Engineering sectors and industries
Engineering Sectors
- Primary Sector: This sector includes extracting raw materials. In terms of engineering, this might involve mining, drilling for oil, or forestry for paper production.
- Secondary Sector: Focused on the process of transforming raw materials into finished products. This can include anything from building cars to manufacturing microchips.
- Tertiary Sector: Provides services that support the primary and secondary sectors. In engineering, this could involve elements such as transport, distribution or maintenance.
Popular Engineering Industries
- Aerospace Engineering: Deals with the design, development and application of aircraft and spacecraft.
- Automotive Engineering: This industry involves the design and manufacture of vehicles, from cars and bikes to lorries and buses.
- Civil Engineering: Works with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, such as roads, bridges, tunnels, and buildings.
- Chemical Engineering: Applies the principles of chemistry, biology, physics, and maths to solve problems that involve the production or use of chemicals, fuel, drugs, food, and many other products.
- Electrical Engineering: Encompasses study and application of electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism.
- Mechanical Engineering: Involves the design, production and operation of machinery.
- Software Engineering: The systematic approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software.
Key Considerations
- Each sector and industry requires specific skills and knowledge. For example, an automotive engineer needs a solid understanding of mechanical systems, whereas a software engineer requires strong coding skills.
- Globalisation impacts all engineering sectors and industries. With technology connecting us more than ever before, industries can source materials, manufacture products and sell goods all over the world.
- Emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and clean energy, are creating new opportunities and challenges in all sectors and industries.
- The environmental impact is a major consideration for all sectors and industries. Engineers are using innovative solutions to minimise harm to the environment and contribute to sustainable development.
- The concept of the lifecycle of products and services is essential in understanding engineering processes. It refers to the series of stages from design and production to use, maintenance, and eventual disposal.