10 Side Hustle Ideas for Mechanical Engineers

Summary

This video script discusses the benefits of side hustling for engineers, including financial security and skill development. It offers ten diverse side hustle ideas, such as tutoring, career coaching, part-time lecturing, freelance design, consulting, manufacturing advice, sales, 3D printing, YouTube content creation, and online course development. Each idea is tailored to leverage an engineer's skills, with tips on getting started and potential earnings.

Takeaways

• 💼 **Side Hustling Benefits**: Having a side hustle provides extra income and a safety net in case of job loss.
• 💰 **Financial Security**: A side hustle can offer financial security and bridge the gap until a new job is found.
• 🚀 **Skill Development**: Engaging in side projects can push individuals to learn new skills and explore different aspects of their abilities.
• 📚 **Tutoring**: Tutoring engineering students in subjects they struggle with is an easy side hustle to start.
• 👨‍🏫 **Career Coaching**: Offering career coaching or mentoring services to engineering students or graduates can be a lucrative side hustle.
• 🏫 **Part-Time Lecturing**: Becoming a part-time lecturer allows for formal teaching opportunities and can be a structured alternative to tutoring.
• 🖋️ **Freelance Design**: Freelance mechanical or CAD design work can be a profitable side hustle leveraging existing engineering skills.
• 🔧 **Engineering Consulting**: Consulting on engineering projects can be a high-value side hustle, especially for those with more experience.
• 🏭 **Manufacturing Consulting**: Assisting companies in the manufacturing process is a specialized side hustle that can be very rewarding.
• 📞 **Sales Representative**: Working as a sales representative for mechanical parts companies can help build sales and communication skills.
• 🖨️ **3D Printing**: Investing in a 3D printer and offering printing services or selling designs can be a creative and potentially profitable side hustle.
• 🎥 **YouTube Channel**: Running a YouTube channel allows for skill development in video production and online marketing.
• 📈 **Online Courses**: Creating online courses can be a lucrative side hustle, especially when leveraging an existing audience.

Q & A

What are the primary reasons for pursuing a side hustle as an engineer?

The primary reasons for pursuing a side hustle as an engineer are to earn extra income and to have a fallback in case of job loss. Additionally, it allows for personal growth by pushing oneself to learn new skills and explore different aspects of one's abilities.

What is the first side hustle idea mentioned in the script for engineers?

The first side hustle idea mentioned is tutoring, where engineers can help engineering students with courses they struggle with and prepare them for exams.

How can one find clients for in-person tutoring as suggested in the script?

To find clients for in-person tutoring, one can leave flyers around the closest university, ask friends still in university for referrals, or stand in front of a lecture hall after class ends to attract students.

What are the differences between career coaching and tutoring as side hustles?

Career coaching involves working one-on-one with individuals, often engineering graduates or seasoned engineers, to help with job hunting or career advancement. Tutoring, on the other hand, focuses on helping students with specific course material.

What are the keys to successful career coaching according to the script?

The keys to successful career coaching include having strong credentials to showcase, targeting clients with expendable income, and defining a clear niche in terms of who you're helping and what you're helping them achieve.

How does the script suggest becoming a part-time lecturer?

The script suggests becoming a part-time lecturer by identifying topics you can teach, searching for part-time lecturer positions online, reaching out to universities or schools without current postings to create your own position, or looking for online lecturer positions.

What financial investment is required for freelance mechanical design as a side hustle?

Freelance mechanical design requires a good laptop to run CAD software and either paying for a CAD software license or having the customer provide one.

Why might freelance CAD work sometimes pay low rates as mentioned in the script?

Freelance CAD work might pay low rates because the work can be done by people without engineering degrees, leading to competition that drives down prices.

What is mechanical engineering consulting and how can one get started as suggested in the script?

Mechanical engineering consulting involves larger projects where clients need help with the entire engineering and design process. To get started, one can advertise their services on LinkedIn, create profiles on platforms like Fiverr and Upwork, and build a website to showcase past work.

How does manufacturing consulting as a side hustle differ from mechanical engineering consulting?

Manufacturing consulting focuses specifically on helping companies with the manufacturing process, from design for manufacturability to finding suppliers and managing production runs, whereas mechanical engineering consulting is broader and can include designing and engineering new products.

