HOW TO GET THERE
Typical pathway
A typical pathway starts with strong high school courses in math, chemistry, physics, and computer studies, plus any science or technology electives available. Most people then complete a university bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering, materials engineering, or a closely related engineering field, though program titles and course mix can vary by school. Some students also look for co-op, summer jobs, or research projects to gain early experience with testing, analysis, manufacturing, or materials selection. After graduation, early work often involves supporting engineers, technologists, or production teams on process design, failure analysis, corrosion control, and quality testing.
THE WORK
What you may do
Legacy duties
- Conduct studies and design, develop and specify the processes, and machinery to concentrate, extract, refine and process metals from ores
- Conduct studies on the properties and characteristics of materials and design, develop and specify processes for moulding, shaping, forming and thermal treatment of metals, alloys and metallic systems, ceramics, semiconducting and other materials
- Conduct chemical and physical analytical studies, failure analyses and other studies and recommend material selection, design of materials, corrosion control measures, operational testing and other procedures
- Co-ordinate production testing and control of metal refining, smelting or foundry operations or non-metallic materials production operations
- Supervise technologists, technicians and other engineers and scientists.
SKILLS TO BUILD
Skills used in this Career
Financial ManagementMaking presentationsProject ManagementProposal writingTeam project workCommittee work on industry ethics