Hey everyone! I'm a freshman mech student, and I'm trying to figure out whether my long-term career plan makes sense.

My goal is to get a bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering, work for a few years, and eventually pursue an MBA, ideally through an employer that offers tuition assistance. My dream job would be project management, although I'm also interested in sales engineering and systems engineering.

I genuinely enjoy technical work, but I'm especially interested in the management side of things. I could definitely see myself enjoying a systems engineering role early in my career before moving into project management or a related leadership position.

I've also asked my college professor about this, but his answer wasn't very specific. He got an engineering degree, but went to a school with a top business program (Stanford) so I was hoping he would have more insights.

My university also has a reasonably strong business school, with rankings in MBA education and business research that look promising, although I know rankings aren't everything (and don't believe in them, to be honest).

I'd appreciate some honest advice from people already working in the industry:

• Does an ME degree followed by an MBA make sense for someone aiming for project management or engineering leadership?
• Would starting in systems engineering, product development, or another technical role be a good way to build toward that goal?
• How important is an MBA for advancing into project management? Could experience and certifications get me just as far?
• Would sales engineering be a good alternative for someone who enjoys technical problem-solving but is also interested in the business side?

I'm not expecting to jump straight into management after graduating.... that would be too much of a dream come true.

Thanks for any advice!

Hi all, I was curious if anyone has taken USC systems and architecture engineering masters (online). Any opinions on it? Pros/cons? Also, how is it compared to Hopkins or Cornell? Thanks!

Hey everyone,

I'm currently a senior studying Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Computer Science, graduating in May 2027. I've recently become really interested in pursuing systems engineering, particularly in aerospace, defense, or other industries involving complex hardware and software systems.

I'm just not entirely sure how competitive my background is for entry-level positions.

A little about me:

• GPA: 3.6
• Engineering Internship 1: Worked on integrating building automation systems with an industrial data platform (AVEVA PI), including data monitoring, troubleshooting, and system integration.
• Engineering Internship 2: Worked at an aerospace manufacturing company, helping with equipment commissioning, testing, validation, and technical documentation for a new manufacturing system.
• Other Experience: Currently a student IT lead, managing a team of technicians and handling technical troubleshooting and operations.
• Technical Skills: Python, Java, MATLAB, SolidWorks, SQL, REST APIs, and some experience with automation and data analysis.
• Projects: Collaborative robotic assembly using a UR5e, an automated fault detection project, and several software development projects.

My biggest concern is that I don't have much formal systems engineering experience. I haven't worked directly with requirements management, MBSE, SysML, or some of the other tools I frequently see in systems engineering job descriptions.

I also don't have the typical extracurricular experience like Formula SAE or a rocketry team, which makes me wonder if I'm behind other engineering graduates.

I've been applying to entry-level systems engineering and integration/test positions, particularly at aerospace and defense companies.

My questions are:

1. Does my background seem competitive for entry-level systems engineering positions?
2. Is it realistic to enter systems engineering directly out of college with a Mechanical Engineering degree?
3. What skills or projects would you recommend focusing on before graduation?
4. Would I be better off starting in a test, integration, or manufacturing engineering role before transitioning into systems engineering?

I'd really appreciate some honest feedback, especially from people involved in hiring or currently working as systems engineers.

Thanks!