Other Becoming an Engineer: Considerations and Personal Experiences

[HeyHeyHey]

I have a question. I'm pretty good at math and science, but I'm absolutely horrible at understanding how things work and assembling things together. Am I cut out to be an engineer? (Please be honest)

 

[llauren84]

Does Engineering have a lot of memorization involved? I only say this, because the toughest class that I took at my college is General Biology (the second semester of it only). The part that really killed me was memorizing phyla and classes, etc. I have no patience for memorizing what can be looked up if you ever need it, in my opinion. It just really frustrated me. I need to know what I am getting into. I know it is mainly problem solving, but how much memorization is actually involved. The thing I like about math is that you don't really need to memorize much, since mostly it builds on itself and you can derive many things or use a calculator.

 

[RaStevey]

llauren, if you don't like memorizing, i would say that you will like engineering, since it is more about understanding a certain concept and applying it to different problems/situations, than just memorizing thousands a facts (i hate that).

One of our lectures said that you still have to memorize the basic facts, because it will look a bit unproffesional if you pitch up at work with all your textbooks "just in case you need to look up somenthing", but then we said, that's why we have laptops and the internet.

 

[Silentbob888]

Probably should have read this thread a long time ago. This may be long winded, and if that's the case, sorry in advance.

I will continue to read each page of this thread, but at this point it kind of looks like each person's situation is different, so I'll put mine out there and hope for some feedback.

Currently I am a part time student in my late 20's. I started 2 years ago and this is my pathetic resume thus far:

Eng 101/102
Math 108, 143, 144, 170 (calc 1, barely passed with a C, probably should have gotten a D, rumor has it that this class has a roughly 65% failure rate, so maybe that's why I squeaked through? A lot of the people in my class were there for the 2nd/3rd time)
Macroecon
Psych 101

The past 2 years I've worked full time nights and taken 2 classes per semester. I pay for my tuition as I go, trying very hard to avoid loans up until the end. Next summer I will start milking credits as well. Hoping to have this done by my early 30's.

I dropped out of HS, so I basically had a 10 year break between classes. Growing up I was very mathmatically inclined, so I decided to try and shoot for a computer engineering degree. Problem is, I'm by no means an egghead. Had I continued from HS straight to college, maybe. But at this point and after a ton of pot, I'm really questioning wether or not this is a realistic goal. Will it be possible to work full time and take extremely hard classes and still try to maintain some form of a life?

I really do love solving problems. I have yet to do any real engineering classes or science for that matter, so I don't know if I'm truly barking up the wrong tree. A lot of the posts here have suggested not doing it for the money. But honestly with the economy and job availability of the past five plus years, it seems like getting a degree that most cannot obtain, basically guarentees you a life of work and being well compensated for it.
I've been the jack of all trades at every single job that I've been at, but without a degree, there's no real chance of being fairly compensated.

As you can see I'm only taking classes that will transfer easily to another degree if that has to happen. Because I'm paying out of pocket, I do not want to pay for too many extra classes if I don't have to.

What classes should I be looking forward to, to really find out if I'm cut out for it or not? I'm thinking Calc 2 in a few weeks will probably be one of them, but what else? Just trying to find the best "turn back now" point or ideally the "you are golden" point. Oh yah, regarding calc 2, I really really enjoyed math up until calc 1. There's some stuff that was very interesting to me, but then some just seemed above and beyond me. This class was where memorization killed me. Prof didn't let us use calculators in class for anything. Every formula had to be memorized. This is extremely difficult for me. I know I need to cut back on the chronic, but still, I know when I'm out in the "real world" since I've been there for awhile, that I will have tools and whatever else I need available to me at the drop of a dime.

My backup degree would probably be ITM or possibly CM. I'm very proficient at computers, been building and upgrading for 15 years now, but you still can't get paid for that unless you have a degree. Problem is, seems like other than business, the next most popular degree is in computers. Sure, there will be jobs for most of them forever, but will they pay anything worthwhile? I'm still guessing that ITM will max at 45-65k/year?

