How Do I Become a Piping Engineer?

A piping engineer is a person who helps to create piping systems used to carry sewage and water. This type of professional must be creative and enjoy working with his or her hands as well as using computers. Piping engineers need to complete a minimum of two years of college to enter the industry, but four to six additional years of education allows him or her to advance in the field. These engineers have to master their drawing skills and get real-world experience to be prosperous. Strong attention to detail and the ability to work with other individuals in a team setting is critical for an individual who seeks to become a piping engineer.

A person who wishes to become a piping engineer needs to complete an associate degree in a field such as industrial design technology with a focus on piping or in the field of process piping design. Enrolling in this type of two-year program requires that you turn in a copy of your high school diploma or the equivalent certification to the school which you would like to attend. You also must fill out an admissions application and submit a copy of your transcript as well as scores from recently-taken standardized tests.

An industrial design training program will introduce you to a wide variety of drafting courses. You must be prepared to take classes on piping drafting, technical drafting, and computer-aided drafting, which will teach you how to create technical drawings of pipes both by hand and by using a computer program. Some training programs allow you take these types of drafting classes as a part of an online program if you wish to become a piping engineer. To do this, you need a computer that will accommodate computer-aided drafting software and has access to high-speed Internet for online software programs.

Getting field experience is often a required part of a program that prepares you to design piping systems as well. Internships can take place at construction sites, chemical facilities, and even oil companies for a person who wants to become a piping engineer. You should use your internship opportunity to help piping designers to analyze projects and to develop newly drafted plans for piping systems that need to be installed.

A bachelor’s degree or master’s degree in piping design will open up more job opportunities for you by making you more marketable to employers in this field. Bachelor’s degree programs in engineering last about four years and cover mathematical approaches to design along with engineering management. Master’s degree programs in mechanical engineering or civil engineering require an additional two years of study and further prepare you for leadership positions in the field. Graduate-level courses for an individual who desires to become a piping engineer cover topics such as water resources management and pipe systems hydraulics.