what made you want to become an engineer?

John Harland answered on 8 Nov 2022:

I suppose I’d always been interested in how things go together and how they work. As a kid, I played with Lego and Meccano (the old metal variety – much better!) and built Airfix models. Later on, I became interested in cars and started helping my sister maintain her first cars. I might have chosen languages for A-level, as I enjoyed them at O-level (the old version of GCSEs) but didn’t fancy writing a lot of essays (which was how I perceived it would be) so chose Maths/Physics/Chemistry. When it came to choosing a degree course, I decided I wanted to use my A-levels in a more practical way than through a pure science degree, and so chose engineering.

Adam Yates answered on 9 Nov 2022:

It’s probably worth saying to start off with that I only really decided to be an engineer when I got to Year 12 at school. When I was younger, I always liked trying to find solutions to problems. I liked inventing new products or machines. The subjects I enjoyed the most at school were maths and sciences, but I also really enjoyed French and design technology. By end of my GCSEs I decided I wanted to pursue something in science or design, so I looked at what job opportunities were available, and thought I would enjoy a career in engineering more than the others! I have turned my other interests (languages, design, cooking) into hobbies, so that when the workday is over, I still have fun things to look forward to.

Rebecca Henderson answered on 9 Nov 2022:

When I was at school I didn’t know what I wanted to do as lots of jobs I didn’t really know what we did on a daily basis and there seemed so much choice! I did know what subjects I enjoyed which was maths and the sciences, especially chemistry. Growing up I had always enjoyed problem solving, doing puzzles and found it very satisfying getting the answer! I chose to study chemical engineering because of the subjects I was interested in, and I enjoyed problem solving and solving equations. A bonus of studying engineering is that it opens the door to many career options in the future – you can become an engineer in range of industries, or you can branch into other things such as finance e.g., become an accountant because studying engineering gives you the skills to be good with numbers and problem solving.
(Note: There are many paths to become an engineer for example rather than university some companies offer apprenticeships. )

Emma Farquharson answered on 14 Nov 2022:

I really didn’t know what I wanted to do when I was younger. At school, when it came to picking subjects, I just chose the ones I enjoyed – maths and the sciences (and also music!). When it came to thinking about careers I did a lot of research online to try and figure out what I could do that would use these subjects. I found that engineering, and especially chemical engineering, sounded like a great way to go as it seemed like with that there were lots of different career paths you could follow – from working in the energy industry, to pharmaceuticals, to working in a chocolate factory (which I thought sounded very cool!). So I went on to study Chemical Engineering at University, and then after a couple of summer internships in the energy industry which I really enjoyed, I became a Process Engineer full time (which has been great so far!).

Paul James answered on 17 Nov 2022:

An inquisitive mind and a desire to build things made me want to be an engineer
When I was growing up, I was always taking things apart to see how they worked and sometimes I was even able to put them together and get them to work again afterwards. 🙂

Anne Velenturf answered on 17 Nov 2022:

As a kid I wanted to become a train driver, but was told trains were not for girls 🙁 I fear any wish for me to become an engineer may have been removed from my brain! It’s a shame really and I am sure that many girls still experience that today. My message therefor is: if you think you want to go into engineering, do it! Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Fast forward a few decades, and I have been working in engineering teams for nearly 15 years. I like the working environment because it tends to be optimistic. There are so many challenges in the world and engineers are often very solution oriented. There’s a belief that a positive difference can be made.

Veronica Pisani answered on 17 Nov 2022:

My science teacher when I was 13 suggested I go to an engineering summer camp because I was good at math. I wanted to go to a sleepaway camp and the engineering sleepaway camp was less expensive than the traditional wilderness camp. Ever since that summer, I knew I wanted to study some type of engineering discipline, but I didn’t settle on mechanical engineering until I was 18 and started college.

Nicole Payne answered on 22 Nov 2022:

I hadn’t always wanted to become an engineer. I just ended up taking the subjects I liked which was chemistry, maths and physics! This naturally led to me choosing chemical engineering at University as it was a mix of subjects I liked. The takeaway here is you don’t have to always know what you want to be! Just choose the subjects that interest you and it can naturally find you a path of new opportunities!

Anastasia Bird answered on 28 Nov 2022:

Visiting chemical plant when I was in school. I was fascinated by the scale of equipment and industrial units – and how it all worked together. Just seemed like a massive constructor or playground 🙂

Question: what made you want to become an engineer?

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