The following is a transcript of a recent interview conducted by a high-school student regarding my thoughts about Computer Engineering as a career.
How did you get involved with engineering? When did you start considering a career in computer engineering? R.J. Pineiro: My dad is also a computer engineer, so he was a significant influence in my decision. As it turned out, both of my sisters also wound up earning computer engineering degrees. I guess it runs in the family.
Did it take a lot of hard work to get here? Did you ever have doubts as to whether you could complete your education on your path to an engineer? R.J. Pineiro: Anyone who tells you that computer engineering is easy is lying to you. It is a tough curriculum in college, but it is also very technically challenging and in line with life in the new millennium. The world around us is run by computers these days. It is virtually impossible to get away from them. But it was a lot of hard work to get that degree, and yes, like everyone else, I did have my doubts along the way, but thanks to my father's constant encouragement I got through it.
Do you think the average person could succeed in this career? What are some important qualities of a computer engineer? R.J. Pineiro: Computer engineering is not for everyone. First you have to like math. No math, no computer engineering. By the time you finish high-school you should already be through at least trigonometry and limits, and maybe even introductory calculus. Your first two years in college in this major are probably the hardest, and they are meant to filter out those who are not 150% committed. You will go through at least four math courses that are just though, but those determined enough will get through them. Once you get into your junior year, the actual computer engineering courses are not that difficult. So, in terms of qualities, I'd say, an affinity to math and science in general, and a lot of drive and determination.
What is the most rewarding part about being an engineer? R.J. Pineiro: To quote Herbert Hoover, "It [engineering] is a great profession. There is the fascination of watching a figment of the imagination emerge through the aid of science to a plan on paper. Then it moves to realization in stone or metal or energy. Then it brings jobs and homes to men and women. Then it elevates the standard of living and adds to the comforts of live. That is the engineer's high privilege." In addition to knowing that you are in fact contributing, creating something, you should also know that computer engineering is by far the highest paying career not only out of all of the engineering disciplines, but also out of any four-year (bachelor's) college degree. Starting salaries today for a new college grad run in the $55,000 per year range plus bonuses, stock options, and standard benefits.
What do you recommend a high school student to do to get prepared for a career in engineering? R.J. Pineiro: Focused on your math. Try to get through trig and even introductory calculus. That will allow you to skip any remedial math courses in college and get on to your actual first-year college courses (which will include Calculus I and II). I also recommend that you take at least one chemistry course and one physics course in high-school. Any computer classes (especially if they teach you to program in C++) will be beneficial.
Was it hard for you to find a job? Are there many job openings for future computer engineers? R.J. Pineiro: There are way too many job opening in this field and not enough good computer engineers. It has always been this way and it shall always continue to be this way. The reason why starting salaries are so high is strictly based on supply vs. demand. The demand is too high and the supply isn't, so you have higher salary levels.
Do you have to devote lots of time to your job? Why or why not? R.J. Pineiro: This is almost a vocation. You have to do it because you enjoy doing it and not strictly for the money (though they do throw plenty of dough at you). The reason why I say this is because you're likely to spend upwards of fifty-sixty hours a week on average working your tail off on some project. The good side (aside for the money and the technically rewarding job) is that time does goes by really fast. Your work days literally fly and you usually find yourself wishing you had more time than what's been allocated to complete a project.
Approximately How many hours a day do you spend working in front of computer screens? What does your job consist of? R.J. Pineiro: As I said earlier, the average is around 50-60 (sometimes more, depending on the stage of a project). My job consists of managing a large team of computer engineers and therefore I find myself more in meetings than in front of a computer screen. A starting engineer, however, will find that most of the time at work will be spend "tinkering" with software or hardware as part of designing, testing, or debugging either integrated circuits (aka. computer chips) or assembled systems (PCs).
Thus far, what are your accomplishments? What do you feel is your contribution to society? R.J. Pineiro: I was lucky enough to get into this industry right at the birth of the first IBM personal computers back in 1983. I have since been working on the microprocessors, the heart of the personal computer and have participated in significant capacities int he design, test, and production support of five generations of microprocessors, starting with the 8088, which powered the first IBM PCs, to the 80286, the K5, and K6, and now the Hammer family of microprocessors (all of which are in direct competition to Intel's line of products). My contribution to society? Let me answer that from the perspective of the general contribution to society made by the engineering world: Imagine for a moment, a world without technology, without satellite communications or fast transportation, without electricity or air conditioning, without space exploration or the Internet, without . . . you get the picture. If that world seems indeed straight out of the Stone Age, or even worse, apocalyptic, then you have just imagined a world without engineering, without innovation, without a future. Engineering, whether electrical, computer, mechanical, chemical, petroleum, or industrial, is the discipline that literally makes the world go around, the tide that rises all ships. Don't kid yourself. Without it America doesn't get its morning coffee and daily paper, its train ride to work, its host talk shows, its weekend drive to the countryside, its Monday Night Football, its headache medication, or its airline trip to visit grandma. Without engineers there would be no cinema, on-line trading, television, radio, running water, satellite communications, sewage treatment plants, cellular phones, or Nike shoes. Engineering provides the infrastructure for every discipline in the modern world, from medicine and finance, to sports, law, and even politics. Those society who fall behind in the technology race, fall behind in every aspect of their lives.
Would you recommend today's students to pursue a career in computer engineering? Why or Why not? R.J. Pineiro: Absolutely yes, but keep in mind that this career is not for everyone. You have to have the right set of skills and drive. This is one of those difficult goals that can only be achieved by wanting it really, really bad, by being willing to sacrifice a lot of other activities in order to invest the time and energy required to get the degree.
