What do you do if you want to gain practical experience in Systems Engineering?

The most effective method for broadening your understanding of systems engineering is to engage in a project and explore the best practices to determine their suitability for your workflow. I believe systems engineering is more than just a role, it’s a mindset. Even junior engineers can apply its principles to their tasks and interactions with colleagues.

Hands-on experience is the best way to learn and master any topic. From my personal experience, I joined a formative project focused on modeling a UAV to learn Systems Engineering. Later, I advanced my skills by joining the FCAS project, where I knew Systems Engineering played a central role. Engaging in these projects allowed me to apply my knowledge directly, encountering real-world challenges and building a deeper understanding of SE in practice. Practical experience provides invaluable insights that theoretical learning alone cannot offer.

Practical experience can only be gained by doing it, so dive deep and break down problems using systems thinking, identifying various subsystems and researching how they interact. Reverse engineering has been an invaluable tool, helping me see how current models and frameworks work. When addressing the complexity of projects, I use this hands-on experience to better understand system behavior and apply my findings to novel solutions. Tackling these challenges gives me a deeper appreciation for how different components work together and how to solve problems more effectively.

The first step is to seek out opportunities that allow you to apply what you've learned in a real-world context. Look for internships or work placements that offer practical exposure. Many organisations are on the lookout for enthusiastic young engineers like yourself, and they often value fresh perspectives.

To gain practical experience in systems engineering, start by taking on a project with a clear goal and defined scope. Identify and select projects that align with your passions and career goals. Then work hands-on to solve real-world problems through those projects, applying systems thinking as you go. Practice makes perfect: the more projects you tackle, the stronger your skills will become.

Un marco de trabajo como la ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288, el modelo en V, prácticas ágiles y cualquier otro te permite centrarte en el problema, no en la forma de expresar la solución. La ingeniería de sistemas busca soluciones y la metodología te permite asegurar que tú solución es consistente, fiable y segura. Pero nunca debemos poner la metodología por encima de la solución o haremos sistemas inútiles aunque muy bien realizados ??

As a systems engineer, you will be involved across a system's lifecycle from concept to retirement. The 15288 can provide a framework for your practice of systems engineering across the different lifecycle stages. The 15288 can also be tailored to the specific nature of your project / organisation.

It is important to learn these frameworks well enough to know which to apply in your particular situation. It's also critical to learn when you can adapt, tailor, or break them to get the job done.

Your team needs to be broad reaching across skill specialties and across levels. This is a long term differentiator. Always put people over projects. Making friends with the people you work with is what makes the job fun enough to do for a whole career. Talking to people will open doors to options for work that you may never have known about or considered.

I've found it extremely helpful to analyze your own gaps in expertise and knowledge and seek out those who have that complementary skills and traits to add to your team. You don't have to be a manager or a director to ask for support cross-functionally to ensure the evaluation or analysis you're undertaking as a systems engineer is sound. In fact, some of my best pressure testers against architectures I've developed were those who I would not have thought to be influential, such as people in Finance or unrelated technical disciplines to my own. I fight my instincts and gravitate toward where there is friction to find the most robust solution.

Tackling manageable and known problems is a good way to start. If not a direct assignment at work you can take up fixing a day-to-day problem as a hobby either at work (e.g., developing that small knowledge database your colleagues are always dreaming about) or at home (e.g., that smart lighting system that would look great in your room) starting by needs elicitation and going all the way to formal verification will give you lots of practical insights. If considering MBSE, you have free tools such as Eclipse Papyrus and Capella. For requirements management you can find free tools like Reqview or, with some macros Word and Excel can get the job done (not ideal).

This aspect is the most critical since any practical knowledge is always more useful than theoretical one. By doing, you learn what is possible, make mistakes, realise what can go wrong and what can be improved. And thus eventually improve your overall understanding. Hence involvement in one or more practical aspect of the components you are handling - development, testing or integration, will always be more helpful than reading tons of theory on the component.

If you want to gain practical experience like in everything: roll up your sleeves and do hands on work related to Systems Engineering. This could be anything from understanding and discussing Stakeholder needs, creating and discussing Use cases (even if retroactive to reinforce understanding and validate WIP), write or improve requirements, or plan and execute testing. Whatever you do always keep in mind the big-picture, the helicopter view. How things go together and how all interacts. Within the systems, BUT also the system with the external world. Get a good mentor / buddy and ask many questions while doing - strive to apply the theory in practice. That will consolidate understanding.

If you're lucky to work for a company that understands and applies Systems Engineering, you'd more likely than not be assigned a mentor. You just need to make the most of that and learn maximally from them. Else, you can look at your network. There are people who you could talk with and get direction. To bounce ideas against. You could even find a mentor to guide you through applying SE. Make sure you find someone competent and knowledgeable, with experience in your industry also. And BTW: INCOSE started a mentorship program. You can start there. That would ensure you get a suitable mentor.

If you get lucky, you will find a solid mentor and your journey of becoming a better system engineer will be much smoother. The best thing about a good mentor is that they will be able to challenge you and push you beyond what you thought was capable. A good and gracious mentor will help you learn from their experience as well as mistakes, let you pick their brains and guide you to a solution driven mindset. Depending on specific component or the overall system, you should find a mentor who suits your interest. There are mentors out there who genuinely care and want to help since they are driven by a collaborative mindset and have a higher level of thinking. Hence wishing you get lucky and find such a mentor.

Another great way to bolster your experience is through mentoring. Connecting with seasoned professionals in the field can provide invaluable insights and guidance. They can help you navigate challenges, share their own experiences, and even introduce you to industry contacts. Plus, having someone who’s been there before can really boost your confidence as you embark on this journey.

An underrated area for systems engineering is in manufacturing. There are many experienced manufacturing engineers who have taken a practical, real world approach to systems design.

Build a network and amass knowledge in different technical disciplines and find leaders in those spaces. I've learned the most about systems engineering from my Program and Project Management colleagues and my Operations experts, who can detail what they need more from systems engineers, how it fits the business and where to focus my delivery. My best mentors have come from these spaces and those who amassed expertise in different arenas.

Don't forget about online forums and local engineering groups too; they can be excellent resources for networking and finding collaborative projects. Remember, every bit of hands-on experience counts towards building your skills and understanding of Systems Engineering! Keep pushing forward – you're on the right track!

Systems Engineering, by definition, is a surface level analysis of complex technical solutions in order to keep apprised of the entire architecture. Keeping apprised of bleeding edge technologies and assessing how and when to introduce them into the system is critical to ensuring a forward-looking product and services to your client. Become familiar with developing technical trends and disciplines, such as Quality Assurance, Reliability Engineering, and Information Security, to learn how industries employ aspects of the V&V model in their solutions beyond the classical Systems Engineering processes.

I recommend joining a local or larger organization such as the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) to continue your personal and professional development. They can provide networking opportunities, access to resources, and involvement in professional activities that enhance practical knowledge.