After Reading The Entrepreneurial Engineer Chapters 1 and 2, I have developed a stronger understanding of the Missing Basics and their importance in the career of an engineer in today's society. I agree with Mr.Goldberg's analysis of the differing roles of an engineer of the Cold War and of today's global economy. More and more an engineer is pressed to assume the role of not only a scientist and a mathematician, but also as an entrepreneur and a businessman. As an engineer, one must apply the 10 Competencies and observe the Three Principles and Cautions in order to take charge of his/her career and develop a marketable portfolio and an array of useful skills. This was the basis of Goldberg's first chapter and I agree with his assumptions. I feel that an engineer needs to be able to communicate with others and sell the product or design they have created. They need to learn how to move in and out of their work and the business of people and networking. I think the Three Principles is exactly what an engineer needs to build their career around.
The second chapter deals with engineering in an educational sense and how it relates to and differs from other disciplines. This chapter also presents a way for an engineer to use his/her knowledge to develop a joy for engineering. I never really considered the large differences between science and engineering. As Goldberg stated, our culture has a misunderstanding of the engineering profession. An engineer in today's job market needs to apply the sciences in new ways at high cost versus a scientist's perspective of simply improving efficiency of past techniques. Engineering is a launch pad, as put by Goldberg, into differing careers due to the innovation brought through education and a love for the profession.
This semester I want to develop my presentation skills. I feel like I could become a better public speaker by the end of the semester by not only leading in labs and working with a team, but also participating in clubs and assuming a leadership position. I want to apply the Three Principles to the way I approach innovation and experimentation. This is an ongoing goal, but is again one I would like to see developed upon the conclusion of the semester. My third goal is to apply a business understanding to the products and projects I will be working on in the future. I will accomplish this by working outside of class with clubs and organizations that will develop my understanding of business, and by applying common business knowledge and cost analysis to my work. This is again another "career goal" but one I hope to master by the end of the semester. There are many clubs and organizations that will help me develop this skill and many opportunities within the classroom that I look forward to utilizing.
I agree with you that engineers are called very often to be businessmen. We as engineers are called to help come up with great ideas to help the world and must then use our problem solving skills to make these ideas reality. If these ideas are implemented from a pure scientific or mathematic viewpoint they will be incredibly functional but may not be so practical, or may not appeal to others beyond ourselves.
ReplyDeleteI like that your want to work on your business understanding of products. Products must, as I stated, not only be functional, but they must also be practical, cost effective, useful, and marketable. I think it is great for you to wish to work on this skill but I do not think anyone could master it in one semester. Many business leaders still have not truly mastered this skill. But don't get me wrong I think it is great for you and all of us really to gain more practice in this skill.
I like how you noticed how different being an engineer is than being a scientist. I also like the Goldberg qoute that you used, Engineering is a launch pad into differing careers due to the innovation brought through education and a love for the profession. That is why I went into engineering because I like how engineering gives me an oppurtunity to go so many different directions career wise after I graduate.
ReplyDeleteYou make a very valid point where engineers seep into other professions because of their problem solving skills and expertise. Also, you said you never really considered the differences between pure science and engineering before. I've never really thought about it either, but I can see how they employ completely different means for different ends.
ReplyDeleteOne more point you make is the application of business understanding to products. I also really hope to do the same, as I could understand if engineers become too caught up in the technical side of things losing sight of the big picture.
I would like to comment on engineers as business people and their ability to communicate. In high school, I was in a class where we worked with professional engineers. The engineers in that class basically taught me how to present ideas and use business principles to guide my work. So I agree that communication and business knowledge are very important in the world of engineering.
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