Early Signs Of A Good Engineer (Episode #109 - Engineering)

What are some of the early childhood signs that might make for a good engineer? In this themed episode Juan and Kyrin discuss the topic of 'Engineering'. Both Mere Mortals initially went to university for engineering (graduating in Civil and Mining) and subsequently worked as engineers for the early part of their careers. This episode covered their experiences at university, in the workplace and what it is like to be an engineer.

The discussion starts off with indications in high school that suggested an aptitude for this profession: naturally good at maths, interest in mega-structures and buildings, enjoying problem solving and a desire to see things 'add up' nicely. For their first years in uni, both studied hard and tell of their moments of joy, frustration and learning. The most important learning coming from university was the value of fundamental engineering concepts and discarding the information that was not useful in the actual workplace.

The second half of the conversation centres around some of their experiences in the workplace and why they transitioned into different career paths. These include some of their worst moments as well as the funny stories that can occur on a mine site. The episode ends with a quick look at the 6 classic simple machines and a delve into the etymology of 'engineering'. As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!

Timeline:

0:00 - Intro & Mere Mortal Moments

4:31 - What is an engineer?

6:05 - Suits, steelcaps and high vis: the engineering outfit

11:01 - Why we got into engineering and the early signs of an aptitude for it

18:53 - What to expect in a 1st year engineering course

21:33 - The choice between party time or studying hard

26:40 - The worst parts of studying at university

31:07 - Benefits of studying hard

33:56 - Impracticality of higher education and learning the basics

39:01 - Transitioning from university to the workplace

48:30 - Worst moment in engineering

54:38 - The biggest learning from our engineering experiences

56:44 - Funny stories from Kyrin's workplace

59:08 - The 6 classic simple machines

1:01:58 - Latin confirmed: the Mere Mortals are clever

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