself as a bit of a tinkerer,” said Claybough. “I like to repair and work on things, and I love the idea of creation. You can work to make any kind of machine, process, and product real. Engineers build the world.” 

In Grace’s engineering program, one key way for students to practice the art of creation is by designing Baja racecars. During this process, Grace students attend a Baja Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) competition. They spend weeks designing their vehicles, then race them against other nearby colleges. This opportunity not only allows them to practice testing their own products, but also gives students a chance to apply the life skills they learned in their engineering classes. 

So, What Now? 

Now that you’ve learned who should study engineering and about the types of mechanical engineering jobs available, it’s your turn to consider whether engineering is for you. Research more about the benefits of a mechanical engineering salary, explore different college engineering programs, study the wide variety of career options in front of you, and continue to learn what you are interested in! 

“Engineering majors are in demand — not just in the United States, but throughout the whole world,” said Stanley. 

If you feel that God created you for design, discover more about the benefits of a Christian liberal arts mechanical engineering program.