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By on February 6, 2017 in Programs

Deciding on a career path or college major is one of the most important decisions a person can make in his or her lifetime and can become overwhelming very quickly. One field that is often overlooked is engineering. Engineering today not only presents benefits such as high average compensation and financial security, but also offers a wide variety of roles that cater to various interests.

RevPart has created an infographic that highlights the different types of engineering career paths including job outlooks, what these engineers do, salary information and more!

Image by Kevin Gutowsky

This article was contributed by guest author Matt Davis.

By on February 1, 2017 in Programs

Image by pashminu, pixabay.com

Civil engineering is a competitive field. If you want to stand out from other applicants, you might think about obtaining a minor or double major in addition to your regular civil engineering degree. Here are just four other areas of study that will complement your current curriculum.

Business
Civil engineers rarely work alone. They coordinate with builders, architects, surveyors, accountants, insurers, risk assessment managers and many other professionals to ensure the safe and speedy completion of their projects. A business background will help you understand all of these areas instead of just one, and you’ll be better equipped to make the “big picture” decisions of your engineering endeavors. Consider a degree in business to make yourself a jack of all trades.

Environmental Engineering
You’ll deal with a lot of environmental issues as you build bridges and dams. From soil tests to geological impact surveys, you’ll need to speak the language and understand the risks before you move forward with your civil projects. A minor in environmental engineering can help you with this. Not only will it broaden your knowledge of engineering in general, but it will also give you a strong foundation in subjects that are bound to come up in your everyday career.

Civil Engineering
An advanced degree in civil engineering will look better to hiring managers than a simple bachelor’s degree. The good news is that you can obtain an online civil engineering master’s degree with nothing but a web connection and a willingness to work hard, so even if you don’t have access to a brick-and-mortar school, you can still further your education and career prospects. Some programs will even accelerate your degree schedule so that you can join the workforce sooner.

Computer Science
As the world becomes increasingly digital, it pays to understand things like programming languages and database management. You might be asked to use a variety of software as you create, plan, alter, design and implement civil structures, and if you have a technical background in computers, you’ll find them a lot easier to utilize than the next person. A degree in computer science will also look attractive to hiring managers when paired with your already-intensive civil engineering studies.

These are just four potential degrees for civil engineers. There are many more, of course, but these ideas should be enough to get you started. Use them to obtain a well-rounded education that will open doors for you in the future.

This article was contributed by guest author Rachelle Wilber.

By on May 20, 2016 in Programs
Image by Evonne, Flickr

Image by Evonne, Flickr

Journalists and authors covering the world of tech startups love to point to famous entrepreneurs like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and other daring founders who dropped out of college to pursue their business. This has led many to believe that skipping college is the ticket to startup success.

Unfortunately, there is an element of what is known as survivorship bias, in which you only notice the individuals who succeeded while missing all of the failures. In reality, completing college can give you a big advantage when building a startup. Below, we’ll look at three college degrees that could give you an edge in the competitive world of entrepreneurship.

Engineering

Any good business is designed to work as a system, and engineering is the art of building elegant and robust systems. In addition, every startup needs an awesome product, which also requires engineering. So it should come as no surprise to learn that many successful startups are built by people with engineering backgrounds. The most popular and in-demand fields are computer science and electrical engineering, either one of which will help you build the next generation of disruptive new products.

An MBA or MPA

The startup community has a tendency to ignore the importance of an MBA and the closely related MPA, but in reality, both can offer a number of advantages for startup founders. The MBA and MPA cover a wide range of business skills that will be a powerful advantage over competitors who lack such a skill set. In addition, you can get a master’s of business administration or a master’s of public administration online, making them ideal for a busy person with dreams of launching their own startup.

Psychology

It might be surprising to learn that most of the great products you use every day are built with psychology in mind. The human brain has a variety of cognitive biases and mental shortcuts that are often leveraged to build addictive and appealing products. In addition, every startup needs marketing, and marketing is all about reaching the forefront of people’s decision making process. A degree in psychology will provide powerful insights into how people make crucial decisions.

A great startup requires a great founder, and being a great founder requires a diverse skill set and broad knowledge. Before you pass up on a college education, consider the powerful advantages offered by any of these three college degrees.

This article was contributed by guest author Lizzie Weakley.