Probably should leave it at that. If there's anything else I may have mistakenly left out, let me know. Thanks again for any feedback given.

 

[llauren84]

Silentbob, your name gives away your habits. =) I have a similar story to yours. I used to smoke and I recently gave up all juvenile (in my case these things seem juvenile now because they limited me so much...others may or may not be limited by such things) habits like pot and staying out very late several times per week. I did return to school this year, Fall 2008. I continued with Calc2, not having taken calc1 since 2002. Let me tell you something it is not easy to take such a huge break from math but if I can do that, anything is possible. I passed calc2 with a A. The grades were curved, but either way, I was still at the top of my class. I studied so hard. I was relearning calc1 at the same time as learning call2. I didn't work though and went to school full time. Calc three came so much easier. I literally missed 11 classes. They were 1 hour classes ...so I missed 11 hours of the class per week (20% of the total hours in the semester) ans still managed an A-. I'm not saying do this, because I did have to teach it myself. I just didn't want to go to class on a Thursday when it was my only class and it takes 1hour to get there. 2hr commute for 1hr class...ehhh...maybe you can see my reasoning. Okay, I wrote a lot but the point is that returning to college is not easy when you have been away from the setting. You should try another calculus class and see how that goes and maybe even some physics. Keep in mind that you are paying for these classes, so the more you put into them the more you get out. So if you study and do your homework, you are sure to get better grades than if you don't.

 

[Dembadon]

I know I need to cut back on the chronic, but still, I know when I'm out in the "real world" since I've been there for awhile, that I will have tools and whatever else I need available to me at the drop of a dime.

It is my advice that you cut weed out of your life completely if you are serious about a professional career. If you are going to rely on sources other than your brain when working in the 'real world', you will find it very difficult to be proficient at your job. The "just Google it" mentality will not always be an option; e.g. when you are making a presentation for management. It will look very silly if you need to pull out your laptop during your presentation to Google something you should have retained from your studies.

I am in no way trying to discourage you from pursuing the engineering profession; I just want to make sure you have realistic expectations. Working full time while going to school is challenging enough. If you are serious about your future, stop smoking dope. The negative effects that accompany such a habit will only hinder your progress.

-Robert

 

[LadyKnuckles]

Well, I'm new to the forums and (must say, great forum you guys have here) I am in a bit of a dilemma here.

I have read many of the comments in this thread and some have lead me to have my usual doubts about engineering and technology. I'm attending the University of Houston in Houston Texas, USA declaring my choice major of study in Computer Engineering Technology. I have always wanted to take a field of study such as this as long as I have been intriuged by how things worked in the world.

My dilemma, I'm not very good at math due to me not having the best teachers growing up, yet I always tried. Science, it always depended on the lab that we would do in school. I guess I always liked science. But anyways, I have researched on many things that engineers do and I always wanted to be in a group where we would build something magnificent that many people could benefit from. Yet math always held me back.

I am always interested about learning in my leisure and when I'm busy doing other things. I just want to know that I too can be successful at engineering technology if I tried really hard and focus alot. I know that because I am not like many others that are good at math, I guess I just want to find a computer engineer that also started off rocky and with hard work, understanding the information given he or she too became the engineer that they always wanted to be.

I know the teachings will be difficult, I knew this when I started loving how things are created in the world to help others. I ready to start ripping my face off trying to perfect my math skills and appreciate the things I will be doing once I get the degree.


I guess I just need a step in the right direction. I hope this is it. So Should I become an engineer, I believe I can. Been catching up in math all summer I better.

 

[note360]

I am in a similar situation. However, let's look at it a different way. This is college, its almost a blank slate if you let it be. You may need to work harder, but in all honesty you can be what you want to be. There are really unnecessary pressures added onto high school students. Also, really bad math teachers... Especially in middle school where I think it is most crucial. As a result I am slow as hell as math... however, i find I am still faster than most in my classes.

 

[LadyKnuckles]

Well that makes me feel much better about the situation. I already knew as soon as i feel in love with Technology and Engineering, that I was going to have problems mathematically and scientifically. It's not the high school pressure, its the pressure going on about me not at least making a C+. But yeah, like you said, I do need to work harder. As long as I can at least set short term goals for my ultimate long term goal, I should be fine right?

