As engineering continues to be the top industry choice for many college students after graduation, one overarching question remains: What are the essential skills and tools an engineering student needs to improve their qualifications once they enter the industry?
With the United States needing more engineering talent than ever, today’s engineering students hold the key to meeting the demands of future industry needs. They can go beyond mastering core technical knowledge by equipping themselves with diverse skills. Developing solid problem-solving abilities, proficiency in emerging technologies, and adaptability to rapidly changing environments are just the beginning.
Interdisciplinary collaboration and effective communication enable engineers to work seamlessly with professionals from various fields and convey complex concepts to non-technical stakeholders. As the industry increasingly prioritizes innovation and sustainability, students who cultivate a forward-thinking mindset and an eagerness to engage in lifelong learning will drive advancements and tackle global challenges.
This is why taking engineering courses on top of educational solutions such as Dassault Systemes can help future-proof students and current engineers’ skills to potential employers locally and globally, enhancing their employability and career prospects.
In an age where many of these engineering skills rely on the knowledge and application of various engineering tools and solutions, mastering these tools can empower you to jumpstart your career and confidently navigate the future. Check out our list of things today’s engineering students must know and apply by heart!
Integrated Cloud-Based Engineering Apps
In modern engineering, knowledge of the concept and application of modern cloud-based engineering applications is necessary because it allows you to create concepts for all your engineering designs. Think of it as the beginner application stage of future-proofing your career.
If you’re looking to master these engineering apps, Dassault Systemes’ “SOLIDWORKS Cloud Apps for Students” is a game-changer. It offers a comprehensive browser-based portfolio of design apps, including their own AI-powered CAD technology. With this, students can effortlessly create 3D parametric models, design organic shapes, and define them in 3D or 2D Drawings, all within their browser. This tool is a gateway to practical application and boosts your engineering skills.
Moreover, students can create detailed sheet metal designs with sheet metal and 3D frame structures with xFrame and define products more integrated, flexible, and intelligently through xDrawing.
Lastly, thanks to Project Planning, users can also plan projects with a dedicated milestone, task planning, and execution tracker, record ideas in real-time with the building blocks of 3DSwymer, and even learn to innovate, organize, collaborate, and manage in real-time via the Collaborative Industry Innovator.
Generative Modeling and Detailed Design Phase
From the initial stages of creating the designs, the next step for improving engineering skills lies in the initial testing and modeling. During this venture, students learn mathematically and practically whether their models will pass initial conceptual stress tests before entering the material testing phase, preparing them for real-world engineering challenges.
For the generative modeling and detailed design phase, the “3DEXPERIENCE CATIA for Students” package is a must-have. It simplifies the creation of complex organic shapes and enables students to design and complete advanced mechanical products and parts, from the conceptual to the detailed phases. This tool is a stepping stone to mastering the intricacies of engineering design and a catalyst for your learning journey.
Said solution, built on CATIA and powered by the 3DEXPERIENCE platform on the cloud, uses an algorithmic design approach that allows easy creation of repetitive and non-regular shapes, such as organically and bio-inspired forms. With this package, students can unleash their full creativity by combining graph-based visual scripting and interactive 3D modeling with the ability to use one or the other interchangeably at any time.
Manufacturing and Lifecycle Management
Once we get past these initial conceptual processes, it’s time to move towards those that are always changing and practiced by experts and industry professionals. For this, the “3DEXPERIENCE Engineer for Students” provides a suite of connected tools and apps specifically cultivated for the broader toolkit required by the designers and engineers of tomorrow.
Through this suite, users can access powerful capabilities for 3D design (CATIA), simulation (SIMULIA), manufacturing (DELMIA), and product data and lifecycle management (ENOVIA)–tools that are vital in the proper implementation of engineering designs in large-scale projects. Moreover, users can also extend their design capabilities and innovate faster with intuitive design, advanced simulation, manufacturing, and product lifecycle management – all in the cloud.
