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This story appeared for the first time in the engineering week 2025, an annual special department that shows a large number of local technical topics to celebrate all engineers to our world.
Anna McKenna, Dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Iowa (submitted photo)
When Sam Pattisone was young, he liked to take things apart and put them together again, much to the dismay of his parents.
It is this love of learning how things work, the pattisone prompted itself to register for the newly founded program for technical physics courses of the Coe College, which offers a broad course of engineering courses.
“At Coe you have a kind of this large umbrella of the engineering system that I enjoy because I like to learn everything to see what I want to do in the future,” said Pattisone.
The Coe Physics Professor Mario Affateigato said that this generalized approach for teaching engineering was an intentional decision to meet the requirements of the market.
“Many of the local companies here in Cedar Rapids told us that they wanted to have engineers with width, so we thought that this was good for the city,” said Affateigato.
While engineering has been around for thousands of years, recent progress in technology such as artificial intelligence and challenges such as climate change have changed how engineering is taught in order to better prepare the students for increasing demands.
“We are constantly changing. I don't think I have ever taught my classes twice, ”said Steph Reddersen, professor of tree management and computer -aided design mechanical engineering at Kirkwood Community College.
The students of their programs have a two -year degree with which they can either enter the workforce or be transferred to a four -year final program. Every student of her who wants an internship or job.
“There is only one demand for engineers and designers,” said Reddersen.
Ann McKenna, Dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Iowa, said that today's generation not only sees engineering as a way to a successful career, but is passionate to do something that gives life and improves life.
Mario Affateigato, professor of physics at Coe College (submitted photo)
“Sometimes we take the technology that surrounds us for granted, and everything that an engineer is usually involved in designing and implementing,” said McKenna.
The user interface gives engineering students for college as new students. To determine which field you should follow, each student takes a correct correct course for problem solving, which gives him a foretaste of the various options. The College of Engineering also works with the industry to stay up to date in order to keep the needs of the workforce up to date and to help the students get internships and jobs after completing their conclusion.
McKenna said that the graduates of Iowa Engineering have a placement rate of 97 percent within six months of completion.
“I regularly hear from industry that they need engineers. You need technical talent. So we do everything we can to prepare our students to be successful in industry and to receive a contribution from industry that they need, ”said McKenna. “At the same time, we also have to make sure that we have an incoming group of students so that students who want to follow engineering. So we work on both ends. “
Other Corridor schools also examine how they can encourage younger students to pursue careers in engineering.
Every year in April, Reddersen and her colleagues organize an event at Kirkwood for students in the programs for electrical engineering and predecessors to learn more about engineering. The students – invited by all high school in the east of Iowa – work on an entertaining project and can choose three different engineering areas to learn more about it.
From the academic year 2027-28, the Cedar Rapids Community School District will offer a school of aerospace and engineering at the Jefferson High School as part of its college and career pathways program. a school for engineering and technology at the Washington High School; And an academy for construction and engineering at the Kennedy High School.
The Ministry of Education from IOWA expects the construction industry (architecture, construction and engineering) due to increased retirement and a steady demand for living and commercial frastructure (IE Highways, Power Grids).
Steph Reddersen, professor of tree management and computer -aided design mechanical engineering technology at the Kirkwood Community College (submitted photo)
Engineering graduates earn an average starting content of 78,000 US dollars, and Ziprecruiter lists Marion for average annual salaries for engineers in the top 10 cities iowa.
There are dozens of engineering areas, some specialized than others: from the building business with civil, mechanical, structural and electricals to aviation technology to biomedical engineering.
Some of the emerging areas include robotics engineering, Environmental Engineering and Data Science. The students are trained in how to use AI as a tool to process data faster.
At Coe, Affateigato sees the 3D printing as another fast -developing technology that changes the way engineers do their work.
“We may teach children how to make metal production or ceramics with 3D printing until the end of the decade,” he said. “This way you can literally have a small factory … even in a small company that is mostly operated by engineers.”
Engineering careers offer flexibility because there are so many fields in which engineers are required in every community.
“You can find out where you want to go there,” said Reddersen.