Should Non IT/Computer Engineers Work In Software / IT Jobs?
Around the beginning of this century, a new trend started in India - engineers from electrical, electronics, civil, structural, mining, chemical, automobile and other non-IT/Computer disciplines started opting for software / programming jobs. The overall situation is this -> An engineer who studies core engineering subjects for 4 years gets a job in IT/Software industry where the work isn't directly related to what his/her engineering studies were about.
Do you think engineers should rather opt for jobs directly related to their disciplines? Will it ensure better utilisation of their talents & skills? Justify your stand.
Update: Winning Argument
I firmly believe that non-IT or non-computer engineering students should work in IT industry. My argument rests on the following points:
Interdisciplinary Approach: Technology isn't exclusive to computer science or IT disciplines. Many breakthroughs in technology have come from interdisciplinary work. For example, bioinformatics, a field that merges biology, statistics, and computer science, has led to significant advancements in genomic sequencing and personalized medicine. Similarly, other fields, like civil engineering, mechanical engineering, or environmental science, can also contribute to and benefit from software and IT knowledge.
Transferable Skills: Engineering fields, regardless of discipline, cultivate problem-solving, logical thinking, analytical reasoning, and project management skills. These abilities are directly applicable to software/IT jobs. For instance, the skills developed by an electrical engineer in designing circuits can be transferred to computer hardware design or even software algorithm design.
Learning Ability: Engineers are trained to learn new systems and adapt to changing circumstances. This adaptability, coupled with a solid foundation in mathematics and logic, often means that engineers from non-IT backgrounds can pick up coding and other IT skills when necessary. Companies like Google and IBM have openly stated that they hire people for their ability to learn and solve complex problems, not just for their existing knowledge.
Need for Diversity: Diversity in the workforce brings in different perspectives, leads to more innovative solutions, and helps to build more comprehensive and inclusive products and services. People from different engineering backgrounds will approach a problem in a variety of ways. Having a team of only computer engineers could create a certain type of groupthink that overlooks potential solutions.
Proven Successes: There are numerous successful examples of individuals from non-IT backgrounds who have made significant contributions to the IT field. For instance, Elon Musk, who has degrees in physics and economics, co-founded PayPal and leads SpaceX and Tesla, companies at the forefront of software and IT innovation. Similarly, Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, studied physics.
The Nature of IT Jobs: Many IT jobs, such as project management, systems analysis, and UX/UI design, do not necessarily require deep computer science knowledge. Instead, they require an understanding of technology, people, and business—a combination that non-IT engineers, with their problem-solving skills and diverse backgrounds, can often provide.
