The engineer in you

One of the many definitions of engineer in Webster’s, & the most appropriate one according to me, is a person who is trained or skilled in technicalities of some field, not usually considered to fall within the scope of engineering and who is engaged in using such training or skill in the solution of technical problems.

Most of the world believes that an engineer is someone who has crawled four years through thick books full of numbers, symbols & equations to get that single sheet of paper with the words Bachelor of Technology printed on it. They may not be wrong altogether. What with the way we went through night-outs, memory maps, crisp notes prepared by the front bencher with the sole intention of gaining higher marks in the exams… No, we too were not totally wrong. The first criteria laid by any company visiting the campus fishing for talent, was a cut-off mark or grade.  With the whole life ahead of us waiting to be treaded upon, what else would we think about than what mode of transport we chose to ride life on. Of course, we had already learnt the hard way that the simplest way to win a girl-friend was to flaunt a bike, flashier the better. Of course times have changed, but the golden rule remains – maybe the bike has to be swapped with swanky car these days.

The point I wanted to make is how many of us, engineers or otherwise, actually develops this habit of using skill to solve a problem? Yes, these days all services are just a phone call – be it a mechanic, plumber, electrician, even a masseur. But there is a satisfaction in doing things yourself; apart from building independence & self-confidence, there are other tangible benefits of saving time & money.

For example, you don’t need mechanic to change a flat tyre. I have heard people say “I did not know where the jack was kept in the car”. Most electrical problems on a car are related to fuses. So it helps raising the hood, opening the fuse box & checking for any sign of fusing rather than waiting eternally for the mechanic to show up. After a recent incident of engine overheating, I keep a set of fuses of different amperages in my car, ready to face any eventualities.

You have now gained enough experience to conclude that a lot of problems on your computer or cell-phone can be rectified by a simple restart or removing the battery. Similarly, most of the times, the medicine for a computer or any electronic gadget acting funny can be googled. 

Most of you would have resorted to a plumber for any problems with your shower, taps etc...  Just for the heck of it, try taking a pair of pliers and screw driver to your wash-room & see how simple it is to fix a blocked shower or a choked tap. I even went to the extent of installing our gas-geyser on my own, when the technician quoted Rs.2000/- for installation & the necessary hoses. All I had to do was walk to the neighbouring hardware shop for the best quality heat resistant hose. Making connections was cake-walk once you figure out what hose goes where.

The other day the flush on our toilet cistern got jammed. I only had to remove the lid to realize that the system beneath is so very simple. Once opened, it hardly took five minutes to rectify the problem. Similarly, you can set right most of the troubles coming from your bicycle.

I never allow our security guard of our apartment to wash the car. When I get into washing of the car, I have a feel of what’s right & what’s not – thus keeping me updated on the task at hand.  Same is the case with house-keeping at home.

There are hundreds of such minor things popping up all the time. Wise is the one who searches for the solution within, gives vent for the engineer in you to pour out and then take stock of the situation. Mind it, there is an engineer in every one of us. Do we really need a formal certificate to make it active?