Engineering education and training starts at the undergraduate level where students learn about the professional responsibilities associated with the profession. However, the undergraduate program is considered as a pre-engineering or engineer–in-training program. The term professional engineer is restricted by law to those individuals who demonstrate necessary qualification and have been licensed by the state to use the title, PE. Professional engineers are also being trained on environmental impacts of engineering products as a part of engineering cooperative education.

Engineering graduates and professionals are in demand all over the word due to their comprehensive knowledge of science and technology. They are needed in almost all the fields such as science, law, business and government. Some new areas included in engineering education and training is aeronautics and astronautics, chemical engineering, environmental engineering, materials science and engineering, ocean engineering and biological engineering.

Before taking admission into a university, check for the following:

1. Check for the accreditation of the university program you are getting enrolled into. The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology reviews the quality of university programs and awards the universities for minimum standards.
2. Check if a math or science undergraduate degree is accepted for taking admission for a postgraduate engineering program.
3. Check if fellowships and scholarships are available to aid further study and research in the engineering training and education.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Apply for an engineering education and training program into reputable universities

Once you decide for the engineering program you want to pursue, enroll yourself into a university which provides undergraduate, graduate and professional programs. You can also find a university which provides a dual program for graduate and post graduate program or undergraduate and graduate program.

I recommend: Bradley University's College of Engineering and Technology offers undergraduate programs for civil engineering, electrical engineering, manufacturing engineering and mechanical engineering training. MIT Engineering offers a lot of courses on aeronautics and astronautics engineering, chemical engineering and biological engineering. Other universities that offer a wide variety of engineering programs are Villanova University and The University of Iowa.

Opt for engineering education and training program in universities offering correspondence program

If you can not enroll for regular courses, try applying in universities providing engineer education and engineer training through distance learning program.

I recommend: Auburn University provides distance learning program in civil engineering, electrical engineering training and structural engineering education. Penn Foster Career School provides vocational and technical training in over 80 programs in various fields including engineering.

Enroll for engineering education and training program

You can apply in universities offering corporate or professional engineering continuing education program.

I recommend: Clark College provides continuing education in graphics engineering, materials engineering and many other courses. Decatur Professional Development provides professional engineer continuing education program in civil engineering, electrical engineering and environmental engineering.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Check for universities that provides fellowship and scholarship engineering education and training program.
• •  If you have done your graduation in engineering from a foreign institute, then it should be accredited equivalent to the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.
• •  If you want to practice as a Professional Engineer then you must obtain a license from the respective state where you want to practice.