Brief background:
8 yrs exp in mechanical design/engineering of medical devices and CVD/PVD equipment for semiconductor
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering
P.E. in Mechanical Engineering (strength of materials & machine design focus)
I'm looking for guidance/ learning recommendations for...
Its definitely worth applying. Try picking up a few useful skills (like drafting) to augment your resume for the entry level position. I think you can get access to most modern cad platforms from 0-100$.
I think its possible to do well in a masters of mechanical engineering program if you either take a couple of post bacc undergrad courses in mechanical engineering or pick up some quality textbooks, read through them, and solve an abundance of problems prior to enrollment.
You should already...
I like getting up from my desk and going to the lab to tinker, test, troubleshoot, and blow off steam.
I like playing legos on my computer (solid modeling).
I like doing calculations/making predictions and then going to test those predictions on products so I see the differences between theory...
I think you should change your major to business/management because it seems like you want everyone to do all the busy work for you whilst you go play video games/golf/etc.
If you want a job as a draftsmen and the majority of the job postings nearby are looking for draftsmen with solidworks experience, then it probably benefits you most to learn solidworks.
I would not expect to earn more or less based on the CAD platform used.
For what its worth, I prefer using...
It sounds like you know what you want. Get a degree in computer engineering. If you want to take a course or 3 in mechanical engineering, you can always do that in addition to your core curriculum, but it probably wouldn't be worth your time.
Just take a drafting course to learn SolidWorks and...
I suggest acquiring a BS in mechanical engineering and then finding a masters program that would be tailored to your focus. Additionally, work for a bit as an ME before you start any masters program. You will have a better idea as to which classes will enable you to perform well at your job...
People join robotics clubs usually to learn more about robotics. Don't worry about what you don't know. The most important part is to show up the club meetings and events. The club members will provide guidance on the scope of the projects for the year. Additionally, they will point you towards...
Do not use the information below if you are designing/building something that could impact public works or put people in danger. Stop immediately and hire/contract a licensed Civil/Structural professional engineer in your area:
Depending on your application, here is what is used for buildings...
If you want to get good with projections, play around with a solid modeling program. Buy a student edition of solidworks, Creo, Inventor, etc. They are usually cheap ($100) if not free. You can model simple geometries and then go to the drawing sheets to check out 3rd angle projections.