What are the potential downsides of working as a part-time lecturer as a side hustle?

The downsides of working as a part-time lecturer include the need to find a university or company willing to hire you and the potential for the position to be for a limited duration.

What is the script's advice on running a YouTube channel as a side hustle?

The script advises that running a YouTube channel can be a great side hustle for learning new skills and deepening knowledge in specific topics. However, it's not recommended for quick money due to the time investment and不确定性 of earnings.

What are the potential ways to monetize a YouTube channel according to the script?

The potential ways to monetize a YouTube channel include AdSense, affiliate links, sponsorship deals, and selling digital products like templates, ebooks, or courses.

How does the script suggest using a YouTube channel to support other side hustles?

The script suggests using a YouTube channel to bring traffic to other businesses, such as tutoring, coaching, mechanical design, or manufacturing consulting, by making videos that attract potential customers who might need the products or services offered.

What is the final side hustle idea presented in the script?

The final side hustle idea presented is creating online courses, which can be done on platforms like Skillshare or Udemy, or self-hosted on platforms like Kajabi or Gumroad.

What advice does the script give for creating a successful online course?

The script advises researching the market, identifying gaps where there's interest but few courses available, and leveraging an existing audience from platforms like YouTube, LinkedIn, or Twitter to sell the course.

Outlines

00:00

🔧 Engineering Side Hustles: Tutoring and Coaching

The speaker, an engineer, discusses the benefits of having a side hustle, such as financial security and skill development. They introduce the first side hustle idea: tutoring engineering students in subjects they struggle with. The speaker suggests leveraging one's own strengths in specific subjects, either those they were good at or those they initially struggled with but later mastered. For finding clients, the speaker recommends in-person methods like leaving flyers at universities or online platforms like Preply. The second idea is career coaching or mentoring, which is similar to tutoring but targets either engineering students seeking jobs or more experienced engineers. The speaker shares their personal experience with career coaching, noting the importance of having a specific niche, credentials, and targeting clients with disposable income.

05:00

🏫 Teaching and Consulting as Side Hustles

The third side hustle idea presented is becoming a part-time lecturer at universities or schools, which is a more formal and structured way of teaching compared to tutoring. The speaker advises identifying topics one is knowledgeable about and searching for part-time lecturing positions. They also suggest reaching out to educational institutions directly to offer one's services. The fourth idea is freelance mechanical or computer-aided design (CAD) work, where one creates technical drawings for clients. The speaker mentions the need for a good laptop and CAD software, and the potential to find work on platforms like Fiverr and Upwork. The fifth side hustle is mechanical engineering consulting, which involves larger projects and more in-depth work than CAD design. The speaker recommends promoting oneself on professional networks and creating a website to showcase one's work and attract clients.

10:01

🏭 Manufacturing Consulting and Sales Rep Side Hustles

The sixth side hustle idea is manufacturing consulting, where one helps companies with the design and production process, from finding suppliers to managing test production runs. The speaker notes that this is particularly useful for small companies that cannot afford full-time manufacturing experts. The seventh idea is working as a sales representative for mechanical parts companies, which can help one develop sales and people skills. The speaker shares their personal experience with this side hustle and suggests looking for part-time sales positions or reaching out to local manufacturers. The eighth idea is 3D printing, where one could print parts on demand, sell custom designs, or offer digital files for customers to print themselves. The speaker highlights the initial investment required for a 3D printer and the ongoing costs of materials and shipping.

📹 YouTube Channel and Online Courses as Side Hustles

The ninth side hustle idea is running a YouTube channel, where one can create content about engineering principles, career advice, or personal projects. The speaker emphasizes the skill development that comes with creating videos and the potential to motivate learning. However, they also note the time investment and不确定性 of making money directly from the channel. The tenth and final idea is creating online courses, which can be hosted on platforms like Skillshare or Teachable. The speaker suggests using skills developed from running a YouTube channel and warns about the effort required to create a successful course. They recommend researching the market and identifying gaps where there is demand but few courses available.

