The Engineer's Outlook

The engineer is trained to embrace objectivity and a passionate curiosity. Engineers make a clear distinction between fact and opinion. The scientific method reinforces their view of the world as a place of limitless opportunity and ultimate rationality. The scientific method requires that the engineer: Identify the desired outcome, Specify all assumptions, Propose a solution.

With this objective and disciplined approach the engineer is protected against unrealistic expectations and forecasts, but equally protected against fatalism and resignation. To the engineer, anything is possible, it just may take a while to figure it out!  The engineer is teamwork oriented: through teamwork everybody wins. Through teamwork the engineer brings together the best range of skills from people with a variety of backgrounds and perspectives.

The second element of an engineer's essential qualities is a broad range of experience. By definition, an engineer is someone who builds things. Building demands the necessary tools and facilities. In today's world of technology this requires robust communications, computer, and analytic experience and the ability to apply it to the task at hand.

Skills must be kept current through continuing education and practical hands-on application. Both require a robust mathematical background, an ease in dealing with abstract concepts, knowledge in the workings of digital machines and their media, and absolute currency in emerging methods.