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This story appeared for the first time in the engineers week of 2025, an annual special section which presents a variety of local engineering subjects to celebrate all engineers contribute to our world.
Anna McKenna, dean of the College of Engineering from the University of Iowa (Submitted Photo)
When Sam Pattison was young, he liked to dismantle things and put them back together, to the chagrin of his parents.
It is this love to learn how things work that have propelled Pattison to register for the Coe College engineering studies program, which offers a large engineering lesson.
“At COE, you have in a way this great umbrella of engineering, which I like because I like to learn everything to see what I want to do in the future,” said Pattison.
The COS physics professor Mario Affatigato said that this generalized approach to educational engineering was a deliberate choice to meet market demands.
“Many local businesses here in Cedar Rapids told us that they wanted engineers who had a width, so we thought it was a good choice for the city,” said Affatigato.
Although engineering has existed for thousands of years, progress in recent technology such as artificial intelligence and challenges such as climate change have changed the way engineering learns to better prepare students to answer to increasing requests.
“We are constantly changing. I do not think I have never taught my lessons in the same way twice, “said Steph Reddersen, professor of construction and technology of computer engineering mechanical engineering at the Kirkwood Community College.
Students in its programs get a two -year diploma that they can use to enter the job market directly or transfer to a four -year study program. Each student of his who wants an internship or a job gets one.
“There is just a request for engineers and designers,” said Reddersen.
Ann McKenna, dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Iowa, said that today’s generation considered not only engineering as a path to a successful career, but that it is passionate to do some Something that adds value and improves life.
Mario Afftatigato, professor of physics at Coe College (submissive photo)
“We sometimes hold for the technology around us, and all this is generally involved in the design and implementation process,” said McKenna.
The user interface admits engineering students at college as first -year students. To help them identify the field to continue, each student takes an engineering problem problem that gives them a taste of the different options. The College of Engineering is also associated with industry to stay up to date on the needs of the workforce and help students obtain internships and jobs after the diploma.
McKenna said that Iowa Engineering graduates had a 97% placement rate within six months of graduation.
“I regularly hear industry that they need engineers; They need technical talents. So we do our best to prepare our students to succeed in industry and get comments from industry on what they need, “said McKenna. “At the same time, we must also make sure that we have a group of students entering so that we have students who wish to continue engineering. So we work at both ends. »»
Other corridor schools also seek to encourage young students to pursue engineering careers.
Each year in April, Reddersen and his colleagues from electronic engineering and pre-engineering programs organize an event in Kirkwood for high school students to find out more about engineering. Students – guests from all secondary schools in eastern Iowa – work on a fun project and can choose three different areas of engineering to find out more.
From the academic year of 2027-28, the CEDAR Rapids community school district will offer as part of its university program and career paths an aerospace and engineering school in Jefferson High School; an engineering and technology school at Washington Secondary School; and an academy of construction and engineering at Kennedy secondary school.
The Iowa Ministry of Education expects the building trades (architecture, construction and engineering) to have continuous growth due to the increase in pensions and a regular demand for infrastructure projects Residential and commercial (IE Highways, Power Grids).
Steph Reddersen, Professor of Construction and Design Management by Computer Assistant Mechanical Engineering Technology at the Kirkwood Community College (submissive photo)
Engineering graduates carry out an average starting salary of $ 78,000, and ziprecruit lists Marion as appearing in the best cities of Iowa for average annual wages for engineers.
There are dozens of engineering areas, some more specialized than others: civil engineering, mechanical, structural and electric engineering, aerospace engineering for biomedical engineering.
Some of the emerging areas include engineering of robotics, environmental engineering and data science. Students are trained on how to use AI as a tool to process data faster.
At COE, Affatigato considers 3D printing as another rapid evolution technology that will change the way engineers do their job.
“We could teach children how to make metal manufacturing or ceramics using 3D printing by the end of the decade,” he said. “This will allow you to have a literally small factory … even in a small business, mainly managed by engineers.”
Engineering careers offer flexibility, because there are so many areas to work and engineers are necessary in all communities across the country.
“Wherever you want to go, you can understand how to get there,” said Reddersen.