The general perception of mechanical engineering is that it is not a computer-driven degree. However, it has been fully IT-driven hands-on over the last two decades in all technology fields, says ROHIT LATHER

The world is seeing a remarkable shift from conventional jobs to digital jobs. Computer and automation driven systems have penetrated our day to day lives in a big way. COVID-19 has impacted industry strategy. They have started to adopt work digitisation, automation of tasks, and acceleration of organisational transformation and reskilling and upskilling workforce.  As a result, we have seen a surge amongst students to take up a career in computer disciplines. After high school, students taking up mechanical engineering, electrical, or civil engineering feel left out of the future. The question that comes to one's mind is what to do with a mechanical engineering degree?

The general perception of mechanical engineering is that it is not a computer-driven degree.  However, mechanical engineering has been fully IT-driven hands-on over the last two decades and is a need in all technology fields. One of the reasons for this perception is the limited resources at educational institutions for industrially used mechanical engineering software available to students, which is notably not required in computer engineering. Also, there is an insufficient understanding of opportunities amongst mechanical engineering students.

Mechanical engineering is a flexible, cross-functional degree in terms of career profiles. For example, all the computer-driven machines produce a lot of data; this data will play an essential role in improving or designing the devices. However, data doesn't eliminate the need for a mechanical engineer; instead, it acts as an enabler. "The emergence of data science" has increased the number and variety of job options for mechanical engineers. They can now combine "machine learning" with engineering to address a wide range of challenging technical problems, "from water desalination to gene expression" – Head, ME Department Carnegie Mellon University.

In addition to technical knowledge, future mechanical engineers will have the following skills: communication, management, teamwork, creativity, initiative-taking abilities and problem-solving. Again, I quote Robert Leduc, President, Pratt & Whitney, "We need adaptable engineers who speak a common language and solve issues for the entire system, blurring functional lines and titles."

Powerful new technologies are likely to be adopted by 2025 coming up in the following sectors, which cannot be designed, developed or produced without the help of mechanical engineers.

vAutomotive: electric vehicles, autonomous vehicles, advanced driver assisted systems, safety and crash testing

vIndustry 4.0: Internet of Machines, process automation, Machine learning, Quality management

vManufacturing sector: 3D Printing, Digital Twins, 4D Modelling

vAutomation sector: Robots, Humanoid, Artificial intelligence and Machine learning

vEnergy sector: Power generation, energy storage, energy efficiency, renewable energy, alternative fuels

vMaterials: Lightweight materials, energy-efficient materials, biomaterial, composites

vHVAC (Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning): Inverter technology, air quality monitoring

vAerospace: Aeroplanes, advanced aerospace technology, drones, rockets

vNanotechnology: Nano-material, Nano-devices

vSupply Chain: Transportation, storage, automation

vBioMedical: Medical device industry

vLabs: Scientific and modern labs

As per World Economic Forum (WEF), these new technologies are set to drive future growth across industries and increase the demand for new job roles and skill sets.

A qualified mechanical engineering computer literate graduate can get employed in many industries and job profiles like automotive, computer and IT, management and finance. In addition, being an entrepreneur is an excellent choice for a mechanical engineering graduate considering the versatile skills they acquire during the graduate program at the university or college. Mechanical engineers can work on ambitious projects and take up leadership roles.

The high demand jobs directly related to mechanical engineering in India include aerospace engineer, analyst, automotive engineer, CAD engineer, instrumentation and control engineer, design engineer, defence engineer, industrial engineer, maintenance engineer, mechanical engineer, nuclear engineer, production engineer, process automation engineer, project managers, robotics engineers, quality engineer, and more.

The following are the emerging and high demand jobs in India for mechanical engineers: Acoustic consultant, AI specialist, clinical technologist, corporate investment banker, fintech Engineer, IOT specialist, mining engineer, ML specialist, patent attorney, production manager, technical sales public works engineer  Technology analyst and many more.

As per World Economic Forum (WEF) Future Job Reports, the top 10 skills in 2020 were: complex problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, people management, coordination with others, emotional intelligence, judgement and decision making, service orientation negotiation and cognitive flexibility. However, keep in mind that most recruiters accept applications from any discipline, so do not restrict yourself to many opportunities in the job market.

The writer is HoD, Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering and Technology, The NorthCap University