Modern society often takes for granted the
wealth and standards of living that we all enjoy. Comfortable accommodation,
electricity at the flick of a switch, a plentiful supply of food
and modern communication systems are some of the things that we
have come to expect.
If we look deeper we find a number of basic factors that support
modern life:
- Raw materials generally come from natural resources within the
crust of the earth.
- These raw materials must be processed to provide the higher
grade materials and energy for further use.
- Environmental pressures mean that developments must be sustainable
and pollution must be minimised.
The modern world now relies on the engineering skills of those
who support these basic needs. If we take an everyday item such
as a car we find that:
- Metals and minerals (such as iron ore and petroleum) must be
taken from the ground for production of the car and operation
of it during its lifetime.
- The metals and minerals must be processed before they can be
used in the production of steel, plastics and fuel for the car.
- Environmental considerations mean that production processes
must be clean, the car must be fuel efficient and that, once the
car reaches the end of its useful life, the disposal must be planned
and co-ordinated.
Typical engineering disciplines that support these fundamental
activities include:
- Mining Engineering - study of the methods of safely and economically
extracting raw materials from the ground.
- Chemical Engineering - study of the processing of materials
to upgrade them for further use in society.
- Environmental Engineering - study of solutions to real environmental
problems.
Careers in these engineering fields are varied and rewarding. Industries
include the mining and minerals companies, chemical engineering
and process companies, environmental companies including waste management
and pollution control. Many of these companies work on a global
basis and often provide opportunities to work abroad.
Rewards are excellent with a number of graduates able to start
work with salaries of over £30,000 per annum. Progression is often
quick and opportunities to manage multi-million pound projects within
a few years of graduation are typical.
Without these engineering foundations it is difficult to visualise
what the world would be like. Responsible management of the earth's
resources requires a wide range of integrated engineering disciplines
and the opportunities for graduates in these fields are enormous.
Author: Prof. Bryan Denby, University of Nottingham, UK
Further information can be obtained from: j.k.walters@nottingham.ac.uk
Please visit our website: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/scheme
This article first appeared in School Leaver
