How to become an Automotive Engineer
An automotive engineer’s job is to carry out the necessary design and research for the development of new cars, trucks and other vehicles. An automotive engineer will be able to analyze data, design new vehicular parts, calculate potential specifications and will also have a good consideration for safety. There are generally three areas of automotive engineering:
Product engineers; responsible for designing engines, transmissions, gearboxes and other components, as well as testing them for endurance, reliability, and of course, safety.
Development engineers; responsible for the design, detail and specifications of all the individual parts.
Manufacturing engineers; responsible for the creation of all parts, for the whole production process from manufacturing of individual parts, to the final assembly of the finished vehicle.
Automotive engineers possess a number of skills. Knowledge in physics, mathematics and chemistry at a high school level will be essential for later higher education courses. A course that teaches Computer Aided Design (CAD) software is also useful, as a lot of the design work automotive engineers carry out will be done with this type of software, although this can be learned at a later date.
At a university level, there are generally two main courses that can be followed, either Automotive Engineering Technology or Mechanical Engineering.
Despite the name, Automotive Engineering Technology only prepares candidates for one aspect of the trade, that of product engineering. The courses focus on the design and testing of individual parts, taking into account factors such as emissions testing, and teach automotive engineering principles and laboratory methods. Many of the top institutes can offer internships to prepare students with real world experience. It is also the case that many top institutions require the successful completion of an internship in order to graduate.
Mechanical Engineering on the other hand, is broader. It encompasses more general aspects of automotive design. Engineering theory and a lot of laboratory work makes up most of this course, although it should be said specialization in automotive engineering is lacking at the undergraduate level and students studying mechanical engineering who wish to move into automotive engineering should prepare for further study at postgraduate level.
Once qualified at either the undergraduate or postgraduate level, further certifications may be required. Institutes such as the Society of Automotive Engineers offer the exams required. Once a qualified engineer, candidates are ready to seek job opportunities.
The field of automotive engineering is expected to rise around7%between 2008 and 2018, in line with the industry standards. Of course, further qualifications and certifications may be required as new technologies, such as hybrid cars, are developed.
