Some time ago my son was curious to know why I chose to be an electrical engineer while doors for high paid jobs were available to me including a complete scholarship to get PHD in finance or computer science for a high ranking position in a reputable bank.
In response, while explaining my passion for electrical engineering, I tried to organize my thoughts not only to answer his questions but also to explain why I opted to do engineering design while lots of less stressful jobs are available to engineers with far less liability.
The following are the reasons why I ended up in engineering design. They are not characteristic of electrical engineering design only, but also apply to other disciplines as well.
Ø A commitment to continuous improvement through innovation.
Ø Passion to work on diverse projects around the globe.
Ø Diverse, international opportunities to develop your expertise
Ø Make a tangible impact on the projects stakeholders.
Ø A wide range of challenging, unique and ground breaking projects.
Ø Ability to positively influence the way a project progresses.
Ø Innovate and generate clever outcomes.
Ø The opportunity to work on a full project life-cycle from conception to delivery.
Ø Team work, and collective accountability for project deliverables.
Ø The skills to solve complex engineering problems
Ø Not settle for "acceptable" performance but to strive for excellence.
Ø Opportunity to travel to places never seen before and experiencing their cultures and traditions.
Ø Undertaking difficult projects in tough environments.
Ø Fascinating team building, mobilization and demobilization with each project.
Ø Opportunity to expand responsibilities and work with great leaders on complex projects.
Ø Keeping up with the pace of change in the project team.
Masoud Kashani
August 14th, 2013
