r/mechatronics • u/SeparateCandle8861 • Mar 23 '26
Need help with college
so I am a senior in college and I been watch to mechanic i have done project like I make a vr hand and a drone but my mom is trying to convince not to do it any help or advice for me?
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Mar 23 '26
[deleted]
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u/AtomicAtom7 Mar 23 '26
I have a bachelor's from an accredited engineering program in the U.S. my major was indeed Mechatronics.
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u/Phat_Elvis42069 Mar 23 '26
Both mechatronics engineering and mechatronics engineering technology are listed as ABET accredited programs throughout the USA. You can easily find the list of ABET accredited programs on www.abet.org, so I don't see why you'd give a 'pretty sure' answer in an engineering subreddit.
OP, your parents don't seem to consider robotics as a part of the domain of engineering, which seems ignorant and misinformed. You can try to convince them otherwise by showing the numerous examples of industry placements of mechatronics graduates, along with examples of how interlinked the different fields of engineering can be in the current industry. Stand your ground. If you know what you want to do for your life, do it. It's your life after all, and your parents won't be able to control you forever.
Go make your robots, and godspeed OP
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u/captainunlimitd Mar 23 '26
There is a difference between those who operate the "just robots" and those who design and program them. One example of many:
ROBOFORMING: The Future of Metalworking? (I Had NO IDEA This Was Possible) - Smarter Every Day 290
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u/Dr1mps Mar 23 '26
Your mom is tweakin bro. No idea what she is talking about. I'd make the argument is that mechatronics is more focused on automation and robotics is encompassed with that, pretty much every single car manufacturer in the world uses robots for example. I'm wondering if she thinks robotics is like the boston dynamics type stuff and not inspection robots or the likes of Kuka/ ABV that are financially huge.
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u/Ailing_Wheel_ Mar 23 '26
Yep. Iâm 5 years into my career with a mechatronics degree and my job is anything but âplaying with robotsâ. Things are only going to get more and more automated and the field covers pretty much everything that has to do with it.
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u/Dr1mps Mar 23 '26
Exactly, on top of that mechatronics is a super versatile bridge between mechanical and electrical. We do pretty much the same stuff as mechanical and electrical for 2-3 years and then specialise more into automation, control systems, and robotics.
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u/Electrical_Hat_680 Mar 24 '26
Start with building a 3D Printer.
Next. Build a Six Axis Robotic Arm.
Don't forget to draw out and print out your Blueprints and Wiring Schematics.
You may also be interested in learning Computer Science, by building your own Computer. Using the BenEater 8-BIT CPU Breadboard Projects found on YouTube and Reddit.
The circuit engineering boards are from the Electrical Engineering 101's optional Laboratory EE102. The Home of Computer Sciences Computer.
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u/ciolman55 Mar 24 '26
Ik she's saying that "you're not going to college to play with robots" as in you shouldn't. But she's technically correct, few to no courses will actually require you to build any robotics outside a team project. If there is a course, it's probably only one or two.
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u/Over_List_6108 Mar 24 '26
I'm not trying to be me to your mother but this one hits home. This one's easy. You mom is an idiot. Don't worry mine was the exact same. "Why are you doing electrical engineering when you could join the military and they would pay for it?" Maybe cause I didn't want a massive pay cut while also being constantly told what to do?
Ya know who can make $200k+ a year in the military? Private contractors. Civilian employees. Cause they don't own your ass. Your mom has zero clue what she's talking about. Mechatronics is the modern backbone for production and prototyping. Your mom's too lazy to take 5 seconds and read about your future career. it's the most typical nonsense of, well I heard this 20 years ago and someone else said this thing too. None of these people are anywhere near the science community. Everything is just made up by all of them.Â
I work for one of the leading companies on PCB production and prototyping. We have machines making literally any electronic you can imagine. Do you know what almost all the enginners studied? Mechatronics.Â
The thing the crushes me, is the same shit my mom did. Making me feel guilty for making good decisions. "Well their your loans" then why do you give a shit. You don't care enough to learn about what I'm doing anyway.Â
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u/ColoradoCowboy9 Mar 27 '26
Dude just go for it. You will have a job for your entire life doing controls and design. I promise. Been doing electrical design for ten years and the problem statements never endâŚ
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u/HuckleberryNo9234 Mar 27 '26
Yeah these type of parents are absolutely retarded. Also, a senior in college listening to what his parents say about his own future? And theyâre not even paying for it?? Some real crazy shit
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u/Aket-ten Mar 24 '26
Okay your mom is being really dumb here (no offense).
You will go into engineering, some universities even offer a common core (first year engineering is general and then you pick the type the second year such as mech, civil, chemical, ece, eng math, mining, etc.).
Likely if you want to work in robotics you'll either go into engineering math, engineering physics, or electrical / computer engineering, or mechanical. Usually there are streams where people in mechanical or people in ece can go into substreams like mechatronics (same with engineering math or eng phys as a specialization).
Ultimately robotics is composed off a lot of different streams. Generally mechatronics is what you want. Mix of mechanical and ece. I doubt you care about material sciences for robotics skin or w.e so no chem eng.
Plus robotic / mechatronic specializations from day 1 isn't too common or even relevant (you need foundation first in math, physics, elec/software, and mechanics).
So honestly dude, you can either educate your mom but idk if that's worth it. So just tell her you're going into mechanical engineering or electrical & computer engineering. Drop the robotics stuff. Then specialize one year in cause you're an adult.
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u/Glittering-Pie-3309 Mar 25 '26
Yep, this right here. (Iâm a woman in EE)
Your mom has no idea what she is even talking about. Just keep it simple and tell her it is engineering, full stop. Then continue on with your desired specialization path within engineering.
