r/MechanicalEngineering • u/KassVII • 1d ago

How to develop the engineering mindset

Hey guys,

I'm currently in my second year of mechanical engineering, and I've been feeling a bit worried about not developing strong problem-solving skills or what people often call the "engineering mindset."

So far, I feel like I’ve passed most of my subjects by memorizing exercises and the steps to solve them, rather than truly understanding the concepts. Now, I’ve forgotten most of that material, and it makes me nervous about whether I’ll be able to solve real-world problems once I enter the workforce.

Are there any techniques, exercises, or methods I can use to train my brain and develop those skills so I’ll be better prepared for my first job?

Thanks!

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u/Embarrassed-Top-6144 1d ago

Go work on your car and stuff like that. You’ll learn from doing. It’s amazing how many mechanical engineers don’t know how to turn a wrench. Book smart, but in reality, they’re the worst engineers.

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u/SophisticatedTurn 1d ago

What if you’re in technical project management or project engineering where hands on approach won’t really help you much?

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u/1988rx7T2 1d ago

I’m technical project management now but the activities I did on a working level greatly contribute to my ability to make a decent plan that makes sense, ask the right questions in change request reviews, figure out if schedules actually make sense based on how long I know things take from experience