How to Become a Mechanical Engineer Without a Degree

How to become a mechanical engineer without a degree? Recently I received this message from a profile on facebook.  The thing is, if you are passionate about something in your life, then believe me you can achieve anything with hard work and power of determination. It’s a common mindset that your actual professional life starts after having a degree in a field of your interest but there are some people who cannot get a degree because of some unfortunate situations but that does not mean you cannot achieve your goals or do something you are passionate about.

If you are interested in machines and you are always thinking about how they work, what is the mechanism behind it then mechanical engineering is what you are found of. Finding your interest and your passion is vital for pursuing any career. Now the real question, can I become a mechanical engineer without a degree? Then the answer is yes! You can learn anything you want to but you really need to put all the effort you can. Although it’s not technically possible to be a licensed mechanical engineer without having any associate mechanical engineering degree still you can work on your technical skills on your own. There exist people who have a great knowledge of how the machine works without even having a proper degree.  Your skills and experience have more influence on your career than just a degree.

If you know the fact that you will not be able to achieve a graduate-level degree in mechanical engineering but still, you want to work as a mechanical engineer you can take courses like math, physics, and computers during the period of your high school.  Math and physics are the backbones of engineering so your grip on these courses at your high school can be really helpful. You can learn computer programming at your high school which will even increase the chance of your placement as an engineer.

Whenever you get a chance to participate in any math or science contest you should go for it as the certificates you will have will put a huge impact on your future job opportunities as a mechanical engineer.

You can join drafting classes or courses, these courses are cheaper and take less time.  Try to take at least one CAD (computer-aided drafting) class before you apply for any job as working with the computers for your mechanical engineering job is really important.

It is not easy to get the position of a mechanical engineer without a degree but still, you can find a lot of online courses that can polish your technical skills.

Mechanical Engineering courses by COURSERA

Coursera is an amazing online learning platform, they offer a huge number of online courses, degrees, professional courses, and specializations. There are dozens of courses related to mechanical engineering on Coursera that include aeronautics, robotics, industry manufacturing, mechanics, automotive, and many more.

Mechanical Engineering courses by Udemy

An American online learning platform that has millions of courses and instructors.  There are thousands of certified mechanical engineering courses available on udemy.

Mechanical Engineering courses by edX

You can take introductory, intermediate, and advanced level courses on edX related to mechanical engineering. You can learn how to design, build, and most importantly how to program robots and machines.

More than a degree you need to develop the right skills because the top companies are not just looking for a piece of paper rather they are in search of skilled people who can really solve real-world problems. Here are some technical skills you need to learn:

Six Sigma

There are scientific methods, mechanical engineers must use to design the products. They should know how to make their products productive and efficient.

Mechanical and Engineering Concepts

Every product has different requirements, mechanical and engineering concepts will help you to apply the right concepts in right place. You can learn basic concepts of mechanical engineering on our website as well.

Software Skills

If you want to work as a mechanical engineer you have to learn how to use software tools to aid designs and execute the requirements and concepts.  

To get a mechanical engineering job without a degree is a hard path but it’s not impossible. There are a lot of companies that are accepting equivalent experience and skills in lieu of a degree. There is nothing in the world you cannot achieve if you are determined towards it. Never stop yourself to follow your passion no matter what it takes to get through it.