Career Outlook for Vehicle Engineers

Professionals in this field have been integral in developing the hybrid electric car technology that has transformed the automotive industry. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) provides a bevy of resources for current and aspiring engineers in the field. Moreover, the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), furnish professionals and students with transformative knowledge and tools to embolden their ability to thrive as technology and techniques evolve. There are regular updates on news in the industry, events, seminars and educational conferences to enhance and develop the skills of the community. In addition, professionals capitalize on networking and mentoring opportunities as well as recruiting efforts from major corporations like Ford Motor Co. and General Electric. Based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the employment opportunities for these engineers is expected to grow through the year 2020 by 9 percent. The U.S. cities with the most opportunities and highest salaries for these professionals are Detroit and Auburn Hills, Michigan. The states of California and Texas are the next two locations with the greatest career prospects. According to statistics at O*Net salary data, these engineers earned a median salary of $82,100.

Ford Motor Company is one of many companies that value and actively recruit vehicle engineering professionals to their organization. In a Detroit News profile of Alana Strager, a Ford program manager with a background in the field, the executive illuminated the various duties and responsibilities she performs daily in their work producing the Ford F-150 truck. Her background enabled her to seamlessly lead a team of engineers and product developers in refining a product that served their customers’ needs while featuring the latest technological features. Known as the “Queen of Innovation”, Strager helped assemble a team of insightful marketers, astute engineers, and expert designers in developing a product coveted by a range of consumers. Her work on the truck’s BoxLink technology particularly illustrated the medley of skills demanded and refined by the engineering profession. The system consists of four slots located in the interior of the truck’s bed that enable users to fasten supplies, materials, and other objects to the truck. Though the bed features fixed mounting slots, the metallic cleats may be removed, enabling the feature to be customized based on the flexible needs of customers. In Strager’s view, people purchase vehicles like the Ford F-150 to help each other, thereby underscoring not only the practical utility of the truck but its social community component as well. Her career at Ford illuminates the importance in vehicle engineering of developing well-rounded skills to execute technological initiatives that address consumer needs in the global marketplace.

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