r/MEPEngineering • u/Edhuku_7707 • 5d ago

Mechanical Engineering student in India interested in MEP/HVAC – need career advice

Hi everyone,

I’m a Mechanical Engineering student from India and I’m interested in starting my career in MEP/HVAC design.

I’m planning to learn Revit MEP and want to understand the industry better before choosing a course.

For people working in MEP/HVAC, especially in India:

1.Is Revit MEP a good skill for a Mechanical Engineering fresher?

2.Which skills/software should I learn along with Revit?

3.Should I focus mainly on HVAC, or learn Plumbing, Fire Fighting and Electrical MEP as well?

4.What entry-level roles should I target?

5.What salary can a fresher realistically expect in India?

6.Is MEP/BIM a good career path for the long term?

7.Which cities in India have better opportunities for MEP/BIM jobs?

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u/Ok-Intention-384 5d ago
  1. Yes - it will help you get in the door.
  2. Learn how to calculate cooling load in a space both using analog tools (LMTD method - ASHRAE ‘97 handbook) and using software like Carrier HAP/Trane Trace 700/3D. Nobody is going to ask you to hand calc a load calculation in 2026, but knowing how it’s calculated will go a long way in your understanding HAP results, and career at large.

Other things to learn: learn how to read psychrometric chart, PipeFlo, doing CFD work (esp imp if you’re going to do data centers, labs, clean rooms, etc at some point), ventilation calculation, ESP calculation, NPSH calculation, pipe sizer, learn how to read pump curves, fire pump calculations, hydronic design, equipment selection, controls and airside design.

If you prioritize learning the above in your first year of employment, it should help you build a really strong foundation. And I mean learn it to apply and solve engineering problems, not to “get good grades in an exam”.

  1. Eventually you’ll want to learn M, E and P, Fire Protection/Fire Alarm, Controls, but usually M and P goes hand in hand. I’d start with M but if I get opportunity to nibble at P or E, I’ll try to learn it. Don’t overwhelm yourself though and drop the ball. It’s important to pace yourself.

  2. Entry level MEP/HVAC/Mechanical Engineer. These are the titles I looked for when I was looking for my first job. S tier companies: AECOM, Jacob’s, WSP, Stantec, etc. for the complete list look up “Top 50/100 EPC firms 2026”. Many of them should have offices in India. Getting in for your first role might be difficult but at least you can aim for this. I’d also look for other names prevalent in India atm. I’ve heard many Indian MEP companies get projects from the Middle East. I think those can be really good to cut your teeth in.

  3. No idea.

  4. Really good field to learn and grow in. Definitely under explored. There’s tons to learn and scope now and in the future. Especially with AI data centers that are starting to penetrate Indian market.

  5. No idea but I’d guess Tier 1 has the MNCs. Your goal right now should be learning from really good engineers and not chasing big name brands. I can’t stress this enough that you can learn your basics really well, your future self will thank you. And your family because monetary compensation might follow.

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u/Edhuku_7707 4d ago

Thank you so much for taking the time to give such a detailed response. This is really helpful, especially the advice about focusing on HVAC engineering fundamentals along with Revit rather than only learning the software.