What it takes to become an engineer

One does not simply take engineering.”

Yes, a line of a meme you probably read somewhere on the internet, and if an engineer or future engineer is currently reading this, I bet you smiled a bit.

It is one of those programs (not “course”) that makes relatives or acquaintances go: “Naku mahirap ’yang engineering!” “Wow! Ang talino mo naman! P’wede bang paturo ako sa math?”

Then the conversation becomes awkward and you kind of pretend to be humble and tell them it’s not like that.

Sometimes people will call you “engineer” instead of your name, and that’s even more awkward because you know that you can’t be technically called an engineer yet.

While most people think that engineering is hard, they are actually vague about the reasons why. I know there’s no such thing as an easy undergraduate degree because all have difficulties, but let me just share a few of my experiences taking up engineering.

The engineering drawing. This is when we’re required to draw the different perspectives of an object. It’s really hard to execute every plate if you don’t have a talent for drawing or you have bad handwriting, or both. Oh, those hard times refilling your tech pens. Blot!

The math subjects. Algebra, trigonometry, probability and statistics, calculus, advanced mathematics, name it. These are the kind of subjects that, when everything seems so simple, you are probably doing it wrong.

These subjects give us sleepless nights trying to figure out the solutions to many problems, such as: “The sum of the parent’s age is twice the sum of their children’s ages. Five years ago, the sum of the parent’s age is four times the sum of their children’s ages. In 15 years, the sum of the parent’s ages will be equal to the sum of their children’s ages. How many children were there in the family?”

Trust me, if you find this problem difficult, this is nothing compared to higher mathematics. You’re just seeing the tip of the iceberg.

In engineering, you have to be analytical, imaginative and fast. Playing with numbers, formulas and the calculator is very important, and sometimes we have to follow complicated steps to come up with the correct answer. (By the way, the answer to the age problem is five.)

The major subjects. The biasing of semiconductor diodes, transistors, operational amplifiers, the application of Kirchoff’s Current and Voltage Laws to a circuit, Mesh and Nodal Analysis, programming, stresses and strains, Ideal Gas Law, etc. Different courses for different engineering programs—and we all know how difficult it is to fully understand each and every concept.

And there are also the laboratory experiments you have to perform for hours, and laboratory reports you need to write in engineering LETTERING!

The thesis. That crucial period when we need to apply the concepts we have learned from class discussions. This is where many of us almost give up. Aside from having to present our
thesis, we also need to make sure our prototype is working properly, or else it’s a no-no-no-no-no check for graduation.

These are just a few of the many hardships an engineering student endures in college. And, after all the ups and downs in a five-year journey, we still have to face one final trial—the engineering board examinations, which, in our country, are conducted twice a year.

That represents two chances to put the coveted “Engr.”
before our names. But we know it’s not going to be easy; according to the testimonies of those who took the exams before us, it’s truly a different kind of test from the ones we had in college.

The knowledge we accumulated in tertiary level is very broad and scattered; not everything would be needed for the board exams. That’s where the “review” comes in, where we focus on mastering specific subjects that most likely we didn’t fully grasp back then.

I’m currently reviewing for the upcoming October ECE Board Examination, and it’s become clear that I still need to learn, or relearn, so many things.

I’m no genius—just an average person who sails in an uncharted sea of dreams. Every time we have examinations, I always feel like a blank slate. Why am I having a hard time answering these? Did I do better? Am I doing everything I can?

I’m not so sure. These are some of the questions I constantly ask myself.

Sometimes I get anxious whether I already have what it takes to pass the board. I remember when our mentor once asked us: “Do you feel brighter and smarter than you were yesterday?” My answer, for now, changes from day to day.

Still, a big shout-out to all future engineers out there conquering the final test! Let’s do our best to make our lives not only successful, but also meaningful. By doing honest work in our profession, we can make this country a better place for generations to come.

Dominic B. Lim, 21, is an electronics engineering graduate of Southern Luzon State University.