Why should I study engineering?
By studying engineering, you can help solve problems that are important to society. You could be controlling and preventing pollution, developing new medicines, creating advanced technologies, even exploring new worlds. In addition, because our society is becoming more technology dependent, the demand for Polytechnic Engineering graduates will surely remain high.
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Where can I pursue a degree after I graduate with a Polytechnic diploma?
You can pursue your degree in our four local univerisies NTU, NUS, SMU and SUTD. The requirements of the universities vary and best to visit their websites for more details.
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Where do engineers work?
Engineers work everywhere: In Singapore, our engineering graduates perform a wide range of tasks, like product design using computer simulation and modeling.
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What hours do polytechnic engineering graduates work?
Most engineering graduates work 5 days a week, Monday through Friday. Usually, they work from 8 to 10 hours per day like most other day jobs. However, there are some companies that have flexible work schedules such that their engineers come in for some 8-hour period during the day (say from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.). Sometimes engineers work at a job site where something is happening 24 hours a day and they work a 'shift' schedule. Usually these assignments are temporary, such as for a new plant startup.
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How much money do Polytechnic Engineering graduates make?
Polytechnic Engineering graduates generally earn a good salary. There are also some talented graduates making good returns by going into independent practice or running their own companies. To give you an overview of how much a new graduate can earn, you may refer to MOM Report on Wages in Singapore 2008.
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In what ways do engineers use computers?
For everything from office work such as e-mail and reports, to graphics, to complex calculations. In fact in today's knowledge economy, engineers use the computer more often than they use any other tool.
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What exactly does the word “engineer” mean?
The word “engineer” in french is “ingenieur” which originates from the Latin word ingenium, which makes reference to an ingenious person.
So an engineer is really a person who is able to come up with an ingenious way of solving a problem.
Many people think that an engineer is a person who works on engines. Well, that is not entirely true. Today we have electronic engineers, computer engineers, aerospace engineers, industrial engineers, mechanical engineers etc. Really, they work in various technical areas in which they have to derive ingenious solutions to meet the needs and demands of everyday life.
So the english term, “engineer” is actually misleading. If the English had correctly translated the word, like what the French did correctly, it should then have been "Ingeneer" and not "Engineer".
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What are the opportunities in store for me as an engineer?
Many people shun away from engineering thinking that there aren't many opportunities, but they are wrong. It is misconception. Opportunities abound in Spore, and many companies have to resort to foreign talent because they cannot hire enough local engineers.
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What other incentive is there to being an engineer?
Perhaps one of the greatest satisfaction one can derive as an engineer is that you are a distinguished person with an edge of knowledge, as compared with the laymen. Engineers are not just plain users of gadgets, but one who understands the technologies behind the gadgets.
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Can engineers command a high salary?
Most people may not realise that there are many successful entrepreneurs were formerly engineering graduates. For example in the 80s, many engineers in an MNC left and established their very own businesses that made them multi-millionaires. Also many engineers from hard-disk drives companies left and formed metal stamping and precision engineering companies, supporting the hard disk drive industries. Some engineers have even climbed up the rungs of the organisation to become managing directors or CEOs of large organisations. Many head honchos in organisations started their careers as engineers. Studying engineering in other words provides us with a very sound foundation in the technological field and also equipped us with excellent analytical mind.
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