• Question: If you were not an engineer what would you be today and why?

    Asked by nadeem to Alex, Claire, Kate, Marcus, Neil on 17 Jun 2014.
    • Photo: Claire Brockett

      Claire Brockett answered on 17 Jun 2014:

      hi nadeem
      Before I was an engineer I worked as a cardiac technician in a hospital – doing various tests on patients hearts, so I think I’d have probably stayed there and be doing that. I’ve always been interested in how the body works, and I really enjoyed meeting the patients and working with lots of different people. By being a medical engineer, my job isn’t so different in terms of meeting and working with others, so I’m very lucky!
      Are you thinking of becoming an engineer? What interests you about it?

    • Photo: Marcus Johns

      Marcus Johns answered on 17 Jun 2014:

      I’m not entirely sure I would be doing anything else. I’ve always enjoyed science and wanted to apply it to real world problems – which is basically what an engineer does. I was offered a place on a Masters course to study environmental science, so perhaps an environmental scientist? I’m also quite passionate about the conservation work that I do with turtles so another option would be living on a beach saving turtles! (If money wasn’t a problem, I would probably do this)

    • Photo: Neil Dhir

      Neil Dhir answered on 17 Jun 2014:

      My thinking is the same as Marcus’ – if I wasn’t an engineer, I am not quite sure what I would be. But if I were to make an unqualified guess, I think I would work in the navy as some sort of technician, either for the ships themselves or the aircraft used within the navy. But it would most certainly be a technical role. That said, if it necessarily had to be non-technical then I would definitely own and run a pub.

    • Photo: Alex Lyness

      Alex Lyness answered on 17 Jun 2014:

      Hey nadeem,

      I think I was always destined to be an engineer every since I used to cut up and glue things together and tried to repair broken things around the house.

      I grew up in a pub that my parents still own and run, so if I didn’t get the opportunities that I had to become an engineer I think I would have taken over the family business.

      I can assure you (and Neil) though that being an engineer is a lot easier than running a pub! Being up at 7am for deliveries and closing the pub at 11pm at night 6-7 days a week is tough going.

    • Photo: Kate Niehaus

      Kate Niehaus answered on 18 Jun 2014:

      I’d probably be a medical doctor. I thought a lot about medical school, and while I eventually decided to go down the engineering road instead, I think I would have also been happy as a physician. I also like writing – both fiction and non-fiction – so maybe a writer!

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