Looking for guidance on building a multidisciplinary engineering career

Coffee break thoughts...

• Which skills would you prioritize if you were starting your career today?

I remember worrying about this a lot for at least the first 10 years of my career. But there were hardly any times that I picked a skill in advance where it turned out to be the right one. I've constantly developed new skills, but I'd say 95% of the time the need for skill came out of finding that the job I was already doing needed it, rather than the skill coming first. I'd say find work that interest you first, then you'll quickly find what you're missing. Not just different industries, but different roles in those industries need a different balance of skills. (But still see 4th bullet)

• Is combining software/AI with industrial engineering a worthwhile direction?

Yes, but everybody's doing it. I remember in the late 1980s large numbers of engineers developing telecomms skills because that's where all the jobs were coming up, and then by the mid-late 1990s there were large numbers of redundant telecomms engineers. If you find the idea of combining software/AI with industrial engineering technically interesting then I'd say definitely go for it, if you are thinking of it just because you think it as a secure future for your whole career then be careful. But to be honest that's true for any area of engineering.  

• Which technical areas complement each other well?

Depends what industry you go into! Pick any two areas of technology and you'll find some industry somewhere that combines them, often in very surprising ways. Which is why - linked to the answers to the first two bullets - personally I'd recommend finding an industry / field that you are interested in first,. and then see what applies in that field.

• What skills are often overlooked by students and early-career engineers?

As Simon says, but also human skills. Understanding how different roles in the team work, knowing why we need project managers, application engineers, sales / marketing teams, how these all work together with your role to make one whole working team. Belbin's team roles: you don't have to be good at everything, understand how your skills work with others. Knowing when and how to ask questions, and when and how to stop asking questions and get on with the work. Commercial skills - even as simple as knowing that you can't keep engineering for ever, your costs need to be covered by value added to the organisation. Remembering that technology is there to solve a problem, not for the sake of the technology alone.

• How can I balance hands-on engineering, software, AI, cybersecurity and research without becoming too scattered?

Depends whether you want to be a deep technical expert or a broad based systems engineer (maybe moving towards project management / leadership). Either path is fine. There's a good model of the "T shaped" engineer: one technical specialism, but basic knowledge of a wide range of areas to know how they interact with your specialism. Even if you were going the deep technical expert route I'd recommend aiming for that. But do not pretend to be an expert in all these areas, no-one is.

• What would you recommend focusing on over the next 2–5 years to build a strong international career?

I find the word "international career" interesting. In my experience getting international opportunities is relatively easy, most engineers (myself included) want to build a stable life outside work with few location moves. Which means anyone who actually wants to live out of a suitcase working across multiple countries generally can - and can potentially earn a LOT of money doing it. However, what these opportunities are looking for is a CV that shows the applicant can do at least the basic job required. Getting a first job in a multinational company and then taking advantage of overseas secondments within that company is something I've seen work very well for people. But in any case, with 1-2 years experience you can start looking for overseas opportunities.

• Are there free or affordable online communities, projects, research opportunities, conferences, courses or mentorship opportunities that you would recommend?

Can't think of any specifically, but do see some thoughts we had in this thread which might be relevant: Made redundant from manufacturing, struggling to get back into engineering. Advice welcome - Career Development - IET EngX - IET EngX

Coffee break thoughts...

• Which skills would you prioritize if you were starting your career today?

I remember worrying about this a lot for at least the first 10 years of my career. But there were hardly any times that I picked a skill in advance where it turned out to be the right one. I've constantly developed new skills, but I'd say 95% of the time the need for skill came out of finding that the job I was already doing needed it, rather than the skill coming first. I'd say find work that interest you first, then you'll quickly find what you're missing. Not just different industries, but different roles in those industries need a different balance of skills. (But still see 4th bullet)

• Is combining software/AI with industrial engineering a worthwhile direction?

Yes, but everybody's doing it. I remember in the late 1980s large numbers of engineers developing telecomms skills because that's where all the jobs were coming up, and then by the mid-late 1990s there were large numbers of redundant telecomms engineers. If you find the idea of combining software/AI with industrial engineering technically interesting then I'd say definitely go for it, if you are thinking of it just because you think it as a secure future for your whole career then be careful. But to be honest that's true for any area of engineering.  

• Which technical areas complement each other well?

Depends what industry you go into! Pick any two areas of technology and you'll find some industry somewhere that combines them, often in very surprising ways. Which is why - linked to the answers to the first two bullets - personally I'd recommend finding an industry / field that you are interested in first,. and then see what applies in that field.

• What skills are often overlooked by students and early-career engineers?

As Simon says, but also human skills. Understanding how different roles in the team work, knowing why we need project managers, application engineers, sales / marketing teams, how these all work together with your role to make one whole working team. Belbin's team roles: you don't have to be good at everything, understand how your skills work with others. Knowing when and how to ask questions, and when and how to stop asking questions and get on with the work. Commercial skills - even as simple as knowing that you can't keep engineering for ever, your costs need to be covered by value added to the organisation. Remembering that technology is there to solve a problem, not for the sake of the technology alone.

• How can I balance hands-on engineering, software, AI, cybersecurity and research without becoming too scattered?

Depends whether you want to be a deep technical expert or a broad based systems engineer (maybe moving towards project management / leadership). Either path is fine. There's a good model of the "T shaped" engineer: one technical specialism, but basic knowledge of a wide range of areas to know how they interact with your specialism. Even if you were going the deep technical expert route I'd recommend aiming for that. But do not pretend to be an expert in all these areas, no-one is.

• What would you recommend focusing on over the next 2–5 years to build a strong international career?

I find the word "international career" interesting. In my experience getting international opportunities is relatively easy, most engineers (myself included) want to build a stable life outside work with few location moves. Which means anyone who actually wants to live out of a suitcase working across multiple countries generally can - and can potentially earn a LOT of money doing it. However, what these opportunities are looking for is a CV that shows the applicant can do at least the basic job required. Getting a first job in a multinational company and then taking advantage of overseas secondments within that company is something I've seen work very well for people. But in any case, with 1-2 years experience you can start looking for overseas opportunities.

• Are there free or affordable online communities, projects, research opportunities, conferences, courses or mentorship opportunities that you would recommend?

Can't think of any specifically, but do see some thoughts we had in this thread which might be relevant: Made redundant from manufacturing, struggling to get back into engineering. Advice welcome - Career Development - IET EngX - IET EngX