Mechanical Engineering Career Guide: Specialisations and Future Prospects

Do you know that mechanical engineering is one of the most broad domains in engineering? From air conditioners to microwave ovens and dishwashers, this field has endless contributions to our daily lives. This field is highly versatile and is closely related to developing and producing modern technologies. In India, around 1.5 to 2 million engineering graduates pass out every year, among which 2,66,666 individuals graduating are mechanical engineers. If you review job opportunities, there are nearly 20% of mechanical jobs available every year in the market. This shows that the job market for mechanical engineers is quite promising in India.

In this blog, let’s understand mechanical engineering at its core. It would help you decide if it is the right career path for you. We shall cover its specialisations, the primary responsibilities of a mechanical engineer, and the challenges.

What is Mechanical Engineering?

Mechanical engineers design, develop, build, and test all kinds of machines and components. This field primarily focuses on how machines are designed, built, and maintained. It is a vast domain of engineering that covers different kinds of machines and systems. These can include elevators, pumps, engines, HVAC, turbines, robots, heating, and air-conditioning systems. Remember, the work of mechanical engineers plays a pivotal role in shaping the technology and infrastructure driving the modern-day world.

What Do Mechanical Engineers Do?

Mechanical engineers use their core engineering concepts and problem-solving abilities to turn ideas into real-world solutions. In this role, you research, design, develop and test mechanical devices. This may include tools, engines, power-point equipment, heating/cooling systems, etc. You majorly have to contribute to the automotive, manufacturing, aerospace, and aircraft industries.

The primary duties of a mechanical engineer involve:

• Using principles of force, motion, energy, and temperature to design parts of machinery or work mechanically

• Combining physics and computer-aided technology (CAT) to formulate engineering solutions

• Testing and managing projects and overseeing their progress

• Analyzing and interpreting data

• Creating and developing new designs and concepts

• Testing prototypes to make sure they work efficiently, are cost-effective, and are safe

• Working in teams and building professional networks

7 Mechanical Engineering Specialisations You Can Pursue

Here are 7 mechanical engineering specialisations you can pursue:

1. Controls and Robotics

Control and robotics involve working with robotic systems like self-driving cars, medical devices, and drones. Engineers who choose this specialisation mainly focus on advanced robotics and artificial intelligence. They learn about automated vehicles, like aeroplanes and spacecraft, that have mechanical parts controlled by computers.

2. Fluid mechanics and thermal systems

Fluid mechanics and thermal systems focus on understanding how heat and energy flow through different materials like air, water, or gases. You study how fluids behave at rest, in motion, transfer energy, or conserve mass. The goal is to find ways to make energy transfer more efficient, without losing power in the process.

3. Mechanics of Materials

This specialisation focuses on understanding how solid and soft materials behave. You learn how they react when used in real-world applications. You would study how materials can be designed and tested using techniques like finite element methods, biomaterials, and their uses. With a specialisation in this field, you become experts in designing machinery and optimising processes that improve production efficiency. These engineers also work in the product design and development sector, where they use their knowledge about materials to create better, stronger, and more reliable products.

4. Machine Design and Development

It is a specialisation that focuses on building all kinds of machines, not just vehicles like automotive designs. It can be a washing machine, a hydraulic pump, a construction crane, or an industrial robot. Mechanical engineers who specialise in Machine design and development learn how to choose materials that can handle the weight and stress of various designs. These engineers find career opportunities in the automotive, aerospace industries, manufacturing, and technology sectors.

5. Marine Engineering

Marine engineering is a branch of engineering that focuses on designing, building, and maintaining ships and other watercraft. Those who specialise in this field learn to work on everything from large military ships like aircraft carriers to small boats. They use the knowledge of materials and ocean engineering to balance the weight, improve speed, and ensure that the ship can carry the load it is designed to carry. Mechanical engineers with a specialisation in marine engineering can work in sectors like the military or automotive industry, designing vehicles that can travel on water.

6. Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is the field of engineering that focuses on creating small technologies. Specifically, those smaller than 200 nanometers, which involves working with individual atoms and molecules. Engineers specialising in this field often have backgrounds in medicine, chemistry, or biochemistry. Nanotechnology is an advanced branch of Materials engineering that can create new materials with unique properties. Mechanical engineers specialising in Nanotechnology often find work opportunities in automotive and aerospace industries.