Keywords

💡side hustle

A 'side hustle' refers to a part-time job or business venture that one undertakes alongside their primary job to earn extra income or to pursue a passion. In the video, the speaker discusses the benefits of having a side hustle, such as financial security and personal growth through learning new skills. The term is used throughout the script to introduce various side hustle ideas that an engineer might consider.

💡tutoring

Tutoring is the act of giving private lessons to students who need extra help with their studies. In the context of the video, the speaker suggests tutoring as an easy side hustle for engineers, where they can use their knowledge to help engineering students who are struggling with their courses. The speaker provides examples of how to find clients, such as leaving flyers at a university or standing in front of a lecture hall.

💡career coaching

Career coaching involves guiding individuals in their professional development, often focusing on job search strategies, resume writing, or career transitions. The video mentions career coaching as a side hustle where engineers can coach both students and working professionals, helping them to advance in their careers. The speaker notes the importance of having a specific niche and targeting clients with disposable income.

💡part-time lecturer

A part-time lecturer is someone who teaches courses or workshops on a non-full-time basis, often at universities or schools. The video suggests this as a side hustle for those who enjoy teaching and prefer a more formal setting than one-on-one tutoring. The speaker advises searching for part-time positions or even creating one's own by reaching out to educational institutions.

💡freelance mechanical design

Freelance mechanical design involves creating 2D or 3D technical drawings for clients, which can be used for digital prototyping or manufacturing. The video describes this as a side hustle that allows engineers to use their existing skills to earn extra income. The speaker mentions the need for a good laptop and CAD software as an initial investment.

💡mechanical engineering consulting

Mechanical engineering consulting is a service where an engineer provides expert advice on the design and development of mechanical systems or products. In the video, consulting is presented as a side hustle that involves larger projects and more in-depth work than simple CAD design. The speaker talks about how to market oneself for such projects, such as through LinkedIn or a personal website.

💡manufacturing consulting

Manufacturing consulting involves helping companies with the process of bringing their product ideas to manufacturing. The video suggests this as a side hustle for those with experience in manufacturing or design for manufacturing. The speaker describes how consultants in this field can assist with design, finding suppliers, and managing production runs.

💡sales rep

A sales rep is a person who represents a company in selling its products or services to clients. The video discusses how engineers can work as sales reps for mechanical parts companies, leveraging their technical knowledge to sell effectively. The speaker shares personal experience with cold calling and the benefits of learning sales and people skills.

💡3D printing

3D printing is a manufacturing process that creates three-dimensional objects by adding material layer by layer. In the video, the speaker mentions starting a 3D printing business as a side hustle, where one could print parts on demand, sell custom designs, or even sell digital files for others to print. The speaker highlights the financial investment required for the equipment and materials.

💡YouTube channel

A YouTube channel is a platform where individuals or companies can upload and share videos with an audience. The video describes running a YouTube channel as a side hustle for engineers, where they can create content related to their field, such as explaining engineering principles or sharing career advice. The speaker emphasizes the skills gained, such as video production and online marketing, and the potential for monetization through ads, affiliate links, or sponsorships.

💡online courses

Online courses are educational programs delivered via the internet, often allowing for self-paced learning. The video suggests creating and selling online courses as a side hustle, leveraging skills from running a YouTube channel. The speaker discusses the potential for significant income but also warns of the effort required to create a course that will attract buyers. The script mentions platforms like Skillshare or Udemy for hosting courses.

Highlights

Mechanical engineers can benefit from side hustles for extra income and skill development.

Tutoring engineering students is an easy side hustle for engineers.

Tutors should ideally be proficient in the subjects they teach.

In-person tutoring can start with flyers at universities and grow through word of mouth.

Online tutoring platforms like Preply are a good starting point for remote sessions.

Career coaching or mentoring can be a side hustle for engineers with industry experience.

Coaching packages can provide a steady income stream rather than per-session payments.

Part-time lecturing is a formal teaching option for engineers who enjoy teaching.

Freelance mechanical design or CAD design can be a profitable side hustle.

Mechanical engineering consulting involves larger projects and requires a strong portfolio.

Manufacturing consulting helps companies with the technical aspects of product manufacturing.

Sales representation for mechanical parts companies can be a lucrative side hustle.

3D printing as a side hustle requires an initial investment in equipment and materials.

