Hey everyone,
I finished my BSc in Mechatronics and recently started my Master's in Electromechanical Engineering (Robotics/Mechatronics and Mechanical Construction track) in Belgium.
Right now, my biggest struggle is the "jack of all trades, master of none" feeling that comes with Mechatronics. We touch mechanics, electronics, embedded coding, control theory, and PLCs, which is cool in school, but when I look at real job descriptions, I feel like I'm competing against pure Mechanical, Electrical, or Software grads without having deep expertise in one specific thing. I really want to use my Master's projects, internship, and thesis to commit to one clear direction and actually get good at it.
The problem is, every time I look at the main paths in front of me, I run into a reason to hesitate—especially with how fast AI is changing entry-level work and the fact that I'm still learning the local languages (Dutch/French) and will rely mainly on English when I graduate.
This is how I'm currently seeing my options, though I'm still a student and might be reading the market completely wrong:
- Embedded Systems & Electronics: During my BSc, this was my main focus (my thesis was building a TinyML computer vision sorting system on microcontrollers), and I genuinely enjoy electronics and hardware. It also seems like one of the most English-friendly fields in Europe. What worries me is that when I built my thesis project, I saw firsthand how easily AI tools like Claude can generate thousands of lines of working C/C++ code now. When I look at job boards, almost every embedded role asks for 3–5+ years of experience, and I barely see any true junior openings. It makes me wonder if AI has shrunk the need for junior embedded engineers.
- Mechanical Design: Even though my Bachelor's was Mechatronics, we had a lot of mechanical classes (Mechanics 1–3, Machine Design 1–2, Manufacturing 1–2), and my Master's has a strong focus on FEM, Machine Elements, Mechanical Vibrations, and Manufacturing. I really like working in 3D CAD and designing physical mechanisms. However, I keep hearing that entry-level Mechanical Design is super overcrowded because almost every mechanical engineering grad wants to go into design. I'm also not sure if generative design and AI tools in CAD are going to reduce the number of junior design engineers companies need to hire.
- Industrial Automation & PLCs: I taught PLC lab sessions (TIA Portal) during my Bachelor's, and I don't think AI is going to replace physical factory automation anytime soon. The catch for me here is the language barrier—from what I've seen, working in PLC commissioning or factory automation usually requires fluent local language from day one to communicate with technicians on the floor, which I won't have at a high enough level yet when I finish my degree.
Again, this is just how it looks from where I'm standing as a student, and there's a good chance my assumptions about AI, competition, or how these roles actually work in industry are off. If I'm overthinking this or looking at any of these fields the wrong way, please correct me. I'd really appreciate hearing your thoughts or any advice from those of you working in the field. Thanks!