Engineering

Engineers bring creative solutions to people’s everyday lives in ways that can change the world.

As an engineer, you will be part of a rewarding career with the opportunity to innovate and solve problems daily. Students interested in STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – will enjoy the challenge, creativity and opportunity of this career.

About the Program  

Jackson College offers a Fundamentals of Engineering Certificate program that gives students a head start toward their career, and skills they can use right away in the workforce. The Fundamentals of Engineering Certificate offers a sequence of courses examining math, problem-solving, science skills and more, necessary for those planning to become an engineer.

Students planning to transfer to a four-year university can complete the certificate in order to find jobs now as engineering technicians. Engineering technicians use their knowledge of mathematics and natural sciences to solve technical problems and assist in practical applications. Technician work is more limited in scope and application-oriented than that of engineers, and they may assist engineers on projects.

Typically, a bachelor’s degree is necessary for engineers. Students may complete their first three or four semesters at Jackson College, saving money before transfer. The College’s program is designed in conjunction with the engineering curriculum at the University of Michigan, and students may transfer to top engineering schools in the state.

Engineering Specialties

Prospective engineers may choose from 25 major specialties, and many sub-specialties, including:

• Chemical engineers apply the principles of chemistry, biology, physics, and math to solve problems that involve the production or use of chemicals, fuel, drugs, food, and many other products.
• Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacturing of electrical equipment, such as electric motors, radar and navigation systems, communications systems, and power generation equipment.
• Mechanical engineering is one of the broadest engineering disciplines. Mechanical engineers design, develop, build, and test mechanical and thermal devices, including tools, engines, and machines.
• Civil engineering involves the construction of buildings, bridges, roads, dams and other structures.
• Many more specialties. (Visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, www.bls.gov/oco, or the American Society for Engineering Education, http://www.egfi-k12.org/, for more information.)

Students interested in the engineering certificate will typically complete the program requirements in about one and a half years, three or four semesters, though an aggressive student may complete it in a shorter period. Students looking at a career in engineering should be mechanically inclined, computer literate, have good math skills and high aptitude for technical courses, and have a strong interest in the sciences.

The employment of engineers should grow between 4 and 8 percent over the next several years. Demand varies by specialty.