Running a YouTube channel can help engineers develop new skills and potentially earn revenue.

Creating online courses is a side hustle that leverages skills from running a YouTube channel.

There are five recommended business books for engineers to learn essential business knowledge.

Transcripts

I'm a mechanic engineer and I've been

side hustling ever since I started

working as an engineer and even already

during my engineering studies but why

would you even want to do a sight hustle

let's start with the obvious money it's

nice to have an extra sight income and

it also gives you some security that in

the unfortunate case that you lose your

job you still have something to fall

back onto to bridge the gap to your next

job but there's another reason I highly

recommend having a side hustle or any

kind of side project really and that's

having something that you just do for

yourself that pushes you to learn new

skills and allows you to explore another

side of yourself now which kind of side

hustle is best for you really depends on

your personal goals and circumstances so

I've collected 10 different side hustle

ideas that I've either tried myself or

that I've seen friends do successfully

let's dive in the first idea is tutoring

this is probably the easiest idea to get

started you just need an engineering

student in need of help so this side

hustle idea is basically helping

engineering students with the courses

they struggle with and help them prepare

for their exams it's helpful if you've

actually understood the material you're

helping them with so you should probably

pick classes that you're quite good at

or even better classes that you were

struggling with yourself but then manage

to understand then you can likely both

emphasize with your students and explain

the material really well where can you

find clients there are a few options

depending on if you want to do in-person

tutoring or online tutoring for

in-person tutoring you can leave Flyers

around your closest University I've seen

that a lot at my own University and you

can use that to get your first clients

and then grow further by word of mouth

if you have friends that are still in

University you can also ask them if you

if they know anyone that could need help

with their classes or you could just

stand in front of a lecture hall right

when the class ends that you want to

help them with and wait for students to

approach you and if you want to do

online tutoring you can post on one of

those online gig platforms I saw that

there are even specific platforms just

for tutoring and finding a tutor like

preply the second site has idea is

career coaching or mentoring it's

similar to teaching you also usually

work one-on-one with people but besides

coaching engineering students you could

also coach engineering graduates who are

trying to find their first job or even

help more seasoned Engineers if you're

further along in your career yourself a

big advantage to this is that the

engineers who are already working might

have more money to spare than

engineering students now you could

either offer individual coaching

sessions or you could offer coaching

packages of maybe six or 12 sessions

this way you don't have to pitch clients

for every single session and you can

also achieve bigger results if you have

more time with the clients I have tried

career coaching myself but it hasn't

worked well for me so far and I think

it's for three main reasons first of all

I was not specific enough in my offer

and tried coaching both students and

Engineers I targeted people who don't

have that much Expendable income so

students and fresh graduates and I

didn't have anything that really made me

stand out in terms of credentials for my

specific perspective but I do know

people who are successfully doing career

coaching and from what I've seen the

factors that make them successful are

that they have the credentials to show

for so maybe they went to a prestigious

school or landed a prestigious job or

they're a seasoned engineer with lots of

experience to pass on then they are

targeting people who have some money to

spare like working engineers and they've

defined exactly who they're helping and

what they're helping them achieve

whether that's create a killer CV or

their dream job or help them go from

engineer to engineering manager the

third site hustle idea is working as a

part-time lecturer some universities and

schools hire part-time lecturers to

teach their students certain classes or

workshops so if you enjoy teaching and

explaining the material and want

something a bit more formal and

structured than tutoring then this could

be a great option how do you get started

first think about what kind of topics

you could teach and then search for

part-time lecturer and the name of your

area or a university in your area and

also experiment with throwing in and

different topics you could teach and see

if you find any interesting job postings

and apply to them you could even reach

out to universities and schools that

don't have any positions posted and ask

them if they could use your help and

this way create your own position and

finally you can also search for online

lecturer positions either from online

universities or from companies that need

to teach their employees specific skills

but those are often more advanced and

specialized skills than if you were

teaching at a university like teaching

them a specific software or method so

that's only an option if you have a

specialized skill like that or are

willing to teach yourself one to then

teach it to others if this is something

you want to try I would just search

around for what kind of lecturers

companies and institutions are looking

for and see if there's a match with

something you're either already good at

