Tell me about engineering

[okeydokey]

To the optimist, the glass would be half full.

To the pessimist, the glass would be half empty.

To the engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be!

So true!!

 

[drag n' fly]

My dh is a P.Eng. He is a chemical engineer with a major in computer process control. He has been in the business for 14 years and works as a senior fracturing engineer for an oil and gas company. If you are good in math and detail oriented then engineering is for you. Up here the starting salary for engineers is 80,000 a year. Most engineers make well over 100,000 a year here. Shop around. What you are looking for is a company with great bonuses and stock options. HTH

 

[drag n' fly]

DD24 graduated this past May with her Honours degree in Eng CHem.
She is unemployed.
Some experienced Eng-CHems are taking entry level jobs as their positions are phased out with existing companies.
Poor kid-she worked SOOOO hard to not reap any benefit yet.

She has a European Community Passport..so other countries are possibilities but nada....

Tell her to move to Calgary or Houston. Lots of jobs!

 

[GreatDaneMom]

I am a mechanical engineer. Frankly, I HATE it. It is boring and I get little satisfaction out of it.

When I was in college, I wanted to study biotechnology, but I was scared off by the amount of chemistry I would need to take. I got a degree in mechanical engineering instead. Yes, my salary is pretty good for just a B.S. degree, but I would rather be in a field where I felt passionate about it. I want a job that I love so much that I don't even want to think about retiring. For some, that is engineering, but not for me!

But, that is me. Your child might love engineering. I work with many people (mostly the men, if truth be told) that absolutely love what they do. The guy that sits next to me is glued to his computer all day, every day. He loves what he is doing.

As for personality, I work with great people. They are all very, very funny. They have no problem making conversation. I love them!!! A good test is, that if you find the Dilbert comic strip funny, you will fit in in an engineering office! Also, most engineers I know love Monty Python's flying circus. Oh, and Seinfeld. Also, most mechanical engineers can fix just about anything. They can use every day materials to create a solution to just about anything. It is pretty funny, and of course very useful. (I am not one of those people--again, going back to a lack of passion for what I do).

I would tell your child to pursue whatever career interests them. Whatever it is that they can be passionate about, that is what they should study. Don't get stuck in engineering just because you are "good at math and science". That is EXACTLY what happened to me!! Those skills would be useful in many jobs, including medicine, another career path I was interested in but talked myself out of. Here I sit at age 40, feeling like I missed my true calling just because I could "make a lot of money" with an engineering degree. Don't let that happen to your child!!! Make sure he/she truly is interested in the field. Otherwise they could be very unfulfilled in life. Best wishes to all who are choosing a career field--it is a tough decision!!

Wow, I hate to see someone so unhappy. I guess engineering isn't for everyone. If you're only 40 you still have time to get out of engineering and find another field. If you work to full social security retirement age you have 26 years to go!! Spend the next few years re-educating yourself in another field and be happy for the last 2 decades of your worklife. Adults make great students, especially when they're following a passion. Go for it!!

 

[CanBeGrumpy]

Wow, I hate to see someone so unhappy. I guess engineering isn't for everyone. If you're only 40 you still have time to get out of engineering and find another field. If you work to full social security retirement age you have 26 years to go!! Spend the next few years re-educating yourself in another field and be happy for the last 2 decades of your worklife. Adults make great students, especially when they're following a passion. Go for it!!

Thanks GreatDaneMom, you are right! A few weeks ago, I signed up to start taking classes in January to maybe pursue something else (not sure how I will do it with a full time job and two kids at home! Yikes!!). The problem is, I can't figure out what to study! If I could have figured that out, I would have switched careers years ago! It is so hard to figure out what I really want to do! And of course, once you have a family, it gets that much harder to find time for yourself. Not to mention, I am pretty attached to my salary, so if I do decide to go to school full time, it will be really tough to part with the money! But I'm sure it would be worth it in the end. I just have to be brave and jump in!!! I appreciate your post and your support!

 

[GreatDaneMom]

Thanks GreatDaneMom, you are right! A few weeks ago, I signed up to start taking classes in January to maybe pursue something else (not sure how I will do it with a full time job and two kids at home! Yikes!!). The problem is, I can't figure out what to study! If I could have figured that out, I would have switched careers years ago! It is so hard to figure out what I really want to do! And of course, once you have a family, it gets that much harder to find time for yourself. Not to mention, I am pretty attached to my salary, so if I do decide to go to school full time, it will be really tough to part with the money! But I'm sure it would be worth it in the end. I just have to be brave and jump in!!! I appreciate your post and your support!

