How the Top 1% of Engineering Students Spend their Time

Summary

This video challenges traditional views of engineering education, emphasizing the importance of hands-on projects over perfect report cards. It draws inspiration from iconic engineers like Nikola Tesla and Elon Musk, encouraging students to focus on building real-world skills. The speaker outlines the process of defining one's dream career by choosing an industry and role, and then aligning projects to develop the necessary skills. By creating a portfolio of relevant projects, students can increase their chances of landing internships and achieving their career goals. The video advocates for purpose-driven engineers who aspire to make a meaningful impact.

Takeaways

• 😀 Engineering students should focus on building real-world skills through projects, not just on getting perfect grades and report cards.
• 😀 Some of the greatest engineers, like Nikola Tesla and Elon Musk, succeeded by experimenting and learning through hands-on work rather than sticking to traditional education paths.
• 😀 Define your dream career by considering both the industry and the specific role you want to work in, which will guide the types of projects you should pursue.
• 😀 To find your ideal industry, ask yourself: What is your purpose as an engineer? For example, do you want to improve health (medical field), save the environment (sustainable energy), or explore space (aerospace)?
• 😀 Once you've chosen an industry, think about the specific role you want (e.g., project manager, product design engineer, hardware engineer) to narrow down the necessary skills.
• 😀 Identify the skills required for your desired role and industry, such as proficiency in SolidWorks, CAD, prototyping, and understanding fluid mechanics.
• 😀 Building projects related to your chosen career is essential. Even small-scale projects, like 3D printing or designing parts in SolidWorks, can demonstrate your skills and passion.
• 😀 Use university resources like 3D printers and software (e.g., SolidWorks, AutoCAD) to create personal projects that align with your dream career.
• 😀 Example: Aaron Medina chose to focus on machinery, designed gearboxes and rotary engines, and developed skills like prototyping and CAD to build his portfolio. This led to an internship in his field.
• 😀 By aligning your projects with your dream career and acquiring the necessary skills, you increase your chances of landing an internship that leads to your desired job role.

Q & A

What is the main message the speaker wants engineering students to understand?

The speaker wants engineering students to focus less on perfecting grades and more on building practical engineering skills through hands-on projects.

Why does the speaker mention historical engineers like Nikola Tesla and Leonardo da Vinci?

They are mentioned as examples of great engineers who succeeded through experimentation and self-driven learning rather than traditional academic perfection.

What are the two components the speaker says make up a student's 'dream career'?

A dream career is defined by the industry the student wants to work in and the specific role they want to pursue.

How does the speaker suggest students choose the industry they want to work in?

Students should choose an industry based on their personal purpose as an engineer, such as saving lives, protecting the environment, exploring space, or designing structures.

Why does the speaker emphasize choosing a specific engineering role rather than a broad major?

A specific role helps students identify the exact skills they need to master, such as CAD, prototyping, or research and development, which are more actionable than broad major categories.

What is the purpose of defining both industry and role before building projects?

Defining industry and role guides students to create projects aligned with their desired career path and helps them develop the relevant skills needed to succeed in that role.

What is the 'experience pyramid' mentioned in the script?

The experience pyramid is a model showing that projects form the base of engineering experience, leading to internships, and ultimately a full-time career aligned with one's dream role.

Why does the speaker highlight the importance of university resources like makerspaces?

Because students don’t need expensive equipment themselves—universities typically provide tools like 3D printers and software that can be used to develop strong personal projects.

How did Aaron Medina’s example demonstrate the process described in the script?

He chose an industry (machinery) and a role (product design engineer), identified the required skills, built aligned projects like gearboxes and engines, and successfully secured an internship in his dream path.

Who does the speaker refer to as 'pretend engineers'?

The speaker uses the term to describe students who cheat on exams, skip lectures, or avoid real learning—contrasting them with students who invest time in genuine engineering growth.

What overall mindset does the speaker aim to instill in engineering students?

A mindset of purpose-driven learning, hands-on project development, and long-term career alignment rather than short-term focus on grades alone.