 

[epicbattle]

Here is a question for you guys. I have a Liberal Arts degree. I started on this path when I was young and stupid. Not that their is anything wrong with Liberal Arts. I'm very good at math, and have an obsession with Robotics. I have built three very simple Robots thanks to sites like Letsmakerobots, or societyofrobots. I am now 23. But I believe that I missed my calling. Engineering in general is fascinating and rewarding. Should I sink in thousands of dollars, and destroy myself with all the time and hard work it would require to go back to school for an EE degree? I don't have a GOOD job. I'm a waiter. I make enough to "live". Am I stuck for life? Has anyone ever heard of someone going back after they have already gotten a degree for Engineering? My family and friends think I am crazy. It's probably true, but I want to hear you guys say it.

 

[fourierAlarm]

epicbattle, a year ago I was in pretty much the same situation you are describing. I graduated form college with a BA in philosophy and no particular career plans, so I ended up working at one of the college bookstores in town. I moved up to assistant manager, but the hours were ridiculous and the salary was barely enough to live on. After two years , I decided I could either 1) try to become general manager of a bookstore, or 2) go back to college and get some kind of decent career.

Since 1) seemed about like getting a root canal every day for the rest of my life, I enrolled this spring for a second bachelor's in Computer Engineering. I wanted to do something involving math and science, but also be able to pay back all the loans, and since I already knew some programming, CpE was the way to go. The CpE program at my school is only different from EE by about 3-6 classes, depending on electives, and I plan to finish in May 2012. So, if you decide to go back for EE, plan on taking at least three years to finish. If you can, go to the same school where you got your first undergrad, or a school that will transfer all your credits, so you can avoid having to retake gen ed classes like English and History.

I was pretty much terrified about taking years out of my life (I'm about to turn 25) and borrowing vast sums to go do this, but after 1 semester + summer school, I am really happy I decided to go for it. Your family may think you're crazy, but I figure you can spend your 20's wising you were an engineer, or dammit, you can go become an engineer. Yes, I think there is some uncertainty about the jobs outlook in this field, but that's true of many careers these days. Just about everyone in our generation is going to have to deal with the fact that a secure job for life with one company doesn't really exist anymore. On the bright side, the research I have seen all shows that the starting salaries for new engineers are still very good (http://www.career.arizona.edu/webresources/?nacesurvey" ).

Robotics is a fascinating field, and although we don't per se have a "robotics indsutry" where you go build terminators or something (yet!) there are lots of applications of robotics/ai principles that are being commercialized, like computer vision for vehicle navigation, or speech recognition, which you run into when you call just about any customer service line.

Hope this gives you a few things to think about!

 

[kote]

Here is a question for you guys. I have a Liberal Arts degree. I started on this path when I was young and stupid. Not that their is anything wrong with Liberal Arts. I'm very good at math, and have an obsession with Robotics. I have built three very simple Robots thanks to sites like Letsmakerobots, or societyofrobots. I am now 23. But I believe that I missed my calling. Engineering in general is fascinating and rewarding. Should I sink in thousands of dollars, and destroy myself with all the time and hard work it would require to go back to school for an EE degree? I don't have a GOOD job. I'm a waiter. I make enough to "live". Am I stuck for life? Has anyone ever heard of someone going back after they have already gotten a degree for Engineering? My family and friends think I am crazy. It's probably true, but I want to hear you guys say it.

You don't have to tell me, but think about how well you did in your philosophy degree. Can you show that you took analytical courses and did well? How do you expect that your GRE would look?

If you have a good gpa and generally did well, you can probably think about getting a masters degree as a career changer. You may have trouble directly in engineering, but with some night classes in math, for example, you might be able to go straight to an applied math masters program and get a job doing technical analysis with the engineers. Talk to some schools. See what they'd need you to do. Mostly they want committed students with a basic level of knowledge and a real passion for the field.

