Discipline Specific Career Exploration

In collaboration with Faculty subject matter experts, Engineering Career Connections has developed the following career exploration materials. Geared towards helping students learn more about potential career paths, these resources provide high-level overviews of the engineering disciplines studied at the University of Alberta. Read How to Use the Discipline Sheets for help getting started.

Trying to figure out which discipline is right for you? Check out these Tips for Selecting Your Discipline.

Current Students: Don’t forget you can access expanded company lists, sample job titles, etc. via the Resource Vault. And, for more insights into planning your career and conducting an effective job search, be sure to work through our Engineering Your Career series of handouts.

Screenshot of the "What Can I Do With A Degree in Biomedical Engineering?” Handout. The image links to the handout.
thumbnail "What can I do with a degree in chemical engineering"
Screenshot of the "What Can I Do With A Degree in Civil Engineering?” Handout. The image links to the handout.
Screenshot of the "What Can I Do With A Degree in Computer Engineering?” Handout. The image links to the handout.
Screenshot of the "What Can I Do With A Degree in Electrical Engineering?” Handout. The image links to the handout.
Screenshot of the "What Can I Do With A Degree in Engineering Physics?” Handout. The image links to the handout.
Screenshot of the "What Can I Do With A Degree in Environmental Engineering?” Handout. The image links to the handout.
Screenshot of the "What Can I Do With A Degree in Materials Engineering?” Handout. The image links to the handout.
Screenshot of the "What Can I Do With A Degree in Mechanical Engineering?” Handout. The image links to the handout.
Screenshot of the "What Can I Do With A Degree in Mining Engineering?” Handout. The image links to the handout.
Screenshot of the "What Can I Do With A Degree in Petroleum Engineering?” Handout. The image links to the handout.

How to Use the Discipline Sheets

Sample Job Titles

Avoid limiting your search to generic job titles such as Mechanical EIT, Materials Engineering Intern, or Software Engineer. The sample titles are a starting point that can help you expand your search and discover additional opportunities.

Companies Hiring

Review the sampling of companies for ideas on the types of organizations you may work for in the future. Make a list of companies that interest you and identify their competitors. Use LinkedIn and networking events to make connections at your target companies as a first step in exploring career paths.

Be sure to follow your top companies on social media and visit the careers page of their websites regularly. Remember, companies locally and around the world need engineers with your skills, attitude, and talents - be willing to consider opportunities in another city, province or country.

Research Areas @ U of A

Explore the innovation happening in our faculty. Initiate conversations with professors who are conducting research on topics that interest you in order to learn about the work of theoretical and applied researchers. Unable to connect with professors? Reach out to TAs and other graduate students doing interesting research to learn more about their experiences and career plans.

If what you learn fascinates you, take advantage of the possible undergraduate and graduate student research opportunities. Keep in mind that current areas of research contribute to new careers and opportunities of the future.

Key Industries

Identify the industry, or industries, that fascinate you and learn what key Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental (PESTLE) trends are impacting it. Take the time to identify sector hubs (i.e., the geographical regions most companies in the industry are located), and take advantage of tools like Industry Canada and industry associations for lists of companies you can apply to.

Understanding current and forecasted demands can help you focus your career and job search in sectors that are most likely to have opportunities. Governments (federal, provincial and municipal) and industry associations are great resources for reports and analysis of key PESTLE trends.

Organizations of Interest

Follow industry or sector-specific news for information on trends, lists of member companies, job boards, and networking opportunities. Developing your knowledge of key challenges and opportunities impacting your target industry can give you an excellent starting point for your career planning and job search and help bolster your credibility during interviews.

U of A & External Resources

Explore and gather information about the career you aspire to. Learn more about the common duties and responsibilities engineers have by checking out the Canada Job Bank or ALIS OccINFO websites. Read the advice from senior students in each discipline on the ESS website.

Last Updated: March 11, 2024