Exploring Engineering Careers

Summary

• Students will learn about various fields of engineering.
• Students will learn about various pathways to a career in an engineering field.
• Students will explore multiple ways that engineering affects their everyday lives.

Setting the Stage

Through their science studies, many students will come to enjoy the process of determining a problem and coming up with solutions. Some may recognize this as the engineering design process, others may not. Even those who recognize this as being related to engineering few will know the different branches of engineering or the variety of careers to which studies in engineering can lead.

As they complete this lesson, students will have the opportunity to learn about different engineering fields. They will explore the various career pathways within the realm of engineering and the schooling/training required.

Materials & Preparation

• Computer or tablet with internet access
• Ability to watch a YouTube video
• What is Engineering? Reproducible [Google doc] [Word doc] [PDF] - provide as a paper or e-copy, 1 per student.
• Exploring Engineering Careers Exit Slip Reproducible [Google doc] [Word doc] [PDF] - provide as a paper or e-copy, 1 per student.

What To Do

• Teachers could begin by showing the Crash Course Kids - What’s an Engineer? video on YouTube. and provide students with a copy of the What is Engineering? reproducible. Other videos that may be of interest include:
  • Crash Course Kids - The Engineering Process
  • Crash Course Kids - Engineering Games
  • SciShow Kids - Solve Problems: Be An Engineer
  • Crash Course Engineering Video Playlist (Video playlist)
• While watching, students could create a web diagram or concept maps stemming from the central term ‘engineering’ which documents their take-aways while watching the video. These could then be further added to through a class discussion. Some thinking prompts may include:
  • What is engineering?
  • How is engineering connected to science and technology?
  • What has the engineering design process created in the world?
• To help expand their concept of what engineering is and the various fields of engineering, teachers could provide students with a copy of this infographic that outlines many of the fields of engineering and direct students to the TRYEngineering website Engineering, Technology, and Computing Fields directory.
• Teachers could prompt student discussion and thinking with questions such as:
  • Which field(s) of engineering interest you most? Why?
  • Which field(s) of engineering could you possibly see yourself working in? Why?
  • What is one problem in the world that you might like to find a solution for? Which field(s) of engineering could you work in to develop a solution?
• Teachers could direct students to the Let’s Talk Science career resource site. Here they could use the filter tool to select career profiles related to engineering (select under the “sector” button). Students could explore some of the post-secondary programs by referring to the “About me” section of the profile.
• Teachers could have students refer to the following sites which describe careers and programs in various engineering fields:
  • Engineers Canada (university programs). Here they can open the “Become an Engineer” tab and click on the “Reasons why people become engineers” link. In small groups or with a partner, students could discuss these reasons and indicate which mean the most to them.
  • Canadian Council of Technologists and Technicians’ career zone (college programs). Students can explore engineering technology careers, post-secondary programs, what technologists do, etc. Students could use the Government of Canada Job Bank site to learn more about the careers listed.
  • Engineering Career Pathways (university and college programs). Students can explore various engineering fields from either university or college program perspective.

• To conclude this lesson, teachers could have students complete the Exploring Engineering Careers Exit Slip. Teachers could have students share points from their Exit Slips that they are comfortable sharing with a partner, small group, or as a whole class.

Let’s Talk Science appreciates the work and contributions of Greg Ryerson, Crescent School, Conference of Independent Schools of Ontario in the development of this lesson.