Engineers, drivers of change

"Engineering is not merely knowing and being knowledgeable, like a walking encyclopedia; engineering is not merely analysis; engineering is not merely the possession of the capacity to get elegant solutions to non-existent engineering problems; engineering is practicing the art of the organising forces of technological change. Engineers operate at the interface between science and society," said Gordon Stanley Brown, late professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
According to CONE (Convention of NRB Engineers), there is a shortage of engineering experts in many fields in Bangladesh. "The shortage is so huge that in almost every sector, we need to hire foreigners to fulfill the roles," remarked a professional. Skilled engineers are in demand in Bangladesh, and there is an acute misconception that engineers do not get jobs. Because of this, a lot of engineering graduates choose to move abroad in pursuit of higher education or to build a career. "I have always wanted to have an academic career, and I think the opportunities available in Bangladesh for research and academics is very little. I do plan to return someday, after I have learned more and if there is progress in my chosen field in Bangladesh," remarked Touhid, a Bangladeshi postgraduate student living in Germany.
Moreover, a good number of engineering graduates choose to pursue MBA and get jobs in business sector, rather than continue careers in engineering. A reason for that is in Bangladesh the starting salary of engineers is quite low compared to that of business graduates. The starting salary for fresh engineers is on an average twenty-five thousand taka to forty thousand taka. It takes a while for engineers to climb up the hierarchy to a position that is lucrative enough for the hard work and effort that is required.
Other than that, some people chose to pursue engineering degrees simply due to societal pressure. They realise later that being an engineer is not what they want, and so they change their track. "I graduated from an engineering university but neither enjoyed my education, nor my work life later on. I am currently doing my MBA and I plan to enter the financial sector," remarked Shafiqul Islam, a former engineer currently enrolled in MBA programme at IBA of Dhaka University. He suggested, "People should only pursue engineering if they are sure that they have a passion for it. This is the case for any career, but especially so for engineering due to the amount of tasks involved."
However, a collective dilemma faced by engineering graduates is that they often feel that they will be unable to effectively apply what they are learning in the academia. The study of engineering is a necessary basic. It adheres to the laws of the real world, which are constant. Engineers do not need to use every bit of information that they have learnt in university. Their capacity to think critically gives them an edge. The basics will always be there as a foundation in getting the job done, and graduates need not worry about knowing everything right after graduation.
But there is room for improvements when it comes to giving practical education to engineering students. Much of the mathematics taught in engineering will not be required in the field, but the ability to understand and analyse problems to find the solution will be needed. Professors in most reputed engineering universities are quite involved with their industries, a fact that helps to solve this issue. However, in the current world, people do not just hire graduates from reputed universities. Companies want to know that their recruits can do the job that they are hired for. So, for engineers it is always good to have practical experience of the field .
There also exists a gap in the environment that people experience in university, and the actual work environment. "My personal challenge after graduating from BUET was adjusting to the crowd. I had to establish my role through job performance and deal with harsh feedback. Failing and bouncing back was the biggest hurdle. There was no syllabus and no exams. The only thing that mattered is the outcome. It was tough to cope up," said Firoze M Zahidur Rahman, founder of Loosely Coupled Technologies. He also said, "If you are an engineering graduate, you will be recognised through your work and work only. Many engineers are afraid to fail and do not attempt challenging tasks. That should not be the case."
Engineers are the drivers of change and they bring technological innovation to the world. There is no question that society needs engineers to flourish. Despite the challenges involved, engineering must be one of the most rewarding careers.

The writer is a student of BBA programme at IBA, University of Dhaka. She can be reached at [email protected]