Computer Engineering

[Beausif]

I plan to be a engineer as my choice job and any tips that you have will be welcome thanks.

[Matt Leese]

I'm assuming by the post title that you'd like to be a "Computer Engineer." Basically, that's a rather broad category (I know, that's my major in college). There are many different things that Computer Engineers do (basically just about anything an Electrical Engineer can do). So if you really want to pick out a job, you need to narrow it down quite a bit.

Matt

[R2K2D2]

Originally Posted by Beausif

I plan to be a engineer as my choice job and any tips that you have will be welcome thanks.

I have some tips for you. Currently, I am a Sophomore studying Electrical Engineering at Purdue University. One thing for sure is you want to make sure you have your math down solid. EE, or as I will refer to it as ECE since you are considering CmpE, is extremely math, especially calc, related. Everything from Algebra/Trig - Differential Equations is going to be extremely important and useful in ECE so make sure you have the math that you have learned thus far down solid. In general for engineering you want to have a solid math background. Whenever you get to classes, somewhere along the road you will learn some type of computer tool package such as MATLAB, Mathematica or some sort of similar package. Make sure you learn this package very well becuase you will have to use it many of your classes as well as industry. I could go on and on, but if you have more specific questions, go ahead and ask em. Good luck!

[Eric Bareiss]

I think the only tip I can give is: learn to love studying and reading textbooks.

There aren't really any tips you can give other than work as hard as you can. getting a degree in engineering is very hard and if it's not for you, you will realize it very quickly.

[Gene F]

Beausif,
One of the best tools for getting into engineering is to get involved in a co-op program. Industry hires college students while they are still in school through a school sponsored program. The students get valuable work experience and school credit and the employer gets a chance to check you out without a long commitment. One or more Co-op sessions will greatly improve the marketability when you graduate! Demonstrate the FIRST qualities of Gracious Professionalism and getting the job done and you will go far!

[Joel J]

Originally Posted by Eric Bareiss

I think the only tip I can give is: learn to love studying and reading textbooks.

There aren't really any tips you can give other than work as hard as you can. getting a degree in engineering is very hard and if it's not for you, you will realize it very quickly.

Learn to read manuals and specifications, not necessarily books. As you progress in the field, you'll begin to find that textbooks take more time than needed. The best approach I have found now is to read the specifications for a language, architecture, whatever, exactly as it was put out by the manufacturer. I suppose books would have exercises to test how well you have grasped what you are learning, but generally the exercises are trivial and bear no direct relation to what you will be doing with the tool you are learning. So, read the technical specifications, apply the knowledge by doing some simple exercises, then begin to draw similarities between that tool and others you have learned thus far. For the most part, many programming languages and tools should have a similar setup with slightly different lexical grammar (slightly). I suppose this was geared more towards future programmers, but any heads up is a good one. I hope this same approach will help me as I progress through college, because it sure does help me now. Oh, one other thing.. learn one foundation language, and learn it well. Because with that language under your belt it becomes easier to learn others (I think one of the more commmon languages to learn now is C++).