As an organization, finding the best consultants to handle jobs that you don’t have the capacity to handle yourself is important. To do that, however, you need to develop an understanding over the various fields that you don’t specialize in. One of the most common fields where organizations bring in consultant teams from is engineering. Learn everything there is to know about this field, the different types, and the trends guiding the future of the field.

What is Engineering?

Engineering is a field in which physics, chemistry, mathematics, and more are all applied to the creation, installation, and monitoring of materials, as well as general solid and fluid mechanics. This knowledge is used to innovate and develop new products or services that can be used in a wide variety of fields, as well as everyday purposes. Engineers help to create the foundation of society and their work cascades into almost every line of business.

Common Types of Engineers

There are a large number of types of engineers who specialize in different types of engineering. The below types are just a few of the most common, with new subfields of engineering still being created as technology develops, even today. These most prominent types include:

1. Electrical Engineering: Electrical engineers focus on designing, testing, and supervising the overall manufacturing process of electrical equipment. This ranges drastically but tends to include automobiles, aircrafts, sea craft, and much more. The duties of an electrical engineer can involve working on the smaller aspects of electronics as well, such as communications systems or power generators.
2. Civil Engineering: Civil engineers focus specifically on the creation, operation, and supervising of public and private infrastructure projects. Roads, airports, schools, buildings, and sewage systems all fall under the breadth of civil engineering.
3. Mechanical Engineering: As opposed to civil engineers, mechanical engineers focus on the design and maintenance of power-producing machines such as wind or gas turbines. Their duties can also stretch into households with the maintenance of air-conditioning or a refrigerator as well.
4. Chemical Engineering: Unlike all the other aforementioned engineering types, chemical engineers focus more on gaseous materials, rather than solids. By using chemistry and physics, these engineers address the chemical manufacturing process of products that may be used in food production, drug production, and more.
5. Industrial Engineering: This specialty form of engineering focuses on enhancing the production process in various industries. Whether it be improving equipment that a person uses, how information is processed within an organization, or simply reallocating energy to improve the process, industrial engineers can help.

What Type of Schooling Do Engineers Receive?

Generally, engineers have a bachelor’s in the field they are considering pursuing, such as civil or mechanical engineering. In some cases, they may pursue additional schooling to gain specific skills once they begin working in the field. However, the above path is the more traditional method by which an engineer enters their field.

Nowadays, there are trade schools which teach engineers everything they need to know to become certified in their field. Regardless of the type of engineering a person specializes in, they will have gone through intensive training to get where they are.

How Do Engineers Assist Businesses?

Whether you are seeking oil and gas engineering services, mechanical engineering services, computer engineering services, or something else, there are a slew of benefits engineering consultant teams can bring to your business. Specifically, the most prominent benefits include:

• The ability to handle complex engineering installations
• The ability to monitor previous installations on an ongoing basis
• A more streamlined supply chain within an organization through the optimization of services
• The improvement of existing software, hardware, or general infrastructure needs dependent upon the type of engineer

Top Trends Guiding the Future of Engineering

As the field of engineering continues to grow, there are a number of key trends leading the industry. The most prominent four trends guiding engineering include:

Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning

The increased prevalence of artificial intelligence is changing how computing, manufacturing, construction, and more all function. As AI-powered machines and robots take over these fields, engineers are responsible for the troubleshoot, creation, and maintenance. This will undoubtedly influence all aspects of engineering and potentially even result in the creation of new fields.

The Growth of Renewable Energy

As renewable energy continues to become adopted around the world, the way in which buildings, public infrastructure, and more use energy will change. As this changes, engineers will need to adapt and create new strategies for constructing these infrastructures.

Emerging Technologies

There are a large number of new technologies developing which are impacting the field of engineering, but quantum computing is among the most prominent. This revolutionary new discipline involves taking both the theoretical and practical applications of quantum computing and applying engineering theories. As the development of quantum computers eventually occurs, it is more than likely that quantum engineering will emerge as a field.

Electrical Power Distribution and Supply

The power grid has become increasingly sophisticated over the years, and microgrids are the newest technology in the field. These smaller, self-contained sources for power provide energy in much the same way as a major power grid, but they are designed for smaller communities. Each of these grids needs to be managed, and electrical engineers are the primary field where this will occur.

All of the above trends have the potential to change the future of engineering, but the biggest trends may not even be seen yet. As technology continues to develop, it is extremely likely that unforeseen developments will revolutionize the field in a number of ways.

Hire engineers to bolster your organization

Finding the right type of engineering team to assist your organization is important for implementing the technology, products, or services that you may desire. Reach out to accredited teams in the field you need in order to find those who can help your business achieve the success you desire.