Personal and professional growth requires an investment in yourself and your skills. When you are a student entering the engineering field, it’s a pivotal moment for your career. Make sure you are building your network and getting the right skills to launch your career from graduation and beyond.
Build Your Network
Nobody works in a vacuum these days. Networking with other professionals is an important task that you need to make time for. By joining professional organizations that are targeted toward professionals of your skills and expertise, you are surrounding yourself with the people and opportunities that will make a difference in your career. Participating in discussions and events (both online and in-person) will help you make a name for yourself among your colleagues, and many offer lectures and training to keep members up to date on what’s new in your profession.
Consider joining groups such as the Association of Energy Services Professionals or the Young Professionals in Energy organization. The Association of Energy Engineers is a good option if you are an engineer in the industry. For localized groups, check out the relevant associations and organizations particular to your country or region. Such communities often provide the most convenient in-person networking opportunities to your locals. Online groups on networking sites like LinkedIn are another great way to connect with colleagues and future employers while learning about the latest industry news and events.
Foster a Desire to Continue Learning
As any successful engineer will tell you, the diploma is just the first step. You worked very hard for your engineering degree but might be left wondering, now what? Even once employed, engineers need to keep up to date with ever-evolving technologies or risk falling behind. Within your discipline, it is critical to maintain certifications and even attend re-training sessions to make sure you are on the cutting edge of your field. Furthermore, it is wise to keep abreast of hot topics in other engineering disciplines as well because you never really know where the next big thing will happen. Pursuing a higher degree shows a commitment to the field and your discipline that employers are eagerly seeking in prospective candidates.
An ever-changing discipline requires an ambitious and ever-curious mind. You should never really feel satisfied that you have achieved all that you can achieve. There is and always will be something new to learn. That’s one of the most exciting aspects of engineering. Feel free and encouraged to explore a wide variety of disciplines and tools within the realms of engineering. New concepts and capabilities are made available every year, and staying up to date on the latest and greatest is the only way to stay ahead of the curve.
Incorporate Versatility into Your Career
Considering that the field is every changing, you should strive to build a certain versatility into your resume as well. That desire to continue experimenting and learning, even outside the office, could be the highlight your work history needs to attract hiring managers’ attention. Having passion projects that are in addition to assignments from employers make for great examples of your skills that you can share in an interview without breaching any confidentiality contracts. Explore and familiarize yourself with the methodologies and tools commonly used by engineers in other disciplines to expand your horizons and make your resume more versatile on the whole.
For more tips on building out your engineering career after graduation, connect with the team at ESGI today.
