ENGINEERING CAREER: Which Stream and How to choose?

 

Many of the young girls and boys these days opt for Engineering in pursuit of attractive career options in an age pivoted on technology that constantly changes and upgrades itself. 

Quite often it happens that ( and I have experienced in many cases in reality ) due to sheer lack of knowledge of the various streams being offered by engineering colleges, the students usually stick to some 10-12 engineering streams that are well known. 

This leads to some major decisions going wrong like choosing unsuitable stream for a particular college or choosing wrong college for a particular stream or just choosing any stream that you are getting admission to. 

A prior knowledge and understanding of what is being offered at various colleges and your homework of the options may land you in a surprising and pleasant situation that may just act as a springboard for your aspirations. 

While we  know engineering as a career path..  But few may know the various specializations available in engineering.. Some are core and age-old yet hold a great significance even today and some are new entrants with a great promise, but this list may surprise you

So here is a list of various engineering streams typically offered for Bachelor of Engineering (BE) and Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) programs in India, including some of the popular ones offered in top engineering colleges:

1. Computer Science and Engineering (CSE)

2. Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE)

3. Mechanical Engineering (ME)

4. Civil Engineering (CE)

5. Electrical Engineering (EE)

6. Chemical Engineering

7. Aerospace Engineering

8. Biotechnology Engineering

9. Information Technology (IT)

10. Instrumentation Engineering

11. Automobile Engineering

12. Industrial Engineering

13. Environmental Engineering

14. Petroleum Engineering

15. Biochemical Engineering

16. Textile Engineering

17. Mining Engineering

18. Metallurgical Engineering

19. Nuclear Engineering

20. Marine Engineering

21. Ocean Engineering

22. Food Technology

23. Material Science and Engineering

24. Robotics Engineering

25. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI & ML)

26. Cybersecurity Engineering

27. Data Analytics

28. Big Data

29. Cloud computing Engineering

30. Block chain Tech Engineering

31. Renewable Energy Engineering

32. Photonics Engineering

33. Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineerin

34. Systems Engineering

35. Data Science and Engineering

36. Biomedical Engineering

37. Fire and Safety Engineering

38. Geological Engineering

39. Geoinformatics Engineering

40. Power Engineering

41.Telecommunication Engineering

42. Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE)

43. Computer Engineering

44. Information Science and Engineering (ISE)

45. Network Engineering

46. Mechatronics Engineering

47. VLSI Design and Embedded Systems

48. Structural Engineering

49. Transportation Engineering

50. Water Resources Engineering

The Institutes are evolving to emerging requirements of the market and are launching new designed courses every year. hence these are just some of the many engineering streams being offered in India, and the availability may vary from college to college. Additionally, some colleges might offer interdisciplinary programs combining elements from multiple streams. It's always recommended to check the specific offerings of each college before applying.

The BIG question however remains is what do I choose ? when the  admission counselling begins most students have a particular stream in mind and then they have some back up stream in mind. Their decision however hinges on which  college they  get eligible for . 

Quite often we see that many students and parents have a specific preference  about a college / institution and they want to get enrolled to a particular college and are ready to change the aspired stream for the same if required. This mostly in the impression that a particular college has better reputation which may lead to a possibly better campus placement for them. 

However this  may not be always true. Its quite possible and does happen quite often that not all streams in a particular college are equally efficient and  rich in resources life Lab infrastructure , Faculties , Industry connect for internship and other factors. 

Secondly, you need to remember that you will be making a lifelong career based on your stream of engineering - your knowledge , your skills acquired for a particular kind of work and not the name of college. 

The college reputation may help you for your first job but thereafter your growth is dependant solely on your performance. And your performance will depend on your competency, your interest , passion and your personality. ( Plus some other factors ) 

Hence compromising your  engineering stream may not be a wise decision. Whereas compromising your college of choice for your Stream of choice may prove to be more beneficial in the long term. 

Remember , making a career is much larger perspective than seeking a job. If you are just seeking a job and are not really bothered about making a career then its a different story. 

So the next question is How do I choose my Engineering Stream ? 

Going by market trend is something what most students do. And  many end up choosing wrong only to be corrected by taking up MBA or something else not relevant to engineering. 

But if making a career in engineering field is what you are dead sincere about then diving deep within yourself to understand what kind of work would you enjoy the most is important. Its not about the field or sector its about YOU. So understand yourself . Check for your specific talent , aptitude and skills. Map the same with your interest and source of joy. See what kind of personality strengths or limitations do you have ( these  play a major role in your career growth).

Are you a person who likes to sit and code or you are an outdoor freak who enjoys working with tools and equipments.  Do tall and BIG creations inspire you  or does working on nano technlogy to create larger impact in society motivate you ? 

Are you competent and competitive ? are you resilient enough or tend to be rigid ? Does long and persistent working  bring boredom or you are a person who doesn't stop until the desired objective is achieved ? 

These kind of objective introspection will surely help you in choosing an appropriate stream that will be your playing field for a considerable time of your life  and can help you achieve multiple milestones in your engineering career.

Remember engineering is not a degree ... you don't become engineer by just getting a engineering degree. Engineering is an Attitude .. engineering is a way of life.. look around you and you will find that  this world is nothing but engineering. There are multiple careers apart from engineering but there is no career without engineering in it. 

So choose your engineering stream wisely. You are ought to make a serious impact out there 

Hope this opens up some new possibilities for you.

In case you feel that consulting a professional and expert career coach will be a wise choice feel free to connect with me and I will help you choose your dream engineering stream. 

Cheers and regards

Avinaash Deshmukh

Career Coach 

9657600076

care@brainsmaart.com