Engineering Students, particularly graduate students, go back to resume their post-graduate studies under the impression that it will be the same experience as their bachelor’s. Little do they know that it’s a completely different experience.
As the academic year unfolds, first-year graduate engineering students are getting ready for a new journey and specialization. An engineering major is a definite challenge, but it can be successfully managed through knowing in advance these 5 key points that will save you a lot of time, effort, and trouble.
There Are No Stupid Questions
Just because engineering students completed their undergraduate programme, doesn’t mean that they’re supposed to know everything about engineering. Everybody starts somewhere, and they’re not expected to tackle their first day of their master’s programme with the pressure of being on top of the game. Being unsure of a certain notion is perfectly fine, the more questions asked the better. There will be a lot of situations when instructors will be explaining a concept and instead of asking them to explain again or clarify what they said, a lot of students tend to let it pass because they don’t want to sound silly. On an individual level, this is counterproductive because it prohibits personal growth. So ask away!
Engineering Students and the Fear of Networking
Socializing early on in the academic programmes is not a distraction but rather a great way to build connections and strong personal and professional relationships with peers as well as experts in the engineering field. It’s never too early to start networking either, as it can be a great way to get projects recognized and put them on the radar for future recruiters. Moreover, this will be an added value to students when they enter the real working world post-graduation, and a steady base for a strong social life by improving their communication skills along with their technical skills.
Taking Initiative as Engineering Students
It’s no secret that grades are important but they’re not the only factor that makes a great engineer. Spending more time thinking about how things function or be used in the real world is far more valuable than grades. Taking initiative in projects, pushing the limit by taking on personal projects will lake the learning more enjoyable and enhance leadership traits that every engineering project manager will benefit from in the future.
In all trainings from Pôle Universitaire Léonard de Vinci, the concrete application is accentuated because the assimilation of knowledge is better if it goes along with a practical example at the same time.
Skills Beyond Engineering
Working on projects will expose students to a world that requires a lot of soft skills and a ton of paperwork! This means going into the details of the master’s programme in advance to prepare for the courses is a bonus, especially since the courses will guide the way for students to develop other competencies that will greatly benefit them in the engineering field and beyond.
For instance, ESiLV engineering school’s grad programmes aim to strengthen the skills of the students at the heart of digital technologies and introduce future engineers to the whole picture of their major by offering courses that are related to management, of law, of innovation, of languages and sports.
Asking for Advice
Asking for help when needed will save students a lot of stress. Everyone knows that the majority of engineers tend to be solo players, but in order to get a complete formation, group projects are always ongoing and require working with different characters and people of diverse professional background experience. This being said, throughout the university education students will be receiving a lot of information, which might get overwhelming at times, and even though not all the concepts will be used in real implemented projects, it’s important to be comfortable with the knowledge shared and ask for a helping hand for a successful team project as well as personal growth.
And here are a couple more advice from ESiLV’s engineering school alumni!
Discover ESiLV’s engineering school master’s degrees.