Pattern #12 - The Engineering Trap
A read for anyone considering an engineering degree
This is the kind of article I wish existed before I committed to 4 years of engineering studies. If you're considering engineering, currently studying it, or have graduated and are questioning everything, this one's for you.
If you prefer to watch then it’s also available as my first youtube video !
I studied chemical engineering for four years. I even did a full year working in industry at a petrochemical plant. And then I walked away from it all.
I want to talk about something a lot of people go through but rarely discuss openly: why so many engineering students never actually become engineers.
Why I Chose Chemical Engineering
Three words: prestige, finance, and opportunity. I’d say these are the 3 reasons that drive people to study engineering.
I was good at maths and chemistry. I’d spent a few days at Manchester university during a summer school exploring different subjects, and engineering clicked with me the most. That’s more exposure than most people get before committing to a degree. I thought I’d found my path.
But I was still confused. Confused enough to take a gap year. I remember sitting at my computer, scrolling through the University of Manchester’s website, scanning every course from accounting to zoology, only to find myself drawn back to engineering.
Part of me wonders if that attraction was influenced by the “Big 3 pathways” that immigrant parents typically pre-approve: engineering, law, or medicine. Anything else almost requires an explanation for why you've deviated from that expected path.
One big motivation was my long-term goal of moving to the Middle East. Chemical engineering felt like the degree that could open that door. And when I found out chemical engineers had some of the highest starting salaries for graduates? That sealed the deal.
Reality of Studying Chemical Engineering
Chemical engineering is one of the hardest degrees, primarily due to the breadth and depth of the modules studied and the short turnaround time for assignments and projects.
Your typical week will be full of coursework, labs, reports and problem sets.
You will be pretty sure after the first semester if chemical engineering is for you. Once people grasp what chemical engineering truly involves, some quickly realise it’s not the career path they want. Of course, the actual job differs from studying.
I thought the course layout + structure did not leave room for too much outside of studying like other courses did.
It felt like the intensity the course was high for not much benefit gained. Unlike other courses where you might have time to explore other interests, build side projects, or even properly prepare for job applications, chemical engineering felt like running on a treadmill that kept speeding up.
And job applications? They're their own beast. Borderline deserving their own module. Nothing at university prepares you for the interview processes these companies have. And the best (read: worst) part? They're all completely different from each other.
Why I Decided to Leave
So why do people actually leave? Three reasons:
1. Job Availability
This is the first and foremost reason. There simply aren’t as many engineering jobs out there as advertised when you start your course. You get sold this dream that engineers are in short supply and that you’ll essentially get snapped up after graduation.
That simply isn’t true.
Not only do you face competition from the ever-growing engineering cohorts across the country in your discipline each year — you’re also competing against other engineering disciplines for the same roles.
2. Salary
Funnily enough, this is the same reason many of us applied in the first place.
The reality is engineers aren’t paid that well compared to what that same person could earn by taking their smarts and effort into other fields — like consulting or tech. When someone puts in the effort to secure top grades and then sees they could get paid significantly more in another field, you can understand why they make the switch.
3. Geographic Inflexibility
This is the biggest thing I would tell any prospective chemical engineer about. It’s a massive downside that no one talks about during undergrad.
Most process facilities aren’t in cities. A good percentage of people end up having to commute a fair distance to reach their workplace. If you’re someone who wants to live in a big city, your options are limited. I’m not saying it’s impossible but it’s something to seriously consider.
If you clicked on this article, you’re likely in one of three categories:
A student thinking about studying engineering
You’re already studying it
You’ve graduated and you’re questioning everything
Wherever you are in that journey — know that you’re not alone. Making a pivot doesn’t mean you failed. Sometimes it means you’re finally being honest with yourself about what you actually want.
Have you ever had to make a tough decision like this? Let me know in the comments.
Plugs
A collection of interesting links I’ve found from trawling the internet
Surah Yusuf - Qari Fatih Seferagic
Clawdbot Setup - Setting up Clawdbot the proper way
Claude Import Memory - Switch from ChatGPT to Claude easily