What can you do with an engineering degree? – News at Curtin – Curtin University news and events

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Engineering is central to human development. Inventions like electric vehicles, water supply, prosthetic limbs, the lightbulb and the internet have been game changers for humanity, and all were made possible by engineers.
Engineers are experts at turning ideas into practical goods, structures and systems.
They work in diverse fields such as chemical processing, civil construction, mining and energy, computing and robotics.
If you’re looking for a career as an engineer, read on to discover the engineering disciplines available, as well as career prospects and job options.
One of the great things about engineering is its diversity. It includes fields that range from more traditional disciplines such as civil engineering – the construction of roads, bridges, water systems etc – through to more recent developments like software systems engineering – the design and implementation of complex computer programs.
Despite their differences, all types of engineering are concerned with finding practical solutions to problems.
Where a designer or architect might ask ‘What will it look like?’ an engineer asks, ‘How will it work?’
As we strive to address global challenges such as finite resources and climate change, engineers are also increasingly concerned with ensuring their innovations are sustainable and ethically responsible.
Below are the engineering disciplines available in Curtin’s Bachelor of Engineering:
According to a 2022 report by Engineers Australia, demand for engineers is the highest it’s been in a decade. Analysing data from July to December 2021, the report showed that engineering job vacancies hit a ten-year high.
Driving the demand is continued investment in public infrastructure (with Perth’s Metronet a local example), a resurgence of minerals exploration, a global transition to clean energy and adaptions to climate change. 
The report found that civil engineers were most in demand during the period analysed, followed by industrial, mechanical and production engineers, with ICT and test engineers taking out third place.
If you’re a woman interested in engineering, Engineers Australia have reported that participation of women in the profession grew by 112% between 2006 and 2016. While women only make up 13% of the engineering workforce, a University Statistics for Engineering 2020 report stated that women starting engineering courses has increased to 18 per cent.
Read all about Alex Atkins, a Curtin engineering grad who became the first female engineer to ever work in an underground mine in Papua New Guinea.  
Engineering is generally a well-paid profession, with Engineers Australia reporting that engineer salary packages in 2016 ranged from $72,160 for graduate engineers (level 1) through to $198,885 for engineers in senior positions (level 5).
The latest data by Seek shows average annual engineering salaries by profession:
Communications: $100,000 to 120,000
Civil: $90,000 to 110,000
Electrical: $95,000 to 115,000
Mechanical: $95,000 to 115,000
Minerals: $140,000 to $160,000
Mining: $140,000 to $160,000
Software: $110,00 to $130,000
As mentioned, engineering is a broad field and the careers available depend on your specialisation. However, most engineering careers are concerned with the designing, building, testing and refining of machines, structures, systems or materials, all while considering safety, cost and practicality.
Below are some of the careers you can get into with an engineering degree.
Process engineers find the best sequence of chemical and physical processing methods to transform raw materials into valuable products e.g., crude oil into petrol, hydrogen into electricity, or grain, hops, yeast and water into beer.
Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical Engineering) (Honours)
Structural engineers are responsible for the design, construction and maintenance of public infrastructure such as bridges, tunnels, transport routes, sewage facilities, dams and airports. They use physics, maths and empirical knowledge to ensure physical structures can withstand certain types of pressure such as high winds, weight, flooding etc.
Bachelor of Engineering (Civil and Construction Engineering) (Honours)
The restoration of the Battersea Power Station in London is one of modern engineering’s most challenging and impressive feats. It included rebuilding four corroded chimneys, making 1.75 million bricks by hand, installing new support beams and required three times more steel than that used to construct the Eiffel Tower.
Electrical power engineers deal with the generation, distribution and maintenance of electricity that powers homes, businesses and industries. They ensure power systems are designed effectively and managed safely, and play a key role in the transition from fossil fuel-based power to renewable forms of energy such as wind, solar and hydrogen.
Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical and Computer Engineering) (Honours)
Production engineers determine how best to manufacture or assemble products at scale, such as electric vehicles, farm equipment or medical devices. They design, modify and maintain the performance of assembly line equipment and machinery to ensure products or components are produced efficiently and safely, and are cost-effective.
Bachelor of Engineering (Industrial and Systems Engineering) (Honours)
Aeronautical engineers work with aircraft. They design, develop, maintain and manufacture flight vehicles, such as civilian and military aeroplanes, helicopters, missiles, satellites and spacecraft. They assess mechanical systems, flight characteristics and aircraft performance to ensure aircraft are safe and efficient.
Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering) (Honours)
Automation is everywhere, from farming equipment to chatbots, events processing to coffee machines. Automation engineers are IT professionals who use computer programming to streamline the way machines, products and processes work. Their goal is to reduce the load on workers and improve efficiency.
Bachelor of Engineering (Mechatronic Engineering) (Honours)
A minerals engineer uses the latest technology to plan and supervise the safe and efficient extraction of minerals from the Earth. They use a range of specialities such as robotics, data analytics and additive manufacturing to ensure resources are extracted responsibly and can be transformed into useful products.
Bachelor of Engineering (Metallurgical Engineering) (Honours)
The growing transition to clean energy technologies has seen demand for minerals such as graphite, lithium and cobalt predicted to increase fivefold by 2050.
A mine planner and designer is responsible for both mine design and the scheduling of mining activities. Their goal is to compile geotechnical, geochemical, geological, mining, engineering and economic data to establish a mine site that enables mineral deposits to be extracted safely, efficiently, sustainably and cost-effectively.
Bachelor of Engineering (Mining Engineering) (Honours)
Software system engineers design and deploy computer software and applications across platforms to meet users’ needs. They are adept at using programming languages to build programs and functions for a range of products and services such as mobile and desktop applications, websites, cyber defence, network distribution, databases and video and computer games.
Bachelor of Engineering (Software Systems Engineering) (Honours)
A communications engineer designs, builds and maintains telecommunications equipment and systems including internet, satellite, radio and television broadcasting technologies. They usually work for major telecommunications companies, or for private companies that have large communication networks, such as mining organisations.
Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical and Computer Engineering) (Honours)
Communications engineers would have played a crucial part in the roll-out of 5G technology by telecommunications companies such as Telstra and Optus. 5G is the latest generation of global wireless technology that uses radio waves to transmit information. It’s predicted that by 2025, 95% of Australians will have 5G coverage.
Curtin’s Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) degree is a renowned four-year course that gives you the abilities, confidence and experience you need to become a qualified engineer.
You can choose from a range of majors and complement your chosen discipline with specialisations. The course emphasises practical learning and equips you with skills relevant to the future of the field, such as data analytics, machine learning and automation.
You’ll also consider global challenges such as climate change, developing your professional and ethical responsibilities as an engineer.
Throughout history engineers have pushed the boundaries of possibility – just imagine what you can add to the future of humankind.
Curtin University acknowledges all First Nations of this place we call Australia and recognises the many nations who have looked after Country for more than 60,000 years. We are honoured and grateful for the privilege to maintain campuses operating in Boorloo (Perth) and Karlkurla (Kalgoorlie) in Australia. We pay our respects to Elders past and present as Custodians and Owners of these lands. We recognise their deep knowledge and their cultural, spiritual and educational practices, and aspire to learn and teach in partnership with them. Curtin also acknowledges First Nations peoples connected with our global campuses. We are committed to working in partnership with all Custodians and Owners to strengthen and embed First Nations’ voices and perspectives in our decision-making, now and into the future.
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