or something you would like to learn

anyway and are willing to teach yourself

in order to become a lecturer a downside

of this is that you need to find an

available position and a university or

company that's willing to hire you for

that position but once you you do have

that position you could have a gig for a

longer period of time a few months or

maybe even a year the fourth side hustle

idea is doing freelance mechanical

design or computer AED design short cut

as a mechanical designer you're making

2D or 3D technical drawings for people

or companies that need it either because

they want to use that drawing as a

digital prototype or because they want

to get that product manufactured and

need to provide technical drawings to

the factory there is a financial

investment needed for this because you

need a good laptop to run CAD software

and you need to either pay for a CAD

software license or get your customer to

provide you with one so you definitely

need to account for that in the prices

you charge to make it profitable but

other than that you're just using your

time and the skills you've already

learned as a mechanical engineer you can

find these kinds of gigs on platforms

like Fiverr and upwork which makes it

easy to get started but a downside is

that you actually don't need an

engineering degree to do CAD work so the

prices people pay can sometimes be a bit

low because you're competing with people

who don't have engineering degrees

however you can overcome this problem

with the next side hustle idea and that

is number five mechanical engineering

Consulting these are bigger projects

where people or companies don't only

need to translate their ideas into a

technical drawing but they actually need

you to engineer and design the whole

thing it's often small companies who

only design new products every once in a

while and therefore don't need full-time

Engineers I've actually gotten offers to

do this kind of work myself where people

just somehow found my YouTube channel

and then emailed me asking if I could

design something for them the reason I

said no so far is that those were very

time intensive projects and I already

had enough going on with my job and this

YouTube channel but if you have more

time available it's a great option but

how can you get that kind of work

without a YouTube channel it definitely

helps if you put yourself out there

somehow and let people know that you're

open for this kind of work so I would

definitely add to my LinkedIn profile

that I'm open for mechanic engineering

Consulting work and I would set up

profiles on pages like Fiverr and upwork

to get started I would probably also

create a simple website where you write

a few points about what you offer and

the value you provide to your clients as

well as showcase some of your past work

once you have that to give yourself more

credibility and then you can link that

website on your LinkedIn Fiverr upwork

and so on you could also use it to reach

out to companies in your area or in your

industry and ask them if they have any

work for you just send an email send a

short picture of what you can help them

do and include a link to your website

and if you don't know any companies you

could also start out with the previous s

hustle idea so do some basic cat design

work first and then pitch to your

clients that you could also take over

more of the engineering and design

process to transition to this kind of

sight hustle just be aware that not all

clients will need a full engineering

project so you'll have to be a bit smart

about picking the clients that might

have a bigger project for you in the

future side hustle idea number six is a

bit similar to the previous one but it's

still different and that that is

manufacturing Consulting in this role

you basically help companies bring their

product idea to manufacturing with a

focus on manufacturing this is a great

option if you have some experience

working in manufacturing or design for

manufacturing depending on your

experience you can help companies with

the design so help them design products

that can be manufactured first of all

and that they can manufacture easier

cheaper or faster and you could also

help them find suppliers talk to

suppliers and do test production runs

and just cover all the technical aspects

of getting a product manufactured I have

a friend who does this successfully for

small startups who can't afford to hire

someone fulltime for this but you could

also pitch yourself to companies who are

not so deep in the manufacturing

industry and might not even know that

they can get this kind of support for

example you could approach small makeup

brands Fitness Brands food brands

stationary Brands large companies

probably have full-time experts in this

field but small or new companies might

not have anyone and be happy to have you

cover it for them it's something I'd

actually love to do in the future so if

you try this out I'd love to hear how it

goes s house idea number seven is

something I've done myself as an

engineering student and that's working

as a sales repap for mechanical Parts

companies that sell mechanical parts are

often quite small companies who are

always looking for new customers and

they need people who know something

about their products to sell them well

so as a sales rep I was cold calling

companies and ask them what kind of

Parts they usually order and if they

would like to order from us the next

time they need those kind of parts I was

getting paid by the hour but there are

also setups where you get paid based on

the sales that you make and you learn

sales skills and people skills and if

you're scared of calling strangers like

I was then this is a great way to

challenge your fears you could even do

