<p>I posted a similar thread a couple weeks ago with few responses, so let me rephrase/explain further...</p>
<p>As a senior about to graduate in civil engineering, I don't think I'm alone when I say there's a huge gap between the academic and industrial world. I and many others in undergrad have been living under the proverbial rock for the past 4 years. Even with internship experience, it's almost impossible to envision your life as an actual engineer upon finally getting out into the "real world". We all know that engineers don't sit around summing moments on a beam or doing anything of the sort that's found in undergraduate curricula. So what if you end up not liking your particular field of engineering (or even <em>gasp</em> engineering at all)? What's a fellow to do? Or what if you love to be an engineer regardless of the particular discipline and want more lucrative opportunities?</p>
<p>I'm planning on attending graduate school this fall since my university is going to pay for it (I'm graduating cum laude, top 5% or so of my class, etc.). My emphasis will be in hydraulics and fluid mechanics. I hope to be a research assistant for a professor at my school that does a lot of work with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) along with physical and numerical modeling. I would think this has the potential to be relevant outside of civil engineering (in the event I don't want to stay in this field, which isn't necessarily the case) but I really don't know without an outside perspective. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, it seems like mechanical engineering is the discipline with the most versatility, something I'd really appreciate due to my current lack of certainty in regards to my professional future. I know that a degree is just a starting point, not a definitive career path you can't possibly stray from. The problem just seems to be getting your foot in the door elsewhere. Looking at job listings on various websites, it seems that companies can be quite specific about which engineering degree you've obtained.</p>
<p>Long story short, what is the crossover potential for engineers? How easy is it for one type of engineer to switch to another if they wish to do so? Are engineers often hired outside the profession altogether (i.e. finance, other technical jobs, etc.)? Again, it's not that I don't want to stay in civil engineering, it's just that I don't know for sure and would like other options. I don't think I'm the only one that feels this way. Any input is greatly appreciated!</p>