During an info session I attended for UCONN's math PhD program I remember them telling us about an English major who went straight to the PhD program after being out of school for a few years. You could try for a PhD even. If you demonstrate the passion and potential they'll give you a semester or two to catch up on the prereqs.

Worst case you transfer your night classes to another undergrad degree or decide you don't want to commit to the full thing.

 

[epicbattle]

You don't have to tell me, but think about how well you did in your philosophy degree. Can you show that you took analytical courses and did well? How do you expect that your GRE would look?

If you have a good gpa and generally did well, you can probably think about getting a masters degree as a career changer. You may have trouble directly in engineering, but with some night classes in math, for example, you might be able to go straight to an applied math masters program and get a job doing technical analysis with the engineers. Talk to some schools. See what they'd need you to do. Mostly they want committed students with a basic level of knowledge and a real passion for the field.

During an info session I attended for UCONN's math PhD program I remember them telling us about an English major who went straight to the PhD program after being out of school for a few years. You could try for a PhD even. If you demonstrate the passion and potential they'll give you a semester or two to catch up on the prereqs.

Worst case you transfer your night classes to another undergrad degree or decide you don't want to commit to the full thing.

Here is an update on this. I am going to a community college for Calculus 1. I'm considering this sort of a "test" course. If I do well in it (which I think I will, but I have never taken Calc) I will go ahead with a five year undergrad plan to get an ECE degree. I'm not married, nor do I have any kids so I don't have that to worry about. So anything like this where I can better my life by the age of 30 seems worth it to me. Your idea that I may be able to get into a masters or PhD program seems like a much more efficient root. The downside is I'm not a philosophy major. I'm a Theater major. I haven't had a lot of logic based classes. That's not to say it couldn't be done, I will just have to look into it. So, I am going to take Calc 1-3, and all the classes that will transfer from this Community College to my University. I plan on having this phase done by the end of summer next year. Thanks guys for all your suggestions and support.

 

[kote]

The downside is I'm not a philosophy major. I'm a Theater major.

Oh, sorry! I confused the two posts . Good luck!

 

[symbolipoint]

epicbattle in #553 said these:

I am going to a community college for Calculus 1. I'm considering this sort of a "test" course. If I do well in it (which I think I will, but I have never taken Calc) I will go ahead with a five year undergrad plan to get an ECE degree.

That's it? Just one try? You are not giving yourself much chance. What if it is too hard but you could learn it if you went through it again and do extremely well? What if you put in extra effort the first time and do reasonably well so as not to need to repeat it? What if you struggle very very hard the first time to just earn a C barely, and take the opportunity during the semester break to review the whole thing before starting Calculus 2? If you are properly prepared with the Algebra and Trigonometry prerequisites, then you should be able to handle Calculus 1 as well as what follows, even if you need a longer effort within Calculus 1; longer than the one-semester term length. Not everybody who goes through the Calculus sequence courses is successful with each one the first time through. They often still can earn a degree in Engineering or one of the sciences.

The downside is I'm not a philosophy major.

What kind of downside is this? One does not need to go full force into Philosophy in order to learn to be a well educated thinker. Other pathways can include Linguistics, other languages, Psychology, several other major field,... and possibly some of the natural sciences (physical ones included).

 

[CBR600RR101]

Hey this thread has been going for agess and I've just found it - just made a username so i could ask my questions as well!

I live in Australia and i plan on attending either monash university of melbourne university.

I was just wondering if someone could check out this site for me, the official site of melbourne uni (specifically the page on the different specializations of engineering available) and if the could tell me which one i would need to do so i can specialize in computer systems engineering. Physically designing/constructing the hardware of computers and any other type of electronics as well. Would it be computer science? Electrical? etc.

Melbourne Uni is my third preference, my first being science/engineering at Monash and second being just engineering at monash. Monash seems to show that they have a specialization in the area i want (electrical and computer systems engineering) which is why its my first preference.

ANY help would be appreciated! THANK YOU ALL!