7. Combustion Engineering

Combustion is a branch of engineering that focuses on how energy is produced, how things are powered, the heating systems of the machines, etc. Mechanical engineers specialising in this field design combustion systems such as engines, turbines, and furnaces and work on reducing their harmful emissions. This field of study has become popular since climate change has been a primary national concern. Here, engineers learn to fight climate change by finding more efficient ways to produce energy and reduce pollution.

Also Read: How to Become a Design Engineer?

Challenges Most Mechanical Engineers Face (with Solutions)

Here are some common challenges that mechanical engineers encounter in their jobs. If you too are a mechanical engineer or an aspiring candidate, check the effective solutions to the problems that you may encounter in your career journey:

When Employers Demand Licensure and Certifications

Challenge: Most mechanical engineers earn a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or a related field. However, some employers may prefer candidates with extra qualifications or certifications. This may arise as a challenge to many.

Solution: A common certification is the Professional Engineer (PE) license, which requires passing two exams. Learning these licenses or certifications takes time. However, it’s worth the time and effort. It will help you learn new skills, add credibility, and advance your career.

When Safety is a Challenge

Challenge: Sometimes work becomes tedious and physically exhausting for mechanical engineers. They often work in places where there are high risks, like near heavy machines or sharp tools. When they are fixing equipment or doing hands-on work, they need to follow safety rules. So, safety can be a challenge for them.

Solutions: The safety measures include wearing protective gear like safety glasses and gloves and using the right posture when handling heavy equipment. Most employers also make sure that engineers take regular safety training to stay up to date on how to stay safe at work.

When Meeting Project Deadlines is an Issue

Challenge: Mechanical engineers often work on multiple projects at a time and thus face deadline issues. They find it hard to keep track of the deadlines, and this may cause delays in project delivery.

Solution: In this situation, you need to stay calm and avoid making hasty decisions. It is crucial for mechanical engineers to stay organised and hone their skills in problem-solving at their work front.

When Equipment Malfunctions

Challenges: It is common for mechanical engineers to fix equipment malfunctions. For example, if the generator stops, they use their knowledge to fix the issues and repair the machine. When something breaks, mechanical engineers often need to change their schedules to focus on fixing the problem. This may create a challenge to meet their everyday goals.

Solution: This might seem like a challenge, but we also need to see the other side of the coin. Doing regular maintenance on machines can help keep them running smoothly and prevent issues. Further, it also helps the mechanical engineer to know the equipment better and fix problems more quickly when they happen again.

When the Scope of Responsibilities is too Overwhelming

Challenge: Mechanical engineers usually have a lot of different tasks to work on. This means their responsibilities may change from day to day. So, each day there’s a new role to play. Some engineers feel stressed by all the different tasks they have to do.

Solution: It is important for these engineers to take care of their mental health and stay calm. Although this might seem stressful sometimes, with experience, it is surely easier to manage and become more adaptable. Developing time management skills is also important in this case.

When New Technologies Emerge

Challenges: Do you know that mechanical engineering is always changing as new technologies are developed? For example, some companies are using machine learning to automate processes. Engineers might get frustrated by these constant changes. This is a real challenge in the workplace.

Solutions: Mechanical engineers must keep learning and updating their skills throughout their career journey. To grasp new technologies, they must look for ways to learn new things like taking online courses or earning certifications. You may also ask your employers to conduct training to help them stay current with industry trends and enhance their skills.

Career Opportunities for Mechanical Engineering (with Salary Info)

Mechanical engineering is a vast domain that offers diverse job roles in multiple industries. From entry-level positions to managers, mechanical engineering offers a wide range of specialised career paths with high earning potential. Some of the top career opportunities for mechanical engineers are as follows:

Source: Glassdoor

Also Read: Production Engineering Career Path: Skills, Specialisations, and Growth Prospects

Final Words

Job market analysis shows that mechanical engineering has been a satisfactory career for many. Nearly 47% of professionals are delighted with what the mechanical job roles have been offering them. This is mainly due to the wide variety of specialisations mechanical engineering offers to its aspirants. It includes diversified domains, which candidates may choose in their best interest. In this competitive market, nearly 65% of candidates show a strong interest in mechanical engineering and emphasise the need to nurture their interests.

If you too are a mechanical engineering aspirant, now is the perfect time to dive into this exciting field. Start your journey today and get ready to hone your expertise with a mechanical engineering course.