this for other kinds of companies that

might need someone with a technical

background to do their selling it works

best with smaller companies because

bigger companies probably just want to

hire someone full-time for their sales

to get this kind of job you can search

for part-time sales position I or even

student sales positions or you could

just reach out to your local mechanical

parts manufacturer and see if they could

use your help side hustle idea number

eight is something on the more

investment heavy side and that's 3D

printing basically you buy your own 3D

printer and then print parts to order

when people send you their drawings you

could also design your own special

products that you sell to people or

offer to do custom designs for your

customers so then you charge them both

for the design and the printing finally

you could also just sell your designs as

digital files so that people can print

them themselves except for the last

option you will need to buy your own

printer like I said which is quite the

investment and you will also constantly

need to buy new 3D printer ink and then

you also need to take care of shipping

the parts to your customers unless you

only sell to local customers which is

another option as well if you anyway

want to buy a 3D printer and experiment

with it which I personally would love to

do in the future then this is a great

option for making some money with it and

challenging yourself with new designs

that your customers request but if you

don't want to own a 3D printer then

probably pass on this one side hustle

idea number nine is something that I've

been doing ever since I started working

as an engineer and that's running a

YouTube channel as an engineer you can

make videos explaining engineering

principles or Vlog your life as an

engineer or give career advice or show

how you create stuff yourself maybe even

with your 3D printer the great part of

making YouTube videos is that you learn

a ton of new skills like video

production writing filming and editing

videos and even online marketing skills

on top of that you can deepen your

skills in the topics that you make

videos about and it can motivate you to

learn new things for example I've been

reading way more books and taken way

more online courses ever since I started

my YouTube channel because I can then

make videos about them which is a great

motivator not only to start but also

finish them now I'll be honest this is

an awful side hustle idea if you just

want to make quick money because it

takes so much time to to make videos it

can take years to make any decent amount

of money and there's no guarantee that

you will ever make money with it the way

that you would make money with a YouTube

channel is either from AdSense so the

ads that Google runs you after your

videos but that's only available once

your channel is monetized and you can

also make money from affiliate links

where you link two products people can

buy and then make a small cut every time

they purchase something and if you

become a somewhat bigger Channel you

could also take sponsorship deals

another way you can make money is from

selling your own digital products like

templates ebooks or courses or from

combining a YouTube channel with another

of the side hustle ideas and using your

channel to bring traffic to that

business in fact that's in my opinion

the healthiest and most profitable way

to use a YouTube channel as a side

hustle not as a means to making money by

itself but as a marketing channel for

another business whether that's a

tutoring or coaching business a

mechanical design business manufacturing

Consulting business or 3D printing

business you just need to make sure that

you make videos that that actually

attract the right potential customers

that likely also need the products or

services that you sell and number 10 the

final side hustle idea is something that

I already briefly mentioned and that's

creating online courses it's something I

definitely want to experiment with in

the future because it's fun it uses tons

of skills I already have from running a

YouTube channel like writing filming and

editing and it can make you a lot of

money if you do it right you can do this

on a course platform like skillshare or

udem me where the advantage is that they

Drive traffic to your courses because

your courses can be found when people

search for the topic that you made a

course on but you will not make that

much money per person that takes your

course another option is to host your

course on a platform like kajabi or gun

Ro so basically host it yourself which

means that you can make more money

because you can decide the price

yourself and the platform either takes a

smaller cut or just takes a fixed fee

but those platforms don't have a

discovery function so it only makes

sense if you already have an existing

audience so so for example if you have

an audience on YouTube LinkedIn or

Twitter that you can sell that course to

if you don't have an existing audience I

would go with a course platform like

skillshare or em me but before you get

started on creating your course a word

of warning it's a lot of effort to

create a course and it's very easy to

create a course that nobody wants to buy

so follow the same guidelines as with

every business you start research the

market find out what kind of courses are

popular and identify potential gaps in

the market where there's a lot of

interest but not a lot of courses or at

least not any Great Courses out there if

you're now thinking these ideas are

great but I don't know anything about

how to start a business I got you

covered because I collected the five

best business books for engineers to

learn basic business knowledge as

quickly as possible which I share in

this video right here