Engineering Careers
Engineering Careers (2:07)
“Girls should definitely consider engineering. I think many people, because of what you see around, you might think that engineering is really boring or very siloed and isolating, but really it’s not the case. Engineering, at the end of the day, gives you the technology and the skills for you to be able to do anything. It is so versatile. I think girls would feel really powerful doing engineering, so you should do it.”
Role models in order of appearance: Sowmya Subramanian, Debra Kimberling, Tracy Mack-Askew, Tonya Noble, Jaime Catchen, Laura Major, and Penny Wirsing.
1) The first engineering role model said that while many people think a career in engineering is “boring,” it actually gives you the technology and skills to do anything. How can you know for sure if a career in engineering is actually boring or exciting?
2) The engineer from General Motors automobile company said that by watching the “crash dummies” she realized her job was important. How might an engineer from a car company work to keep people safe?
3) In the video, one role model said that engineering “helps turn scientific principles, ideas, and dreams into reality.” In your own words, what do you think she meant by this statement?
4) Software engineers work to develop computer programs. If you become a software engineer, what kind of computer software would you like to develop and why?
5) The NASA jet propulsion engineer made her job sound like a puzzle involving many pieces that must work together. Tell about a project you worked on that had many different pieces that had to work together.
6) Sometimes a career in engineering can be combined with an interest in other areas. What interests do you have that might be successfully combined with a career in engineering?
7) Careers in engineering can help protect people and the environment. Would you enjoy a career that keeps people safe or that helps protect the earth? Why or why not?
Girls should definitely consider engineering. I think many people, because of what you see around, you might think that engineering is really boring or very siloed and isolating, but really it’s not the case. Engineering, at the end of the day, gives you the technology and the skills for you to be able to do anything. It is so versatile. I think girls would feel really powerful doing engineering, so you should do it.
Engineering is about turning scientific principles, and ideas, and dreams into reality.
When I first witnessed that crash dummy test side, I realized that this was very important, keeping people safe, providing vehicles that not only are comfortable and enjoyable, fun to drive, but also keeping them safe and sheltering the families and providing that for them.
I decided to pursue engineering. I’ve always had an interest in computers. My first computer was a Commodore Vic 20. This is human made. This is someone that put thought into this. This just didn’t create itself. So that sparked my interest in wanting to go into computers and programming.
Systems engineering is when we take a whole bunch of different components of the spacecraft and we put them together. So we have things like the computer. We have the Flight Software. We make sure that the design of those things together works right.
I had a strong interest in math and science. I still always had the side interest in psychology. I took one class that was in human computer interaction, and I realized that there was actually a field that brought engineering and psychology together called cognitive engineering.
There is so much attention on how to protect the environment, how to do things in a smarter way in the future to really make the world a better place for our children. But I would say any type of engineering is really a great way to open the door to all kinds of opportunities.
Independent Learning Guide: This all-purpose guide can be used by educators, parents, and mentors to jumpstart a lively discussion about careers in engineering.
Do you like to turn ideas and dreams into reality? You should definitely consider a career in engineering! As you’ll learn from role models in this video, this field is anything but boring!
Classroom Lesson Plan: This step-by-step lesson plan is available to guide a more in-depth “before, during, and after” learning experience when viewing the video with students. This lesson plan is also suitable for use in after-school programs and other educational settings.
Use Empowerment Activities as a fun way to reinforce the video topic and build community with your students.
Related Empowerment Lessons:
Fun Page Activity: Can you be an engineer even if you’re not sure math is your best subject? Learn what’s true and what’s not about the field of engineering.