[ID:0646]In addition to the perks of international travel and new cultural experiences, an international engineering career offers an opportunity for advancing professionally as well as participating in innovative, meaningful projects abroad. With globalization, an international assignment can be beneficial for long-term career gain. Many North American firms compete for international contracts, so engineers who show that they are competent in the international arena tend to be acknowledged by management.

A point of view prevalent among international consulting firms is that overseas work broadens an engineer's perspective and exposes him or her to situations that one rarely finds in North America. Such exposure develops judgment, which is a highly sought-after skill.

In spite of this, some engineers have experienced that domestic firms not participating in projects outside of North America may not appreciate international engineering work experience, apart from the technical component. One engineer said:

"International...