EDIT: Another question i would like to ask is, do any Australians on this board know of any good places someone with a degree in computer engineering could work in Melbourne (City OR otherwise)? All of this would go a long way, I don't want to end up with a useless degree. :(

 

[theman408]

I keep hearing that most of the civil engineers are trying to re-invent themselves and are all stressed out because the field is almost weeded out.

How true is this and is it really a factor?

 

[creepypasta13]

I'm about to graduate with my double major in physics and applied math, and am having trouble deciding what graduate programs to apply to.

My background: I've done an REU in statistical/solid-state physics and research in materials modeling. As a result, I'm sure I want to work on modeling/simulation in my career, whether it be in academia or industry. Also, I wish to avoid writing lab reports and doing hands-on experiments as much as possible. I would say my favorite physics class covered statistical mechanics and thermo, but I haven't taken the upper-div version of it yet.

For graduate programs, I've been looking into physics, applied physics, mechanical engineering, EE, or materials engineering. I list my reasons why below

physics/applied physics - lots of applied areas interest me such as condensed matter, lasers, etc. I'm only hesistant about it because of job opportunities for theoretical physics phD's

mechanical eng - mostly only CFD interests me since I've had some interest in designing missiles and rockets for the military.

EE - don't know too much about it but I heard one can work on solid state, optics, lasers, and other areas of applied physics. But when I hear of EE, I think of circuits and controls, which I don't like. I even took a mechanical engineering class in feedback and controls and it was one of the worst classes i took as an undergrad

materials - my undergrad research in solid-state and materials modeling gets me thinking this area may suit me. But stuff like solar energy, organic chemistry, polymers don't interest me one bit.

if someone could help me, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks

 

[kote]

I'm about to graduate with my double major in physics and applied math, and am having trouble deciding what graduate programs to apply to.

Out of curiosity, why not applied math? I think your choice really depends on what you're interested though. Do you have any idea of what your goals are? Is there a certain career you are going for? Do you want to stay in academia?

 

[creepypasta13]

Out of curiosity, why not applied math? I think your choice really depends on what you're interested though. Do you have any idea of what your goals are? Is there a certain career you are going for? Do you want to stay in academia?

I didn't really enjoy my applied math courses as much as my physics. if i could do my undergrad again, i definitely wouldn't have majored in applied math.

my goal is to obtain some kind of research position, preferably in academia or a government lab. But since academia jobs are scarce, I'm willing to look elsewhere such as government or industrial labs

 

[kote]

I didn't really enjoy my applied math courses as much as my physics. if i could do my undergrad again, i definitely wouldn't have majored in applied math.

my goal is to obtain some kind of research position, preferably in academia or a government lab. But since academia jobs are scarce, I'm willing to look elsewhere such as government or industrial labs

Hrmm... if you didn't enjoy applied math, you may hate engineering. Applied math is a pretty broad field. Many schools will also lump applied subjects together with engineering in a "School of Engineering and Applied Sciences" or similar. There is a lot of overlap. An applied mathematician in the right department could work on any of the problems you listed.

None of this probably helps you much though. If you're interested in research I think you need to be pretty passionate about your particular field to be successful. If you choose a research field for the job prospects, you may find that the lower drive you have within that field will exclude you anyways.

 

[creepypasta13]

Hrmm... if you didn't enjoy applied math, you may hate engineering. Applied math is a pretty broad field. Many schools will also lump applied subjects together with engineering in a "School of Engineering and Applied Sciences" or similar. There is a lot of overlap. An applied mathematician in the right department could work on any of the problems you listed.

None of this probably helps you much though. If you're interested in research I think you need to be pretty passionate about your particular field to be successful. If you choose a research field for the job prospects, you may find that the lower drive you have within that field will exclude you anyways.

well i enjoyed some applied math courses such as PDEs, ODEs, math modeling, and linear algebra, was indifferent towards real analysis and complex analysis, and hated probability/stats and Fourier analysis. Besides the lab courses, I definitely liked the physics major more

The thing is, I enjoy many different fields, but have no passion towards any particular one.

