Do I Really Want to Be an Engineer?

Who says you have to sit/work in a lab. If you have automation background, there is alot of field work available, especially with a 4 year degree and experience.

I totally agree, hardly anyone sits in a lab any more, companies demand productivity! Look at going to work for a big Systems Integrator, it's a varied work environment and you get to see all kinds of interesting industrial applications.

All products come out a place called "lab". If there is "hardly anybody sitting in a lab any more", where are the new products coming out from? If somebody wants to constantly work on new products, then there is no better place than a lab.

Thanks and regards

Ashok Toshniwal, Bangalore, India.

your biggest weakness is as a engineer, is that you lack and need more imaginaton.

Very well put NotUrOrdinaryJoe.

I have had two statements that I "Live" in the work environment.

First and utmost, Honesty is my only policy.

Second, If you are not happy doing what you are doing, then do something different. Don't make others miserable because you are unhappy.

With these two thoughts also realize that others will have an important role in where you go in life (opportunities) but it is up to you to make the final decision.

Your Engineering degree can just be the thing that gives you a far greater understanding of what ever else you want to do. Stay with it then decide once you have graduated.

All it does is give you more choices after all.

Your combination of hands-on experience and an engineering degree is very valuable. I've met many young engineers who, when faced with actually having to wire something up are lost. Ordinary engineers fresh out of college are truly a-dime-a-dozen. Anything that sets you apart is a good thing.

Find a job you like and understand that you will make many changes in your career, and that there are likely to be detours on the path.

Many engineers are not locked up in cubicles -- especially the good ones.

Dear Friend

8 months is not a long time to stay put. If you "invest" this time then you qualify as an electrical engineer. With a degree under your belt, lot of opportunities will open up. Particularly after electrical engineering, large number of areas open up, for example, automation, power electronics, power engineering and even telecom and software. Management is always open, but you need a degree, so my sugesstion would be to just stick on and complete the degree moreso because you have already invested 4 years in this area.

Thanks and regards

Ashok Toshniwal, Bangalore, India

Do what you love! Or as Joseph Cambell said: "Follow your bliss". You may not make as much money following your bliss, but you'll be much happier.

On a more practical level, The world has a desperate shortage of engineers with hands on mechanical skills in their discipline. The viabilty of their designs often is impacted negatively by this. My knowledge of basic manufacturing process and materials and my hands on experience making things has empowered me as a designer and added an enormous amount of satisfaction to my work.

From a psychological and physical stand point, IMO, working with one's hands and one's mind is better than just working with just one's mind or hands alone. Working with just your intellect risks loosing touch with the nature of Reality. Unless you become quite famous, working just with your hands limits your productivity and your income.

You appear to have the best of both worlds at your command.

That's cause for celebration. Guys like us do NOT retire (We are having too much fun) nor do we risk growing old.

L.J.

Do what you love! Or as Joseph Cambell said: "Follow your bliss". You may not make as much money following your bliss, but you'll be much happier.

But more and more people these days, MONEY is all that they love. That's why the world is in a pretty shabby state.

1Ti 6:10

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

KJV

"But more and more people these days, MONEY is all that they love. That's why the world is in a pretty shabby state."

To respond properly to this statement would require more time than I have and would seriously hijack this thread.

Suffice to say that a the pursuit of money can be a symptom of a deeper underlying discomfort and that the pursuit of money is not, by itself, wrong. It's when the pursuit of money displaces other more important values and used as a poor substitute for the real hunger, that the achievement of a satisfying life becomes compromised.

Ultimately, real prosperity in life is a consequence of prospering others.

Enjoying that prosperity is a consequence of being true to one's self and ". . . following one's bliss".

L.J.

Get your degree by all means, knock out a good CV (check your spelling) and apply for everything in sight.

You never know what will turn up.

I understand completely. I was 43 years old when I started college (with my 18 year old son). I have had experience with a LOT of different fields including construction, RF environment, Design and build out a 911 dispatch center, heavy equipment operator, mechanic (Master Technician for four years), entrepreneur, preacher, and husband. Yes, I had a lot of experience and knowledge before getting my degree. After getting it, it opened doors I never thought possible. I now work for an aerospace company as a manufacturing engineer. It is not entirely a desk job and it is not entirely a hands on job. My son had "cold feet" at mid-term his senior year. He finished and is now a design engineer for a controls company. His job is about 30% in the field.

The degree DOES NOT determine your job.

As I said in another post, you make the final decision of where you go from here.

what ever else you do or don t

never ever think of not completing your remaining 8 months of engineering studies !

two steves and one bill are but exceptions.

pkd.

Scientists and researchers are bound to lab and office work; engineers aren't.

If one's looking for an 'office' engineering job, EPC (engineering, procurement, construction) firms like Fluor, Bechtel, and SNC-Lavalin are the place to be. Every once in a while (somnetimes for prolonged periods), one may be called to work at sitem including overseas, but one will spend most of his time at an office unless one asks for site work.

For 'lab' work, any R&D and research-oriented job will require that.

For 'site' work, allone has to do is to work at operating plants: power plants of all types, manufacturing, steam-heating, etc. One can also go into building automation or other high-sitework jobs such as many in the energy industry (oil platforms, refineries, oil and gas production and processing facilities, etc.).

Take my word for it: there are site jobs available aplenty if one's looking for those. And for hands-on types, there's nothing better.

Cheers! And don't give up ... You're living what most of us do: the final-month doldrums. I wanted to go on to do my Masters once I'd finished my undergraduate degree; I'd always liked studying and school ever since kindergarten, but in the space of a week three months before graduation, my feelings completely changed (for no concrete reason) and I wanted OUT! Take my word, that's what you're feeling right now.

Good luck!
DZ

What better life could you ask for than working with solid facts. Belive me working with vague things like possibilities of investments and risk of loss in the financial markets is not easy on the mind or the body.

There are plenty of opportunities in Power generation. transmission, and distribution. I have been in the field all of my working life and have yet to say I have done it all. All of the new generation of students wants to go into electronics and computer engineering leaving a shortage in the real power field. HVAC , HVDC and alternative energy systems is the place to be. Plenty of opportunities and challenges in POWER SYSTEMS

George

Guest,

You seem to be a serious person concerned about developing work skills for a good career.

For your status, you have developed commanding practical skills which should be of added value to your job.

Now, consult people of electrical engineering profession about the job market, job requirements, speciality skills and opportunities. Based on their inputs, choose a line of area of nyour liking and start your journey of professional life.

Indulgence will impart real on hands of experience- fine tuning of knowledge, practical skills, problem solving skills, development work etc.

Based on your aptitude you got to choose-field work, executive work or managerial etc.

There will be more lessons to learn in all respects to make a connectivity between goals, work life and society.

Without much preconceptions jump into the ocean of life and enjoy the journey.

These confusions are common to all final year students, handle them with care.

Best wishes.

Ready Fire Aim!

Transform "biggest self problem" into "what opportunity or lesson is there in this thinking"

Do what you love, love what you do.

How about a niche market in electrical (you love) automated, residential systems; i.e. smart homes.

I used to be a Senior Staff Scientist with a Pacemaker company and I did a lot of hands on work in the lab experimenting, troubleshooting. It was a lot of fun. I think you make your career the way you want to. Engineering is also a hobby of mine.