Good for you! You'll figure out what you want to do as you go. But you have to start somewhere. I got my engineering degrees as an adult with 5 (yes 5!) kids. I started with one night class and it snowballed from there. Keep your chin up and achieve your dreams!!

To the OP, please forgive us for momentarily hijacking your thread. CanBeGrumpy needs us all to send a hug and a pat on the back!

 

[megthewonderful]

While I currently consider myself a "domestic engineer" I do hold a BS in Industrial Engineering and a Masters in Statistics. I worked for a government defense contractor working on quality control issues. Loved my job, but decided that I would love to be home with my kids more.

My husband has both a bachelor and masters degree in Mechanical Engineering. He also works for government defense contractor. He loves what he does and I can't imagine him doing anything else (except maybe working for Disney as an Imagineer!)

Every engineering course is based on a strong math background. So, if math isn't your thing, then engineering definitely won't be your thing.

 

[dejr_8]

I am a mechanical engineer. Frankly, I HATE it. It is boring and I get little satisfaction out of it.

To be honest if I had to do True Chemical Engineering I would put a bullet in my head. But I know people that can look at P&IDs all day long and love doing it.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I think a ChemE degree gives the best career flexibility.

 

[damo]

DS is studying Software Engineering specializing in gaming. It is a tough, tough program.

 

[Longsx3]

DH has a BSEE (Electrical Engineering) and is a project away from having a MS in Engineering Management. His program was 5yrs and he graduated in 92. To say an Engineering Degree is difficult is an understatement! Of his group of Jesuit Educated friends, he is the only one to finish his EE degree...others went to computer or physics...DH always said all Physics Majors used to be EE majors, LOL.

Now for what DH does, he is an Officer in the AF, his career field is Communications and Computers and for the first 6yrs was in positions that required an EE. He started off managing RF Spectrum for the AF, has assisted in Building the Iraqi Communications and Computer Systems and worked Special OPs. Now it is a little different as he is working a base level job and even though he is headed to Iraq for a year loves his Job. We expect when he retires, that between his degree, his experience and his security clearance he will have a very nice second career as well.

DH knew from the time he was 12 what he wanted to be and I could never imagine DH as anything else.

 

[KirstenB]

DH has a BSEE as well. In college, I was a History major, and easily partied every weekend. DH spent every weekend at the library to study. He's always loved Physics, Math, ehhh....less so. He had to repeat Calc II. I will caution you that many of his professors had English as a second language. Not just the Scottish professors, either. Often he had to learn straight out the textbook, rather than lectures.

He has many friends and colleagues who pursued alternate careers, like technical sales, after graduating. DH honestly loves what he does, but he's a true geek. He's spent the last 4 weeks designing next years' Christmas light show for our home!! It took him 5 yrs to graduate, and this was 20 yrs ago. Although, with summer school, he might have been able to shorten that. He interned during the summer, starting sophomore year.

 

[JR6ooo4]

engineering pays well

what about Civil Engineering? Not paying too well right now. Unless you are in government...

Mikeeee

 

[KirstenB]

I am a mechanical engineer. Frankly, I HATE it. It is boring and I get little satisfaction out of it.

When I was in college, I wanted to study biotechnology, but I was scared off by the amount of chemistry I would need to take. I got a degree in mechanical engineering instead. Yes, my salary is pretty good for just a B.S. degree, but I would rather be in a field where I felt passionate about it. I want a job that I love so much that I don't even want to think about retiring. For some, that is engineering, but not for me!

But, that is me. Your child might love engineering. I work with many people (mostly the men, if truth be told) that absolutely love what they do. The guy that sits next to me is glued to his computer all day, every day. He loves what he is doing.

As for personality, I work with great people. They are all very, very funny. They have no problem making conversation. I love them!!! A good test is, that if you find the Dilbert comic strip funny, you will fit in in an engineering office! Also, most engineers I know love Monty Python's flying circus. Oh, and Seinfeld. Also, most mechanical engineers can fix just about anything. They can use every day materials to create a solution to just about anything. It is pretty funny, and of course very useful. (I am not one of those people--again, going back to a lack of passion for what I do).