 

[ryrobes]

Hey guys (and gals), I've been lurking for a few days and reading peoples stories - I've got to say they are both inspiring and a tiny bit frightening at the same time. ;)

Hell, I'll throw my own questions in the ring and see what happens.

Here's the story (I'll try and be brief), I'm 30 and thinking of going back to school (part time) for a Mechanical Engineering degree. While I'm not super concerned about the math, physics or any of those commonly asked rigors (I feel that if you really want something, you'll find a way to get it - obstacles or not) - but I'm a tad concerned that I'm doing the right thing for the right reasons. Let me explain.

I've spent the last 8+ years as a computer programmer, working for a couple private companies and now for the government. At the start, I really liked it, but now I see things differently and it bores me to death.

Maybe back then it was more of a novelty for me, but now I see the computer for what it really is... a TOOL.

In my mind, my job is the construction equivalent of staring at a hammer all day and making sure its clean, usable, and hammer-ific. I love the problem solving / analytical aspect of programming, but at this point in my career its become 10% problem solving and 90% drudgery. Not only that, but honestly, I'm quite sick of doing hours and hours of work to create things that are forever intangible and don't really matter (or exist) in the "real world". Its tedious, soul-killing and makes me feel like a faceless, nameless button-pusher. Ok, maybe I'm being a tad dramatic, but you get my point.

Before I got my first "big" programming job, I actually worked for 3 years as an auto mechanic at a local VW dealer in my hometown. I loved that job for the same kind of reasons I initially loved programming - troubleshooting, figuring things out, fixing and ultimately making them better than they were initially. In fact, in my mind I don't see much of a difference in writing code, fixing cars or computers - they are all a group of systems that all work together to perform a specific task.

Now, I've always been obsessed with how things work. Not only that, but obsessed with improving them too. I've always done a great deal of tinkering. As far as cars go, heck, if I can make something run cooler, be lighter, more efficient, or just plain more powerful (even if its only 0.0005% more) - that gets me all jazzed up. That is something that has always been really rewarding for me.

1) From all this, does it sound like I'm heading down the right path?

I realize that the mechanical engineering jobs people end up getting are quite varied, especially depending on your specialization (or from Masters work, etc, right?) But from what I've read here - I'm also kind of worried that eventually I'll just end up behind a desk, staring at a computer screen 40 hours a week again, and not have as much hands-on type / real-world activity as I would have hoped.

2) Can any current Mech Engineers here vouch for that (in the paragraph above)?

Thanks in advance everyone! (Sorry for the length)

 

[kote]

1) From all this, does it sound like I'm heading down the right path?

I realize that the mechanical engineering jobs people end up getting are quite varied, especially depending on your specialization (or from Masters work, etc, right?) But from what I've read here - I'm also kind of worried that eventually I'll just end up behind a desk, staring at a computer screen 40 hours a week again, and not have as much hands-on type / real-world activity as I would have hoped.

2) Can any current Mech Engineers here vouch for that (in the paragraph above)?

Thanks in advance everyone! (Sorry for the length)

ryrobes, maybe you already answered this and I missed it, but is there any job in particular you would be going for? Is there anyone you've worked with who you've thought had a really interesting job?

I graduated not too long ago with a mechanical engineering degree, and I stayed away from actual mechanical engineering because the job options seemed to consist of 60 hours per week of CAD. Not all straight engineering jobs are like this, but many are, especially in aerospace (well, maybe this part isn't true, but that's the industry I've had experience with). My engineering degree opened doors in management, but I'm not actually using my degree now.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that it really depends on what you want specifically. An ME degree may or may not help you to get there. Mechanical engineering as mechanical (design) engineering in the primary industries is mostly staring at a computer all day and working on drawings, but people with ME degrees go into many fields, some of which you may already be qualified for.

Do you have a college degree currently or would this be your first?

 

[ryrobes]

ryrobes, maybe you already answered this and I missed it, but is there any job in particular you would be going for? Is there anyone you've worked with who you've thought had a really interesting job?

