The T-Shaped Engineer

I first came across this terminology when someone said to me:

Don’t just be a regular engineer, try becoming a T-shaped engineer.

I was amazed when I heard the terminology for the first time. You probably are too, if you’re hearing about it for the first time.

So, what exactly is a T-shaped engineer?

TLDR: A T-shaped engineer is someone who has a broad range of skills but is an expert in one.

Let’s take three engineers for an example: Developer G, Developer S, and Developer T.

Developer G has experience with a lot of programming languages and also possesses a sound working knowledge of UI/UX and many other tools.

Developer S has experience with Java and can work, live and breathe in Java.

If they both apply to the same organisation, which engineer do you think will get the first preference?

Think. Think hard.

If you guessed Developer G, you’re right. But if you guessed Developer S, you’re right too. Both of these engineers have the same chance of getting the position. It depends on the organisation and their specific requirements, and organisations opt for both of these engineers at some point.

But we forgot about Developer T.

Developer T has experience with a lot of programming languages, uses UI/UX, can manage infrastructure, and can dance. But T is also an expert in Java.

Now, which one of the above profiles do you think has the better chances?

Probably T. Again, it depends on the organisational needs.

A T-shaped engineer is someone like Developer T: a wide range of knowledge, but very strong in one particular thing.

I aspire to become one. Maybe someday, I will become one.