For most of the engineering undergraduate and graduate students, there are a plethora of opportunities ranging from research to core sector jobs to business management.
The most important task is for one to realize which path is most suitable depending upon things such as the person’s interest, level of competence and demand in the market.
Management studies after an engineering degree are helpful for expanding your horizons. Other than technical knowledge, added skills in management and business can bring more choices of employment.
It’s a myth that after management degree engineers leave the core, more jobs are emerging every day on the inter-disciplinary lines too. Moreover, with strong technical skills, you can always go back to the core sector jobs/training if business management and related fields do not suit you.
Jobs in the core engineering sector require a good knowledge of the subjects in your graduate and undergraduate programs. Big technological giants hire on the basis of a competent profile which includes technical skills and knowledge, prior work experience like internships or part-time jobs, and sometimes good referrals.
An undergraduate degree is good enough to kick-start your career in the industry, especially for tier 1 college students. But not belonging to one should not demotivate you. There is always a place for talent and skill in the industry. After a few years of work, if you feel you need to specialize in some area of your interest or you want to try out some different domain, applying for degrees like MS, M.Tech, MBA, etc. will be a good idea.
Research is something that requires more patience than any other line. PhD degrees from eminent institutions can last from 3 to 5 years. After that, the main profession pursued is either becoming a professor or an independent researcher. The upcoming fields such as AI, Computer Vision, and studies associated with energy and resources are very promising for researchers.
If you are interested and dedicated to solving unsolved problems or if you want to explore a field in greater depth, research is a good path.
Entrepreneurship and Start-Ups have recently become a trend among college students. The intensity of challenges faced depends on your social skills and network apart from the technical skills. One needs a high spirit and dedication towards the company, especially during the early stages.
Dropping out of college is not the best option to work on your startup but it works in some rare cases. At whichever stage of your job/studies, you feel like making your own idea or product, first ensure that you and your teammates have a very good idea about what you are going to make and how that product will attract the customers. Make a strong social network and hire talented people to contribute fruitfully to the company. There is a huge risk factor associated with startups but mostly truly dedicated people do buffer the reverses faced.
These are the more or less the most popular career options in Engineering. But other than these also, there are a lot of unpopular ones. But no option is good or bad. Whichever path(s) we choose, we must work hard to make it the best experience for ourselves.
My recommendation to you all would be to discover your passion and follow your heart – don’t follow the beaten path because everyone else has done that. You might still be choosing from one of the typical careers post-Engineering, but don’t muffle up the voice of your heart. This might sound cliched but don’t look at success from the eyes of others.
I also feel it is good to talk to people who have been there, done that. Find out more about the areas that look interesting. Try to experience what those career options really mean. There are certain platforms such as Experihub that are trying to bring the perspective by interviews and discussions with industry professionals from various walks of life and these could help in your decision making process.