really appreciate it. 1. How competitive is the auto industry in terms of engineering vs. other industries you could potentially be in? I don’t know. You have to be good at what you do. Engineers are paid well. There is an expectation of performance and solving problems. 2. How would one get in and get a foot in the door in this industry? Lots of companies have internships and co-op programs start to apply. Don’t limit yourself to the “big names”. Think suppliers, lots of parts go into a vehicle. 3. What qualities are best for being successful at this? I worked with a lot of younger talent, the ones that do the best typically are the most well rounded, have a passion for what they do, and are willing to do the “unglamorous” work (go figure). Swapping out hot exhaust systems, doing parts swaps in the field, prepping reports, etc.
4. How does one get into the performance side of the auto industry? (Designing like super cars, sport cars, not like f1 racing or anything like that) Might need to go with an OEM, I think one guy I worked with got into NASCAR. There are a lot of people that go into designing a supercar or any car for that matter. How do you define design? There are people working on CAE, Aero, NVH, Body, Engine, Trans, and every sub system in-between. 5. What does a typical work week look like? Depends what end you are on, typically cyclic. Supporting a vehicle launch? Don’t expect to be out at 5. It What I have noticed the closer you are to the “physical” vehicle the more erratic the hours are. As that’s when the unexpected problems arise and need to be fixed fast. 6. Would you recommend just doing mechanical engineering and pursuing other parts for sake of stability and better opportunities? The question here isn’t clear to me. ME is a flexible degree, one of the best out there, but I’m biased.
7. My school has an option for a major in engineering with either a focus in automotive systems, electrical, or mechanical. What are the benefits to each and what seems to be the best gig? Honestly, all of the above. ME’s we just don’t do “gears and stuff”. While we aren’t expected to design electrical systems having a basic knowledge is good. I can’t tell you how disappointed I was when the intern I was working with didn’t know the difference between AC and DC. Programming helps, I have used that skill as a filter. Typically, those who know how to program have good logical / problem solving ability.