Want to Be an Engineer? A Guide for Every Level

When deciding on a career path, it is very difficult to know whether your chosen industry will continue growing, become oversaturated or even become completely redundant. No worries if you’re choosing engineering for your higher education because according to the World Bureau of Labour Statistics, engineering professions typically have a wage higher than the national median, as well as a relatively positive growth outlook!

Engineers use science, technology and math to solve problems. Everywhere we go, we see the work of engineers surrounding us by improving the ways we work, travel, communicate, stay healthy and entertained. Plus, the lucrative pay engineers make in general is an added bonus. Want to be an engineer but clueless on where to begin? No worries, we’ve got all your questions answered.

Do I start with a pre-university programme?

Pre-u programmes are a great shortcut to a degree 

In Malaysia, you are given the chance of opting from a variety of pre-university courses which falls under the engineering field. Accomplishing a pre-university course in engineering will develop your basic understanding of the subjects associated to engineering. There are several branches of engineering you can dive into such as Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and many more.

A foundation in Engineering or foundation in Science course would work well for you to pursue an Engineering degree, as well as science-stream subjects during an A-Level course. You can also consider other pre-university programmes in Malaysia such as the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma or the American Degree transfer Programme since those engineering streams are also accepted widely in Malaysia.

What if I’m an art-stream student wishing to pursue Engineering?

Don’t get worked up if you’re an art-stream student with a dream to become an engineer because the diploma courses are your saviour. 

Students planning to enroll into Diploma in Engineering courses in Malaysia are not required to complete a pre-university qualification even if you’re from art-stream, making it a popular pathway into an eventual Engineering degree course once you’re done with the diploma.

Diploma courses offer insight into courses like Chemical engineering, Electrical engineering, Civil engineering and Mechanical engineering touching on a few aspects of them without investing deeper, which you will be doing in Engineering degree courses. The span of diploma courses is usually a duration of two years, as compared to degree courses which tend to be a minimum of three years.

Should I pursue a Degree in Engineering?

Women make up more than 40 per cent of Engineering students 

There are many professional courses which you can pursue after finishing your school. But studying engineering always brings prestige among people and everyone knows how much effort is required to become a successful engineering degree holder. 

Engineers are always satisfied with their job as they get the chance to apply their creative thinking in the projects they do. When you have an engineering degree you will be earning almost 20% more than the other graduates. Read up on our website to find out how much you can earn as an Engineer in Malaysia.

Is a Masters in Engineering necessary?

No, not really.

You don’t need a master’s degree to get a good job in engineering field. Talented engineers are in high demand and plenty of young engineers are bringing home nice pay checks and enjoying good job prospects with nothing more than a bachelor’s degree in engineering field. 

However, if you have a master’s degree in your respective engineering course, you will not only be qualified to work as an engineer but you could even work as a lecturer in higher learning institutions guiding future engineers.

Basically, get a Masters if you wish to join the academia world of Engineering!

Where can I study Engineering?

There are a lot of really good universities where you can pursue your higher education in Engineering, both public and private universities offer Engineering courses in Malaysia but Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN) is definitely one of Malaysia’s leading institution for aspiring engineers and that is proved by the achievements below.

Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN) Campus

 Rankings & Ratings

• UNITEN continuously provides high quality education through close industry linkages, innovative and experiential learning. UNITEN is awarded with the rating of: Tier 5 (Excellent) for SETARA (Rating System for Malaysian Higher Education) and Tier 5 for D-SETARA (Discipline Based Rating System) in Engineering.

Accolades

• UNITEN has thus far successfully acquired and retained a commendable array of awards, certifications and recognition from a variety of quality related initiatives.
• No.1 in the World US News & World report
• Top 10 in Malaysia the World university ranking
• Top 200 in Asia QS Asian university ranking

As luck would have it, UNITEN’s SEPTEMBER 2020 intake is now open! Intake for Foundation, Diploma, Bachelor, Master and PhD programmes semester 1 academic session 2020/2021.

To enlighten yourself more about UNITEN and the engineering courses available in UNITEN, visit UNITEN.

To apply for the September intake online visit HERE.

To get more information and better understanding, you can click the list of engineering topic below!

These videos featured Ir. Ashari bin Mohd Yakub, Competent Electrical Engineer (CEE) and Technical Advisor from the Board of Engineers Malaysia. Watch them now to answer all your questions!

Which Type of Engineering is Best for You?

Men vs. Women in Engineering – Who is Better?

Which Type of Engineering Gets You the Highest Salary?

Why You Can’t Become an Engineer with a 3-Year Engineering Degree Programme?

Important Subjects to Score During SPM to Pursue Engineering

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Engineering

Can Engineers Become Good Managers

How to Become a Professional Engineer

Which is the Best Country to Study Engineering?

Can Malaysian Engineering Graduates Work Abroad?

Should Engineers Pursue Postgraduate Studies?

Why are Most Engineering Graduates Jobless Today?