Engineering is an incredibly attractive career prospect for anyone with a creative mind or an interest in science and maths. Engineers are the creators of this World, the ones who design, innovate and construct, they earn a good salary, are very respected and there is great deal of job security involved. As is the way with attractive career paths, the engineering industry is very competitive and there are so many students who are choosing to major in engineering that, as a student, you will need to be the best that you can be in order to get a job when you finish your studies. In order to succeed as an engineering student here are some of the things that you should be doing.

Be a Student of the Industry

Aside from learning the nuts and bolts of your job, you should also be an ardent student of the engineering industry, keeping up with changes and advancements as well as learning about the key people. People who have succeeded in the industry like Anura Leslie Perera, the Sri Lankan born engineer who runs Raycom Aerospace, can provide you with great inspiration. Keeping an eye on the careers of people like Anura can help you to map out your career path and teach you how to succeed.

Use Your Free Time

If you really want to set yourself apart from the rest of those looking to get into engineering then you need to be investing your free time to further your knowledge. Taking on an internship over the summer for example is a great way to improve your skills as an engineer, learn the craft and impress your prospective employers through your dedication to learning. It is important that you build up a portfolio of projects throughout your career and you should start as early as you can. If you have graduated from college, have a strong portfolio of projects that you have been involved in and can show that you have dedicated your free time to engineering then you are giving yourself the best possible opportunity to succeed.

Create a Network

Creating networks will be key to your future success and you should begin making contacts whilst you are still studying. Striking up relationships with professionals, teachers and influential people within the industry is a great way of not only learning but giving yourself opportunities. Don’t be shy, seek out people in the business that you think you could learn something from and send them an email, ask questions about how best to succeed, what areas you should look at working on or any other questions that you have. Making friends in such a competitive industry has many advantages, more job possibilities, more opportunities for projects and a whole host of other benefits. If nothing else, having a network of intelligent and successful people within the engineering industry means that you always have a place to go should you need advice or help with any problems.