EP028: How to Become an Engineer ft. Drew and Angela Munson

Episode 28: How to Become an Engineer ft. Drew & Angela Munson

Featuring: Drew & Angela Munson, Material Science Engineers.

Mentor Bio:

Angela Munson grew up in Toledo, Ohio and got her bachelor’s degree in materials science and engineering from THE Ohio State University. By far the coolest thing she’s done is leaving her home state and traveling to new places. In 2015, she and her now-husband, Drew Munson, went on a sabbatical (self-funded, aka they quit) and backpacked around the world for 8 months! She now lives in Phoenix, AZ and is a process engineer at Intel on the most complicated manufacturing process known to man!

Drew Munson met had the same job as Angela at Intel until recently he decided to go back to school and get his MBA. He got a full ride scholarship to ASU for his MBA. In addition Drew, one of my best friends… was actually a groomsman in their wedding recently… can be seen scaling thousand foot cliffs. In fact he rock climbed El Capitan a 3000+ foot cliff over the course of 3 days in Yosemite this past year.

Industry Overview:

What do Material Science Engineers do?

Materials engineers develop, process, and test materials used to create a wide range of products, from computer chips and aircraft wings to golf clubs and biomedical devices.

They study the properties and structures of metals, ceramics, plastics, composites, nano-materials (extremely small substances), and other substances in order to create new materials that meet certain mechanical, electrical, and chemical requirements.

What does their work environment look like?

Materials engineers generally work in offices where they have access to computers and design equipment. Others work in factories or research and development laboratories. Materials engineers typically work full time and may work overtime hours when necessary.

How do you become a Material Science Engineers?

Materials engineers must have a bachelor’s degree in materials science and engineering or in a related engineering field. Completing internships and cooperative engineering programs while in school can be helpful in getting hired as a materials engineer.

What is the pay?

The median annual wage for materials engineers was $94,610 in May 2017.

Future demand in marketplace?

Employment of materials engineers is projected to grow 2 percent from 2016 to 2026, slower than the average for all occupations.

Materials engineers will be needed to design uses for new materials both in traditional industries, such as aerospace manufacturing, and in industries focused on new medical or scientific products. However, most materials engineers work in manufacturing industries, many of which are expected to have declines or little change in employment.

Overall…

Material science engineering which is a subset of mechanical engineering ranks # 1 in best engineering jobs based on 5 categories (salary, job market, future growth, stress, and work-life balance); with civil engineer, cartographer, and petroleum coming in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th respectively.

Todd’s personal opinion…

Be careful if you are looking to get into this industry… The growth rate personally worries me at only 2%… I am sure other types of engineering jobs are out there with this degree just make sure you do your research. Artificial intelligence or machine learning will be disrupting many industries.

You can learn more about that in episode 13 with Rosana Myers who raised millions. It is much easier to get a job and find work when the growth rate is above average. For example, nursing for episode #25 with Aaron Donze had a 31% projected increase… that means nurses will be paid more in the future and you will never have an issue getting a job. Financial advisor from episode 19 had a 15% increase.

Show Notes:

• [0:53] – Episode Previews!
• [1:47] – Todd Intro / Episode Start!
• [2:33] – Meet This Week’s Guest… Drew & Angela!
• [4:07] – Material Science Engineers – Industry Overview!
• [7:56] – Drew & Angela’s Secret Industry Insights!
• [11:08] – What the Heck is Material Science Engineering?!
• [15:02] – Drew & Angela’s Unique Plan and Steps for Career and Life Success!
• [20:51] – An Average Day in the Life of Drew & Angela!
• [23:05] – A Special Message From the Mastermind Community!
• [30:29] – Would You Do It Again?..
• [34:19] – Quitting Your Job to Travel the World!
• [38:06] – Drew & Angela’s #1 Piece of Actionable Advice for Teens!
• [40:35] – Key Points / Recap From Todd!
• [41:28] – Questions From the Student-Tutor Mastermind Members!
• [47:11] – Episode Wrap-up / Who’s Coming Next Week?
• [47:46] – Episode End.

Mentor’s Key Points:

Engineering is Likely NOT What You Think it is!

With so many different fields and career paths, it’s CRITICAL you do your own research and look further into the day to day activities of a particular engineering job. Just because you hear one side of the puzzle, it doesn’t mean it applies across the board!

Explore Different Industries… and TRAVEL!

Your life does not have to be glued to a single path! Take time to explore yourself, your environment, and the WORLD!

Make New Friends!

Make it a goal to make 10 new friends each semester! Doing so will explode your personal network, and will open your eyes to a much broader perspective of the world AND your community!

Resources:

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The Mentors 4 Teens: College, Scholarship, and Career Guidance Podcast
Copyright © 2018 by Student Tutor
Produced by: Todd VanDuzer & Cody Mack
Recording by: Todd VanDuzer
Music & Editing: Cody Mack
Sponsorship & Interview Requests: podcast@student-tutor.com