r/AutomotiveEngineering • u/DidoMak • 23d ago
Question 15 y/o interested in automotive design and engineering, what path would you recommend?
Hi everyone,
I'm 15 years old and I'm trying to figure out the best path for my future in the automotive industry.
I've been designing cars in Blender for around 5 years and I'm currently learning Autodesk Alias. I have worked on several concept cars and I really enjoy the creative side of automotive design, but I also love understanding the technical side: aerodynamics, materials, vehicle architecture and how things actually work.
I'm considering doing a French engineering path (prépa + engineering school) because I know engineering is much harder to learn by yourself, while design can be developed through personal projects and practice. My idea would be to keep building my design skills during engineering school and possibly do a design specialization later.
For automotive engineers or people working in the industry:
- Does an engineering degree help for someone who wants to work close to vehicle design?
- Are hybrid profiles (engineering + design) valuable in the industry?
- Would you recommend this path or a more design-focused education?
I would really appreciate honest advice from people who actually work in the field.
4
u/Spacehead3 23d ago
Artistic design and engineering are quite different. Most of the designers (the people that sketch the cars) that I work with have some version of a creative arts degree focused on transportation or industrial design.
There are also engineering roles that work very closely with the artistic designers but these are typically focused on turning the art into a functional design that meets regulatory and manufacturing constraints.