Mechanical engineering deals with design and production of tools, machines and all other mechanical equipment to be used in industries. But apart from this, mechanical engineers also design, develop, construct, produce, install, operate and maintain various machines such as large steam and gas turbines, internal combustion engines, jet engines, components of thermal power stations, ACs, heaters, refrigerators etc. This is one of the most sought-after branches of engineering and is always in demand.

To become a Mechanical Engineer, you should have,

• Completed B.E or B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering
• A three-year Diploma in Mechanical Engineering is also accepted for certain technical jobs
• A Post Graduate degree (M.E) will help you specialize in fields such as Thermal Engineering and Production Engineering. You could also opt for teaching as a career
• For managerial positions, a degree in Business Administration will be an additional qualification.

Job Prospects:

In the government sector, the entry-level position is Junior Engineer. The organizational hierarchy is as follows:

Junior Engineer -> Assistant Engineer -> Assistant Executive Engineer -> Executive Engineer -> Superintendent Engineer and so on. They can be employed in various fields, including Automobile, Chemical, Electronics industries, Steel Plants, Oil Exploration and refining organizations, Railways, technical departments of armed forces and space research organizations.

Some of the other interesting fields are:

• Automotive - Designing car engines
• Railway - Designing faster, safer trains
• Renewable Energy - Finding new ways of converting wind, wave and solar energy into electricity
• Manufacturing - Working on interesting projects such as waterless washing machines using renewable energy
• Aerospace - Designing various space crafts
• Medical - Designing Joint replacement equipments etc.

Salary:

The salary of a fresher is between Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 25,000 per month, depending up on the organization. An experienced engineer may get between Rs. 4 lakh and Rs. 8 lakh per annum, according to Payscale.com

Top Employers:

Mechanical Engineers are in demand in various sectors and industries. Listed below are some of the sectors where they are required in large numbers.

• Automobile and auto part manufacturers
• Aerospace industry
• Various Government sector undertakings
• House ware manufacturers
• Aviation companies
• Steel plants
• Thermal plants and gas turbine manufacturers
• Air conditioning and refrigeration industry
• Shipping industry
• Construction companies
• Engineering consultancies
• Robotics
• Armed forces