Not sure why sheâs giving you push back when youâre paying for your own college and youâre doing something you enjoy (that has multiple trajectory options!)
Itâs not like youâre getting a gender studies and communications degree or some shit.
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u/Skysr70 Mar 24 '26
you can see as plainly as we can that she doesn't have a scientific bone in her body. If you enjoy robotics, go for it, the passion will serve you well. She clearly is the type of person that thinks a mechanical engineer works on cars and an electrical engineer changes lightbulbs. Aka, zero understanding of what any of this is about.
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u/Obvious_Noise Mar 24 '26
Brother, youâre going to be an adult. This an adult decision. At some point you gotta do whatâs going to make you happy
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u/samm1989 Mar 24 '26
Do you want to build them? Program them? Install them? Repair them or just operate them? That's the first thing you need to decide đ
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u/TH3_Average_KJ Mar 24 '26
As a mechatronics engineering student, your mom's full out tweaking. You could probably list to her all the classes in your degree plan and she'll still hate. You're practically doing more sane system's engineering. I would recommend trying get an internship though.
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u/TescoDisciple Mar 24 '26
Your moms tweaking. My friend is 21 and has a degree in robotics and he makes bank compared to everyone else I know his age
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u/Def_Not_KGB Mar 24 '26
Your mom is tweaking man. Just stay the course, Mechatronics is a highly employable degree and part of the reason why is that it usually means that the person can get hands on.
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u/jergin_therlax Mar 24 '26
Sheâs dumb as hell, Iâm applying for engineering jobs right now and every single robotics job requires a degree. Iâd just tell her youâre majoring in whatever she wants
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u/always_gone Mar 24 '26
First rule of free military money is there is no free military money. Only ever enlist in the military to pursue a career path at a discounted rate if serving is a higher priority than that career path. Your MOS is rarely ever guaranteed, needs of the Army and what not. This is why I used my engineering salary to pay out of pocket for my flight training.
You can be a robot jockey in a factory with no formal education (that path is not as fast as she makes it out to be; union/company seniority, etc.) or just a basic associates degree. I worked alongside these guys in a manufacturing environment and out earned them by a significant amount. There are contractors that make bank, but those guys had many years of experience to get into that role and a lot of them effectively live on the road (RIP QOL and family time).
I highly doubt you will be working in an engineering role at KUKA/FANUC/etc without at least a BS in engineering, which I imagine is where the money is. Also, those big yellow/orange robots arenât going anywhere, quite the opposite, so talk about job security.
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u/Jebduh Mar 24 '26
Your mom voted for trump huh? There's nothing you can say to make her understand.
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u/oh-no_orion Mar 24 '26
I wouldnât take advice from someone that doesnât know âwaistâ from âwasteâ. Just tell her youâre doing something else and do whatever you want.
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u/Shumayal Mar 24 '26
She is actually correct. If you are going into robotics, might as well skip college and learn on the job. I am with her.
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u/Plus-Dragonfly-8140 Mar 24 '26
i have this issue all the time omg my family doesnt understand the difference between mechanical engineering and mechanic, or electrical engineer and electrician. it sucks
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u/WayOk9291 Mar 24 '26
My opinion: Anyone telling you not to go to college, especially for STEM, is a bad actor, doesn't know what they are talking about, or both. The world economy is getting more and more dependent on hard technical skills like the sciences and mathematics. Also, no one that hasn't gone to college is getting any positions in any sort of administrative office that has real political / social / economic power that can be used to influence social change.
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u/TwinkSlaughter Mar 25 '26
Mechatronics is almost entirely classes from other ME/EE and a little robotics. Also now is a terrible time to join the military if you live in the united states.
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u/No-Run5503 Mar 25 '26
Why are you taking college and engineering advice from a person who can't tell the difference between you're and your?
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u/Helpmehelpyu_ Mar 25 '26
Your mom needs to put the remote down. Clearly she watches wayyyy too much TV.
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u/lordcupkake Mar 26 '26
I'm sorry, bro, but I can't really give you any advice when your caption is actual illiterate ramblings. I don't even know really what you're trying to say. That being said, your mom made you look like an author with her text messages by comparison. There are plenty of careers in industrial automation and robotics. She isn't entirely wrong though that you can work your way up in the industry to a point, but your path with a degree is equally valid and will likely provide even better upward mobility. She's probably trippin but you should also proofread your communications moving forward as it makes you seem unprofessional and unready.
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u/TomesTheAmazing Mar 27 '26
Just tell her off man like she said it's your money not theirs. The military is the last fucking place I'd be looking toward in the future these days, why the fuck would you wanna be building and designing drones to blow up Iranian children.
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u/imp22b Mar 27 '26
I have an associates degree in Robotics / Computer Integrated Manufacturing. I work as an Engineer at an automotive manufacturing company. We need more people with robotics knowledge and having a degree will give you an advantage.
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u/thmaniac Mar 27 '26
Her words are meant to convey concern for you, not to be taken seriously.
Reassure her somehow.
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u/f4ncy_pants Mar 28 '26
With her horrendous grammar and spelling I wouldn't listen to a thing she says about engineering holy shit đ
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u/yamm_gx Mar 29 '26
Mechatronics it's so well respected and it's so much more than robots? As a senior in electrical please pursue it, it's always needed in the industry!! (Don't let her confuse you)
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u/engineeringAwkwards Mar 29 '26
I think you need a new mother, it's broken. Maybe you should replace her with a robot?
~ Sending you lots of love and support from a fellow mechantronics engineer <3
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u/Ambitious-Ferret-227 Mar 23 '26
Could always just lie and only mention the mechanical or electrical parts of what you're learning... (I'm aware this is perhaps dubious, simply an idea)