1. Most engineers can communicate effectivly in their field.
2. In 40 years I have not personally been involved in legal issues relative to engineering. Some problems that I have seen:
A. Small company takes on large contract with no money up front. Customer goes bankrupt, small company goes bankrupt.
B. Vendor agrees to supply part that exceeds state of the art. Does'nt work, vendor goes out of business.
C. Company makes deep sea surveillance (sp?) device. Toss prototype overboard, it doesn't come up. After the third time someone says " why don't we tie a rope on it so we can pull it up and see what went wrong"!
3. Companies that stay in business make parts with quality that customers are willing to pay for. There is always a tradoff between quality and price.
4. I don't like it but it is something that has to be faced and delt with. We will always have American engineers but perhaps not so many.
5. Any career can be high stress, it depends on the person and how he/she deals with it. I have always tried to minimize stress. I may not have risen as high on the corporate ladder as I could have, but I expect to live longer, and I have enjoyed engineering.
6. Trying to be the "best of the best" can lead to high stress, I don't recommend it. Try to be the best you can be, but if it is too stressful, find something else to do, that you will enjoy. I talked to one of my retired neighbors who said he had worked for the railroad for 40 years and hated every minute of it. Don't do that.