Illinois Institute of Technology · Career Community
Engineering, Manufacturing + Technology
Innovate and Build.
Do These Three Things This Week
1. Explore engineering & manufacturing employers on Elevate
2. Claim your free student CAD licenses — pro tools on your laptop tonight
3. Turn coursework into a technical resume:
Book a Career Coach$97,310
Median Salary (BLS 2024)
186K+
Annual U.S. Openings
Faster
Than-Avg Growth, 2024–34
Boeing · AECOM · Argonne
Chicago Innovation Hub
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook — Architecture & Engineering Occupations (May 2024 wages; 2024–34 projections)
Leverage Chicago as a global hub for innovation — with unmatched access to major engineering firms like AECOM, manufacturing leaders like Boeing, and pioneering research centers like Argonne National Laboratory and mHUB. Apply scientific and mathematical principles to design, build, and optimize systems that solve real-world problems. This immersive environment, combining rigorous technical foundations with practical application, prepares you for diverse careers in mechanical, electrical, biomedical, and civil engineering — and beyond.
Every bridge, chip, and production line in this city began as someone’s first project — build yours here.
1Three Moves to Launch Your Engineering Career
Experiences, technical-resume coaching, and alumni mentors — Elevate, Your Future▾
I. Find & Secure Experiences
Explore internships, co-ops, and roles with engineering, manufacturing, and R&D employers.
Explore Experiences →II. Refine Resume & Interviews
Work with a Career Coach on your technical resume and interview preparation.
Book a Career Coach →III. Meet Alumni Mentors
Connect with Illinois Tech alumni across engineering fields through the Illinois Tech Alumni Mentorship Program.
Find a Mentor →2Essential Skills for Success
CAD to compliance — what it takes to excel▾
Technical Prowess
Master engineering design principles, mathematical modeling, CAD/simulation, materials science, lab procedures, technical documentation, industry-specific software, and regulatory compliance.
Transferable Strengths
Hone problem-solving, critical thinking, project management, teamwork, technical communication, ethical decision-making, and adaptability.
Illinois Tech’s engineering programs, combined with Elevate experiences, develop both the technical expertise and professional competencies employers seek.
3Licensure & Interview Prep
The FE exam is the one credential you can start this year▾
The Licensure Track
- NCEES — official FE & PE exam registration and practice exams
- Take the FE in your senior year, while the coursework is fresh — it is the credential that separates “engineer” from “engineering graduate” on a resume
Interview & Resume Prep
- Elevate Interview Prep — Illinois Tech guides for technical and behavioral rounds
- Technical Resume Help — then bring the draft to a Career Coach for a project-first rewrite
4Software, Certifications & Skills
Free student CAD licenses, quality certifications, and cloud credentials▾
Design & Simulation Tools
- MATLAB & Simulink — modeling and analysis
- Autodesk Education — free student licenses for Fusion 360, AutoCAD, and more
- SolidWorks — certifications & tutorials; the CSWA is a resume-ready credential
- GrabCAD — CAD library & community that doubles as a public portfolio for your models
Certifications & Skills
- ASQ — Lean Six Sigma & quality certifications
- SME — manufacturing certifications and student resources
- AWS Certification — cloud credentials, with free training paths
- Coursera — engineering & AI courses
A CAD certification plus a quality-methods badge costs a student almost nothing — and reads like experience to a hiring manager.
5Professional Societies
Student dues are low — and the national conventions double as career fairs▾
- ASME — mechanical engineering
- IEEE — electrical & electronics
- ASCE — civil engineering
- NSPE — professional engineers and the licensure community
- SWE, NSBE & SHPE — their national conventions host some of the largest engineering career fairs in the country, with employers interviewing on site
Join as a student, then show up — society career fairs and chapter meetings are where resumes turn into referrals.
6The Chicago Innovation Ecosystem & Elevate Experiences
mHUB, two national labs — and the experiences that get you inside▾
Know the Local Players
- mHUB — hardtech & manufacturing incubator
- Argonne National Laboratory — research & internships, including the paid DOE SULI program
- Fermilab — Chicagoland’s particle-physics national lab, also hosting paid student interns
- Built In Chicago — jobs & company news
Build Experience Now
- Job Simulations — 60-minute, employer-built
- Virtual Internships — remote, with placement support
- Jobs & Internships Hub — curated roles
- Employers Hiring in the Sector · LinkedIn Index
Ready to innovate and build? Bring your project list and your target firms — we will turn coursework, labs, and builds into a resume engineers respect.
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Informational Interviews · Job Search Strategy · Portfolio · LinkedIn · Career Fair Playbook · Interview Prep · Resumes
All external resources independently verified by Career Services, August 2026.
