Engineering as a career

I love being an engineer. It was the only thing I wanted to do as a child, even before I knew what it was called. After 30 years in the field, it's not the only thing in life I enjoy, by far, but it's still enjoyable, and it pays the bills.

I'm looking to go back to uni to get a degree after doing a diploma in physics then a number of years in industry. The main thing I would say is that after your internship you will probably know if this is what you want to do.

Industry can be very stressful. I've even had heart palpitations in the past brought on by working 80 hour weeks in high stress situations. Sometimes it does feel like the job is dictating your life but if it's something you enjoy then that doesn't matter and it's not usually this way all the time.

Do you have a passion for learning, understanding and applying engineering techniques? If you do then this is the right job but if not then I don't think you should commit yourself to a lifetime of something you clearly wont be happy with. Get the qualification then use that to move into a field you're happy in. Sales/marketing, management, teaching? And remember there is more to life than a job.

I am not an engineer. I have worked hand in hand with many, many engineers in past 20 years by being the "make it happen guy" on numerous projects. By being flexible, teachable, and quality minded, I have had the privilege of some outstanding projects. I have an Assc. Degree from Texas State Tech., manufacturing and Engineering Technology, and a CADD degree (12/07) from a respected private college. I will almost immediately return to finish a 4 year.

I have found it so rewarding to be on this extended apprenticeship. I have met some outstanding and some not-so engrs in all fields. I have made above average income (well above) and truly been blessed. I now am taking on my own projects in my spare time. It is what I enjoy. I also can take time to write and do all the other things I enjoy, or have to do, but its the how and the why that brings me great pleasure.

I love being an engineer, I was taken on as an apprentice by Marconi Instruments in the late 60s and I was lucky enough to be put on their apprentice training scheme, through Uni and in their design labs - GREAT!!

I wanted to be an engineer from an early age 5 or 6 as I wanted to know how and why things worked - I still have the same desire to find out now as new things come along to replace the ones I've found out about.

As to whether its worthwhile for you, that's your decision, it is for me and to get rid of the stress I work for myself as an engineering consultant, so no-one to tell me what they think I should be doing.

I can't speak for you or others and especially your discipline, but I would never wish to go back and change a thing.

John.

I can't imagine what I would have become other than an engineer; not to say that I don't wonder "what if" on thinking back to different options I had when young. You are looking ahead in you life with innumerable directions to take and seem that you are not quite sure if you've chosen the right one.

A lot of the questions you ask could be asked of any career choice. Pros and cons exist in any job.

I can think of any profession that doesn't have its levels of stress. Stress is a relative thing dependent on your attitude. You can either accept and adapt to it, or react to it. Most people react to it and make it more stressful for all.

There are so many different applications and environments available to you in the field of engineering. My nephew is a graduate environmental engineer (not sure which discipline). Following his BS, he spent 2 years with the Peace Corps and had a very rewarding experience. He had done some internships with rather large corporations and found no interests or rewards in them. It took him a few years, but he finally got a position with a group in the north west that meets his now graduate expectations.

If you enjoy the work you do in the internship, then you will more than likely enjoy the field. I highly recommend it.

Good luck!

Hi Guest, Welcome to the worlds greatest club. Stress?..... It depends on the job your doing and who your doing it for. As for not seeing friends and family, well as long as I was working ashore then I saw my family most days. While I was at sea it could go up to 6 months before I saw my family, but I never let it get me down. I loved being an engineer, I loved the work, the people and the satisfaction I felt when the job was well done. Carry on!!!!!! Spencer.

You are lucky that you are the only one out of your group of friends who has a serious career. I'm not that much older than you (27) and have found my interest in engineering through some not very conventional ways. Like a previous post said he loves to find out the way things work. I'm the same, as a kid I was always asking how things worked. When I went round to friends houses my mum always warned the other mums to watch that I didn't dismantle thier stuff to see how it worked. I chose to study physics at uni cos this gave me answers to my questions.

