Career prospects in Mechanical Engineering

Dr K Kantha Rao / Dr Subodh Debbarma *

Mechanical Engineering started becoming the primary need of the civilization in the form of steam engines, printing machines, cotton gins, weaving machines etc. Today's modern missiles, rocket engines, submarines, automated manufacturing units and even modern luxury vehicles, power plants etc, all are the success stories of this mother branch.

Mechanical Engineering being the largest of the engineering disciplines, every year a lot of mechanical engineers enter into the manufacturing industries of computer and electronic products, machinery and transportation equipment etc.

This branch covers
design, manufacturing, energy science,
computational simulation, thermal and propulsion,
sensors, and control,
nano and micro-mechanics, mechatronics,
solid and fluid mechanics,
micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), biomechanical engineering.

Mechanical engineers are capable of working in a wide variety of industrial sectors and new technologies. They are employable in various industries such as automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, process industry, nuclear technology, biomedical, robotics, automation as well as IT sector as analysts, consultants, and managers.

A very promising field has been evolved in the collaborative works among the clinicians and mechanical engineers, known as bio-heat transfers.

Here the hyperthermia and thermal ablation are known to be very promising therapy techniques where by utilizing heat tumours can be diagnosed as well as prevented and treated. Nano-mechanics, production of bio-fuels etc. are the emerging mechanical engineering fields nowadays.

State-of-the-art laboratories are available in the areas of
Machining, Sheet metal working,
Welding, Robotics, CAD/CAM,
CNC Production grade machines, Automation,
Hybrid Electric Vehicle Design & Manufacturing,
Modelling, Simulation, Ergonomics,
Materials and Industrial Operations Management.

It is one among the oldest and broadest of the engineering disciplines. One can produce a machine component in 3-dimension and can rotate it like a real shape by solid modelling.

Laser cutting, milling, 3-dimensional printing, turning etc. are performed with the aid of latest software tools of mechanical engineering. All these cutting edge technologies ensure very promising prospects.

Again, Robotics and Artificial intelligence are the emerging collaborative disciples in which electrical and computer can work together simultaneously. A robot can be used for hazardous environment and even in performing clinical tests of severe diseases such as attack of deadly viruses like COVID-19.

There are ample of opportunities to be a part of renowned Govt, and private organizations such as NTPC, BHEL, NHPC, NEEPCO, IOCL, ONGC, SAIL, Power grid, Coal India, Reliance power Industries, Tech Mahindra etc.

Every year many multinational companies also recruit a large number of mechanical engineers, such as IDW, Itech Designs, Encata, Titoma Design For China Manufacturing, CAD Outsourcing, Building Information Modelling, Quality Millwright & Machine Services, iSolve Technologies Europe BV, Danway electrical and mechanical engineering llc, Crompton Greaves, CAD FM, Improvians, VVDN Technologies etc.

There are many special certification courses for the operation and maintenance of boilers, turbines, furnaces, cooling systems etc. various components of large thermal power plants. In the futuristic renewable energy systems there will be also bulk recruitments of mechanical engineers.

Automobile companies such as Maruti Udyog, Ashok Leyland, Tata motors, Mahindra, Bajaj Auto, TVS Motor, Hero MotoCorp, Royal Enfield etc. recruit a large number of mechanical engineers.

In international markets the giant recruiters are Ford, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volkswagen, Hyundai, Suzuki, Skoda, Lamborghini, Piaggio, Vespa, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Honda, Bullet, Audi, Opel, Porsche, Toyota, Jaguar, Chevrolet, Jeep, Tesla etc. In the coming years there will be huge recruitments in the various electric and hybrid automobile industries.

Government of India's policy is to replace the existing diesel and petrol fuelled cars by 2030 with the hi-tech modern electric vehicles manufactured by many of the aforementioned companies.

Many interested candidates may choose their career path in higher studies to build a career in teaching and research after completing MTech and PhD from premier educational institutions. There are a number of renowned research organizations like DRDO, ISRO, BARC etc, where the passionate and hard working scholars can join as engineers and even as scientists.

With the BTech degree in Mechanical engineering, students are always on excellent and right way of career prospect in life.