I would tell your child to pursue whatever career interests them. Whatever it is that they can be passionate about, that is what they should study. Don't get stuck in engineering just because you are "good at math and science". That is EXACTLY what happened to me!! Those skills would be useful in many jobs, including medicine, another career path I was interested in but talked myself out of. Here I sit at age 40, feeling like I missed my true calling just because I could "make a lot of money" with an engineering degree. Don't let that happen to your child!!! Make sure he/she truly is interested in the field. Otherwise they could be very unfulfilled in life. Best wishes to all who are choosing a career field--it is a tough decision!!

Sorry to sidetrack, but Can Be Grumpy, OMG, DH has and has had many friends in your situation. From an onlooker/outside view (mine), almost no one has the focus and ability to study for hours like an engineer. I know you can apply that determination to a new education/career path!!! I wish you the best in '09, in your new pursuit.

 

[hiwaygal]

what about Civil Engineering? Not paying too well right now.

Mikeeee

I'll second that...but civil is the "catch all" of the engineering field.

I love it, love my job, love what I do (my username is a clue! ) but I am really underpaid for my experience and skills.

It is a stable field though. I could quit my job tomorrow and have another within two weeks.

Engineering is a great field and whether or not the "pay" is great is kinda relative.

 

[MEG&MINNIE]

My DS 24 is a "Plastics Engineer"...it's a nice little specialized field...probably similar to that of a Chemical Engineer. He was fortunate and had an internship at a company for 3 yrs. in college and Grad school and was hired by that company after grauation ...so far ,so good !
He was very good in math and sciences...and basically new as a young boy ,he wanted to be some type of engineer!

 

[Planogirl]

Try to discourage them from getting into Industrial Engineering. It's the original engineering discipline but hardly more useful nowadays than the paper the degree is written on. The other engineering majors are great though.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I'm Civil, my younger brother is ChemE and my older brother is Environmental Eng. My older brother doesn't do much Env work anymore, he's more into safety and management. My younger brother is working as a process engineer - designing the processes for manufacturers and starting them up. I designed offshore platforms and pipelines for a while. For the last 17 years I've been a hospital engineer for the government. We do construction, maintain the hospital and run the safety program.

We have three more Engineers at our hospital - one is the Chief and is a biomedical engineer (maintaining medical equipment including imaging equipment), the other two are project engineers - one civil and one mechanical.

Engineers are all about straight lines, logical train of thought, stick to the rules. Most of them are not that great at spelling. I'm an exception to that rule because my first degree was Elementary Education and I taught first grade for five years and third grade for one year.

So I went from EE to CE.

 

[JR6ooo4]

My BIL was a mech. eng. He designed a few houses for mining shovels. then because fo the knowledge he had they moved him into support for the warranty end of the machines they built. Now he is writing multi-million dollar sale contracts specific to each client.

Mikeeee

 

[Alex2kMommy]

My best advice for high school students who are good a math and science and interested in a career in engineering or science: Take all the math and science classes you can get your hands on... Ideally, your kids should take AP Calculus in high school, Physics (AP if that's something of interest), Chemistry (likewise, AP if that's something of interest), and advanced English (surprising how many engineers have a hard time with written communication). Oh, and if they can do any public speaking courses, engineers need to be able to give a lot of presentations.

Happily, none of this education will do your children any harm should they decide that engineering isn't for them. But, it will give them a leg-up if they want to take Engineering Physics (Calculus is a prerequisite) during their first semester at college.

This is my general advice for anyone planning to go on to college, regardless of what they expect to study.

I intended to get a degree in some sort of English or writing when I first went off to college, so any high school elective was geared along those lines. I wound up in the Psychology program, which wasn't a big deal.

But turns out a BA Psych doesn't get you very far, so I eventually went back to school for a Computer Science degree, and had to take a bunch of math classes just to get into the program!

I tell everyone to take as much math and science as you can in high school or community college. The classes are slower paced with much more explanation and demonstration there than in a university, where it is much harder to keep up, especially given all the other upper level coursework.

 

[Mom2Nick]

DH has a BSEE (Electrical Engineering) and is a project away from having a MS in Engineering Management. His program was 5yrs and he graduated in 92. To say an Engineering Degree is difficult is an understatement! Of his group of Jesuit Educated friends, he is the only one to finish his EE degree...others went to computer or physics...DH always said all Physics Majors used to be EE majors, LOL. .

My DH has a BSEE as well. It also took him 5 years but he did two internships with IBM along the way so that added on to his overall education time.