What Field of Study is Best for Careers in 3D Printing

[RedSox2013]

So My Nephew who is turning 17 next month is really excited about 3D printing. He's actually really good at designing with CAD as well. He is undecided, like most teens his age as to what he will major in in College in two years. He wants to do something pertaining to 3D printing. What would be the best field of study be for him to get into? I told him that there will likely be all sorts of fields using the technology by the time he graduates college in 6 years. The entire market will have changed substantially. Anyway, what do you guys recommend as fields he should consider?

[3D OZ]

I think you need to narrow down his interest in 3D printing. Does he want to design them, use them, build them?

To leverage his ability in using CAD, perhaps an industrial design degree, or Engineering.
It is an Engineering field you need, but which one? Mechanical? Optics? Electrical? Aerospace?
There will be Chemical Engineers needed to develop new filaments, resins, metals and other as-yet undiscovered materials.

You need to help him understand the difference between the FUN of using a 3D printer and the WORK of designing, building or exploiting the technology.
The landscape will change dramatically between now and graduation but he would already be on the Magic Carpet by then and will be able to tune his degree to suit his interests and new developments.

My two sons have both recently completed Computer Science degrees and I can tell you from experience that what they want to focus on in year 1 is likely to be very different to where they end up in year 3 or 4. This was not only true for them but the vast majority of their classmates.

[RobH2]

Excellent to hear his interest in 3D printing. If he doesn't own one yet he needs to get one and start experimenting. 3d Printing is not really a career per se. 3d printers are simply tools, like a wrench, drill, or lathe. With them/it, you can make lots of things. So, '3D OZ' makes a good point.

No one is really going to study 3d printing and then go to a shop and run one for a salary. It's entirely possible that in the near future some universities will develop a degree program centered around 3d printing. So until that happens, I'd suggest he follow his desires and redirect them as necessary. That's pretty much how all careers work anyway isn't it?. If you study accounting and get a degree and you also love boats, then you might become an accountant and then find a job as an accountant for a ship manufacturer. But you don't start out studying accounting for ships.

3d printing relies on a number of industries and development pathways. You son needs to use a 3d printer for awhile so that he can see what aspect of it interests him. Then he can pursue the curriculums that 3D OZ mentions to name a few. Pretty much anyone can learn to use a simple 3d printer and without having to get too involved with the technical intricacies of the machine. They still take a bit of finessing and tweaking to get really good results but in the coming years they will become increasingly plug and play. Therefore, the careers that have to do with 3d printing will be be in engineering, chemistry and design and development. I'd encourage him to pursue the art or science that he has and affinity for and then take that knowledge and intellect and direct it into 3d printer development industry.

[3dkarma]

Another field to consider is materials science. We need more cool stuff to print with.

[RobH2]

Yes, there are numerous education paths that could lead to a promising career supporting 3d printing and what it becomes. We really don't even know where it will be in 1 year much less 5 years. It's going to be exciting. If you son is fascinated by it, then he'll surely have opportunities to work in fields that support it.

The thing that most people don't learn while in High School is to plan on doing what you love for a living. If you love it, you'll find a way to make money doing it. Follow your passion. Many kids study what they "think they should" in college. I did and I could have not been more wrong. I wasted a lot of time. If you study what you love, opportunities will be easier to spot and you'll wedge yourself into the industry with passion. There's no better recipe for success than passion and expertise.

[ChiloquinRuss]

I owned a software company for years and we specialized in graphics and how to get the graphics out to the hardware IE printers/plotters. Over the years I hired lots of engineers. Many had several degrees and all were knew lots of different programming languages. So what did it take for me to hire them? I handed them a pencil and a piece of paper and had them DRAW a picture of my coffee cup! If you can't visualize spatially you weren't any good to me. So to add to the growing list of suggestions I would recommend a minor in ART. If the whole computer scene is about UI, touch screens, 3d graphics and the like, then you had better know how to get there from here! Russ

[squadus]

I am only 23. I just graduated with a degree in Industrial & Systems Engineering and since January have been working diligently on my startup in 3D Printing. And I have been loving every step of it (soon to launch in a couple months )

There are no 3D printing majors, but ISE is as close as it comes to learning how to USE 3D printing effectively. It is a great major for someone with a business mindset but wants to know the fundamentals of engineering since most topics deal with efficiency, manufacturing, optimization, supply chain, design, etc. Your son will also be very fluent in CAD by the end of it.

For the creation of 3D Printing technology itself, I highly recommend your son to pursue an Engineering Degree, specifically Mechanical, Electrical or perhaps Chemical. Honestly most other majors (business, liberal arts, etc) can be learned just from reading books. The real true grit of learning and education is not just soaking up knowledge but through application of knowledge which is exactly what Engineering teaches you to do.