Engineering
job variety abundant, civil engineering
hottest job
By Jeff Laban
Online Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer
The Cal State Long Beach College of Engineering has some hot jobs on the market.
According to Dean of CoE Michael K. Mahoney, the hottest job is civil engineering.
This is a result of a housing boom in California. Many people move to the state,
but there is not enough housing.
“
When you drive by a construction site,” Mahoney said, “next to all
the people working on building the foundation and structure, there is a guy punching
in numbers on his cell phone, ordering the materials such as concrete and piping.
He is the civil engineer.”
Civil engineering classes at CSULB train students to manage construction projects.
Students can work toward 15 possible degrees in CoE.
The mechanical and aerospace engineering department offers both graduate and
undergraduate degrees. Undergraduate programs provide an overlook of possible
career options in engineering as well as other fields, while graduate programs
mold the final shape of students in their respective areas.
“
I am interested in composite engineering [a degree of mechanical engineering],” said
senior Mathew Garcia. “That is, making composite parts. I’ve been
working with carbon fiber and wish to work with Swift Engineering in San Clemente
some day.
They work with race cars, making them better through wind tunnel testing and
building them on site.”
The computer engineering and computer science department offers degrees that
cover all areas of computing.
“
I’m hoping to work with a gaming company in the U.S.,” senior Vick
Wiermansa said. “I’d like to specialize in artificial intelligence.
I can stand working on it for a long time, [unlike] physics where I get bored
after a half hour. It’s like a hobby.”
For students who enjoy engineering but do not want to directly work in the field,
teaching is another career option.
“
I’d like to teach and get my credentials,” senior Rocio Meza
said. “Afterwards I can get my master’s to teach at a community college.
This way I won’t have to work alone in an office. I’m a people person.”
Students in computer science may be opened to applying at major companies.
“
I have also considered working in an industry, such as DreamWorks animation,” Meza
said.
Other students aim to become entrepreneurs.
“
I plan to go into aerospace engineering,” said senior Chris Rock. “I
just want to get paid and start my own company for design and manufacturing.”
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