What They Don't Teach You in Engineering School

Essential reading for any engineering graduate about to enter the workforce, What They Don't Teach You in Engineering School bridges the gap between the classroom and the real world. Based on a lifetime of lessons learned in the field, the author provides practical insights into engineering that are often excluded from a traditional university education. Engineering is as much an art as it is a science, involving continuous learning, management, and planning skills beyond technical and scientific knowledge. This book exposes and equips engineers with a broad array of tools and philosophies to better navigate real-world challenges. Topics include robust design, quality function deployment, and various design tools. This book is organized into sections that discuss design philosophies, management and planning, design tools, and statistical methods, with each chapter intended as a standalone lesson for readers to apply these principles practically and proactively in engineering environments.

© 2026 Purdue University Press (Ebook): 9781626711518

Release date

Ebook: February 15, 2026