"They design electric generators, internal combustion engines, steam and gas turbines, refrigeration and air-conditioning systems These are power producing machines but they also design "elevators, escalators, and conveyor systems".4 Mechanical engineers must be technologically savvy. Since they create and review designs, run simulations, test machine capacity and how it interacts with other systems, and figure out specifications for parts, a mechanical engineer must have an extensive knowledge of computers. Accuracy and efficiency are important in achieving design goals, thus "mechanical engineers use Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) for design data processing and for developing alternative designs".5 The ancient Romans, who obviously did not have computer technology to aid their efforts, still made significant advances in engineering. "The mechanical engineers of that day devised numerous construction machines such as pile drivers, treadmill hoists, and wooden bucket wheels (used for dewatering mines and construction sites)".6 Imagine having to make accurate calculations without a computer!.
Interestingly, mechanical engineers are in virtually every industry including "automotive (chassis, engine,transmission, sensors); aerospace (airplanes, aircraft engines, control systems for airplanes and spacecraft); biotechnology (implants, prosthetics, fluidic systems for pharmaceutical companies); computers and electronics (disk drives, printers, cooling systems); microelectromechanical systems (sensors, actuators); energy conversion (gas and wind turbines, solar energy, fuel cells); environmental control (HVAC, air-conditioning, refrigeration); automation (robotics, data and acquisition control); and manufacturing (machining, machine tools, prototyping, microfabrication)".7 With this diversity, there would be plenty of job potential.