I graduated not too long ago with a mechanical engineering degree, and I stayed away from actual mechanical engineering because the job options seemed to consist of 60 hours per week of CAD. Not all straight engineering jobs are like this, but many are, especially in aerospace (well, maybe this part isn't true, but that's the industry I've had experience with). My engineering degree opened doors in management, but I'm not actually using my degree now.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that it really depends on what you want specifically. An ME degree may or may not help you to get there. Mechanical engineering as mechanical (design) engineering in the primary industries is mostly staring at a computer all day and working on drawings, but people with ME degrees go into many fields, some of which you may already be qualified for.

Do you have a college degree currently or would this be your first?

Heya, thanks for the quick reply, Kote! This would be my first actual degree. I was one of those jerks who was offered a good job while barely a sophomore in college, and dropped out like an idiot in order to chase the money (the IT Tech bubble hadn't quite burst yet).

After that job, I had so much varied experience that people in my industry really didn't care about the degree as much, luckily.

As far as what I'm after job-wise, maybe I'm a bit ignorant about that. The more research on the web you do about jobs that are ME related the more confusing it gets.

Is that the reality, that with a ME bachelors, you're pretty much a CAD jockey out of the gate? Yeesh. While much more interesting than being a code jockey, it isn't really the "job satisfaction boost" I had somehow envisioned.

Like I said, I was thinking of more of an automotive bent later on in my schooling, but as everyone says in this forum, you don't have to worry about that until later - maybe something will strike me in another specialty and I'll go in that direction instead.

I have successfully confused myself. :)

You say that you didn't actually use your degree as you had intended? What line of work did you end up going into? (if you don't mind me asking)

 

[kote]

You say that you didn't actually use your degree as you had intended? What line of work did you end up going into? (if you don't mind me asking)

No, I used it exactly as intended . This page gets the basic idea of one of many other options for engineers, but an engineering degree is not required depending on the job. I work with material resource planners, logistics teams, sourcing, finance, manufacturing engineers, etc. It's all related and people swap around between those roles regularly.

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos016.htm

Job prospects. Despite employment declines, a number of jobs are expected to open due to the need to replace workers who retire or transfer to other occupations. Applicants with experience in production occupations along with a college degree in industrial engineering, management, or business administration, and particularly those with an undergraduate engineering degree and a master’s degree in business administration or industrial management, will enjoy the best job prospects. Employers also are likely to seek candidates who have excellent communication skills, related work experience, and who are personable, flexible, and eager to enhance their knowledge and skills through ongoing training.​

Experience as a mechanic and programming experience would both be an asset if you're interested in this sort of thing.

 

[ryrobes]

No, I used it exactly as intended . This page gets the basic idea of one of many other options for engineers, but an engineering degree is not required depending on the job. I work with material resource planners, logistics teams, sourcing, finance, manufacturing engineers, etc. It's all related and people swap around between those roles regularly.

Very cool, thanks Kote. Well played. :)

It sounds interesting - but to answer your question (after some more diligent web "job research") - what I think I'd LIKE to possibly do is be a Product Development engineer for a automotive manufacturer. From what I've read, those jobs SEEM to be at least partially hands-on depending on the vehicle system you're working on and whether you're on the analysis / testing end or the initial design end.

I'm just trying to avoid 100% CAD jockey work... (not that I mind CAD at all, but my brain craves more hands-on work after years chained to the keyboard already)

Can anyone verify if any of these assumptions are anywhere near correct?

Do we have any graduated mechanical engineers here that work in the automotive industry that can 'throw me a bone' as they say?

 

[elpermic]

i am above average at math, i am also very lazy. can i become an environmental engineer?

 

[comp_math]

I keep hearing that most of the civil engineers are trying to re-invent themselves and are all stressed out because the field is almost weeded out.

How true is this and is it really a factor?

In the academia yes, in the industry no.

 

[magecaster]

I am currently in my last year of schooling in south africa and i was looking for advice, i really want to study engineering but I am not sure which to do. I am really interested in aeronautical but the thing is, my country doesn't make airplane parts or things so the job opportunities are scarce, should i pursue it or should i go with the more practical option of civil? is it hard to emmigrate with an aeronautical degree?