There are activities outside the classroom for students interested in engineering careers. High school clubs are an excellent opportunity to join together with students of like-minded interests and aspirations. Clubs also provide career preparation, as many of today's engineering professionals work in teams or groups. Some high school clubs sponsor day trips to companies, where students can see engineers in actual work environments. Universities offer 4-year programs in mechanical engineering.
Students study advanced mathematics, calculus, chemistry and physics among the core courses.
They are also required to develop proficiency in using a computer. By their junior year, college students take specialized mechanical engineering courses including fluid dynamics, materials science, robotics, manufacturing processes, thermodynamics and heat transfer, and environmental science. Many mechanical engineers go on to enter master's or doctoral programs, which, in addition to continued classroom study, include such activities as laboratory research and computational analysis. Most companies hiring mechanical engineers expect candidates to have bachelor's degrees in mechanical engineering. Today more and more companies are requiring employees to pursue advanced degrees, particularly if the employee manages, research, design and development projects.