Within engineering there is a huge amount of different branches which you could choose to work in. My buddy Adam Ferrari for example is a software engineer, which of course is a very different specialization than say, someone who works in aerospace or civil engineering. The foundations of all branches of engineering are the same and when you are studying this you will eventually choose the particular branch of engineering in which you would like to specialize in. Regardless of which branch of engineer you wish to be, there is a certain skillset which all engineers, regardless of what type, must display.
Attention to Detail
The importance of being a perfectionist as an engineer is not something which can be ignored and in all forms of engineering the ability to pay attention to the smallest detail is a requirement. Whether building a bridge or creating a new medicine, the difference which a millimeter or a milligram can make is the difference between a successful project and one which fails.
Ability to Work Under Pressure
Engineers must be able to work under a great amount of pressure when they are completing projects. This could be financial pressure as many large scale engineering jobs are backed with massive amounts of funding, and will cost a huge amount of money if it goes wrong. There may also be pressure on getting the job done so that the company can move on to do more work, or it may simply be the pressure of wanting to do a good job. Whichever branch of engineering you decide upon, you are going to be working under pressure and it is important that you are still able to do a great job, regardless of that pressure.
Teamworking
Contrary to what many believe engineers very rarely work alone and this is why you must be a great team player if you want to be a successful engineer. You must be able to play different roles within the team dynamic and understand the importance of each member of the team and what their responsibilities are.
Problem Solving Skills
Engineers are the ultimate problem solvers and in a nutshell that is the definition of what an engineer is, someone with global awareness who seeks ways in they can solve problems which face us all. This is why you absolutely have to have this ability and the brain make up which seeks to resolve issues and cause problems which you see around you. Every single engineer on the planet has this type of inquisitive mind and it is why they do the jobs which they do, solving societies issues using their skills.
Finally you must have a creative mind, wishing to solve problems is on thing but having the creativity to actually do it is something else entirely. If you have these skills then you may very well be a good fit for a career in engineering, work hard, study hard and you could certainly make the grade.
