Mechanical Engineer
Learn about this occupation – including typical duties, education required, salary and job outlook information, job boards and more.
Mechanical engineers research, design and develop machinery and systems for heating, ventilating and air conditioning, power generation, transportation, processing and manufacturing. They also perform duties related to the evaluation, installation, operation and maintenance of mechanical systems. Mechanical engineers are employed by consulting firms, by power-generating utilities and in a wide range of manufacturing, processing and transportation industries, or they may be self-employed. (National Occupational Classification)
Occupational profile
Find detailed information about the occupation, incl. typical duties and working conditions, in the links below:
- National Occupational Classification (NOC) - Canadian occupational descriptions
- OCCinfo by alis - Alberta-based occupational information, includes video
- O*NET Online - U.S. resource for occupational descriptions and information
- Profile: Project Engineer in the petroleum industry - from Talent Egg
- Mechanical Engineering Overview - Sloan Career Cornerstone Center
- Sokanu: Mechanical Engineer - occupational videos and info (U.S.)
- Careers in Oil & Gas (Canada): Mechanical Engineer profile
- Engineer Profiles - from Engineering Your Future
- What does a Mechanical Engineer do? - TryEngineering.org
- Interview: Automation Engineer - from StudyinCanada.com
- HVAC Career Profile: Refrigeration System Designer and Project Manager - Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada
- Career Profile from Let's Talk Science: Mechanical Engineer
Education
U of M Academic Calendar
The Academic Calendar & Catalogue outlines program admission and course requirements. Use the left menu to navigate to a specific faculty and program. To determine which degree path suits your unique occupational goals, speak with a Career Consultant. For support with course registration and academic issues, speak with an Academic Advisor.
Faculty and Department Homepages
Visit the faculty and department homepage to learn about program application deadlines and processes, as well as additional in-house resources and opportunities.
Exploring Other Education Options
Labour market information
Labour market information informs users of supply and demand for specific occupations and sectors. It includes such things as salary and job outlook information. These resources support informed career decision making and job search efforts.
Resources
- Trend Analysis: Job Market Report (Winnipeg Region) - Gov. of Canada Job Bank
- Occupation Outlook Handbook - Job outlook for the U.S.
Engineers Salary Survey - Engineers Geoscientists Manitoba - Canada's Best Jobs 2018: The Top 25 - Engineering Manager (#2) - Maclean's
- OpportuNext - salary range and job growth prospects - Manitoba
Professional Associations
Professional associations organize events and directories, job postings, career and labour market information. Student membership opportunities are also available. This is a great way to learn and network.
- Engineers Geoscientists Manitoba (EGM)
- The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
- Canadian Society of Mechanical Engineers
- Canadian Engineering Regulatory Organizations - Engineers Canada
- Engineering Institute of Canada
- American Society of Mechanical Engineers (U.S.)
- National Society of Professional Engineers (U.S.)
Directories, Industry Associations, and Sector Councils
These resources provide industry news, labour market information and a list of potential employers. Remember, there are usually multiple industries worth exploring.
- Association of Consulting Engineering Companies (ACEC) - Manitoba
- Vehicle Technology Centre (Manitoba)
- Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association
- Electricity Canada - members
- Association of Equipment Manufacturers - member directory
- Canadian Aerospace Industries Association
- Heating, Refrigerating & Air Conditioning Association of Canada - Manufacturer Member Companies
- Canadian Institute of Heating & Plumbing - members
- Canadian Nuclear Association - Members
Job Boards
Search occupations of interest in the industry-specific job boards below to learn about skill requirements, employers, job duties and available jobs. You may also wish to search more general online job boards.
Other links
External resources that will provide you with additional information about the occupation, areas of work and opportunities to build experience:
- University of Manitoba Engineering Student Groups
- Women In Science & Engineering (WISE) Kid-Netic Energy - University of Manitoba
- Tetra Society of North America (see Winnipeg Chapter) - Non-profit organization that provides volunteer engineers across Canada and the US to design and construct custom assistive devices for people with disabilities
- Article: What it takes to become an automotive engineer - from JobPostings magazine
- Design Engineering - digital magazine and featured news by industry and topic
- Canadian Coalition of Women in Engineering, Science, Trades and Technology
- Black Engineers of Canada
- Discover Engineering Online
- Engineers Without Borders Canada
- Global Grand Challenges of Engineering - National Academy of Engineering
- Article: Sports engineers propel athletes to the top - Maclean's magazine