Then after leaving uni I got a job as a maintenance engineer which I've been doing for a number of years now. Now I'm going back to uni to study for a degree in mechanical engineering because I can now see what it is I really want to do. If you have found your vocation at 20 then you have been very fortunate. I will be more than a decade older than you when I get into the field of work I want.

As for the transition from childhood to adulthood. I think that in my late teens people would ask you to do things but would keep an eye on you. As you gain knowledge and experience the table shifts and you find people asking you to do things because they know you are the best or know the most. They start relying on you to provide the answers instead of you having to go and ask someone else. Without even trying you find that other peoples attitude towards you actually makes that transition happen for you. Your friends will never admit it to you but I bet they look up to you and are envious of the success you've had. The senior engineer here once told me about an old school teacher he had. This is slightly different but he told one young school pupil who was not very popular that the other boys might get the girls now, but if he studies and gets a good job, makes some money and is happy, then he will have his pick of the girls later. Your friends are partying and having fun but will be flipping burgers till they retire. My friend, you will have a nice lifestyle, job you enjoy and never have to worry about paying next months bills. And maybe, I say maybe, have that wonderful girl on your arm as well.

The great thing about engineering is that it can be a springboard to so many different jobs. I'm cuurently a plant manager, but have also done long stints in project engineering, design, process, safety, quality and I've even implemented an IT and logistics system. Finish your degree and see where the oppurtunities lead you.

Take the long view: engineering as the base for...,

being an inventor,

being an executive in a company

starting your own company.

It would be hard to find a firmer basis for a young person entering the work place.

Bob

There is stress in every job, even if it's something you truly enjoy. Once you have a wife and kids, you will learn how to truly appreciate your work! You'll love any job just for the escape it provides. Seriously, good engineers make a positive difference in the world. If you have the aptitude and the willingness to find solutions to life's problems, engineering will be rewarding. Those who enjoy baking should bake. Those who enjoy teaching should teach. Satisfaction comes from achievement in whatever field you choose.

I'm another of those who knew I wanted to be an engineer when I was very young. I have never considered any other work (except teaching engineering, which I did part time for a few years) and have loved most of the jobs I've had in my 30+ year career.

The fly in the ointment is with corporate management. They often look at the engineering dept as a cost center rather than a profit center (How do they think they know how to make those profitable products?). As a result, engineering is one of the first groups cut when they want to save money.

They also hate to pay for expertise. You have about 10 years until your salary maxes out in most companies. After that, you will have to move into managment, sales, or some other field to continue to advance. Usually, Sr. Engineer is the highest level non-management position an engineer will see. I've seen ads for this spot requiring 5-7 yr experience.

I don't want to get you re-thinking your career choice. It's a great field to be in. But, when you interview, look around and see what the average age and seniority of the engineers in the company is. That can tell you a lot about how they look at their engineering dept.

Don't feel odd that you are questioning your choices and future. I know I went through that stage in college. I even changed majors after my first year and picked engineering because I had two brothers that were ME's and the stuff they did looked interesting. In the end, I am very happy with my choice.

I have been out of college for 9 years now and I just started with my third company this spring. Don't expect that the first job you take out of college will be the job you retire in. However, work hard while you are there and you can learn lots that will benefit you when it is time to move on.

In my case, the first company wanted me to move into the fast-track to management even though I knew I didn't want that. The second company tried to bury me in workload. I worked hard at both companies and am now working at a place that is about the speed I enjoy. They value the people and hard work, but don't expect me to work 80 hours a week. I loved aspects in my first two jobs, but found enough reasons to move on.

I have found I would rather be at home with my family than spending all my time at work and I found a job that accomodates that. At the same time I get to do a job that I enjoy (except for some of the paper work) and I get pretty good pay. Oh yeah, all three of my jobs have been in very different markets, products, and skill requirements. That is another great thing in engineering...you actually have a lot of freeedom in picking your own path.

Good luck and don't sweat it. I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up. However, based on some of the guys I work with, I may never grow up (in maturity). Maybe its something in the water cooler?