Calling All Engineers

[ruffryder]

Remember kids, its not what you make, its how big that pot of gold is at the end and how healty you are to enjoy it....talk to a 50 yr old rough neck see if he has the same thing to say......i could be wrong

Very important point. When I got out of highschool, I took a couple of years off and worked construction. Saw the people working and how sore they were at the end of the day and how beat up there bodies were. I want to abuse my body for fun, not for money. I went to a community college for a couple of years, then got my BS and so on. The most important thing is to find a subject that interests you and that will make you happy. Also remember that most people change careers a couple of times in there life, so it is not that permanent of a choice.

 

[Stack]

I will say this, you have a lot of good times ahead of you. You may switch majors a couple times before you really find your niche, and the same will go for your career. It is most important to find something that you enjoy doing, a lot people on here can tell you about nice sounding jobs that make good money, but that only goes so far. You have to find something that you have passion for, I wouldn't focus on the money, although in College that was a big thing, but look at something that will challenge you and keep you happy.

John

 

[vdo1948]

Though I'm not an engineer by trade, I work with a lot of systems engineers. Not sure whether they have majors in that or not, though I know they do in Project Management which is nearly the same. In the IT and Business arena now everyone is about project management. That's what Systems Engineers do. While you may not get independently wealthy doing it, the pay is good, there are jobs everywhere and in almost every industry. My $.02.

VDO

 

[Ex-Member]

Electrical dork here... I work with several mechanical engineers in many aspects of the job, mechanical design works with miniature components in pumps, does the piecing-together of our assemblies, works to improve manufacturability of injection-molded components and printed circuit board assemblies, wire harness routing, etc. I work with another mechanical engineer who does manufacturing engineering; she sits in meetings most of the day doing materials planning, figuring out workflows on the shop floor, managing parts and inventory stuff. She helped a lot with figuring out what goes where when we moved buildings.

The first year or two of college you can go in "Engineering, undecided" and get all the gen-ed credits out of the way, then decide which path you want to take if you know you want engineering. I went in EE and took a few introductory courses my first year, basic microprocessors/CPLDs/FPGA courses... did some research in the big power generation and distribution, RF Comm, mechanical integration, DSPs/image processing (Had a great prof who was real good with that stuff), basically most aspects of electrical engineering. That helped guide me towards what I wanted to do (Knew I wanted to stay away from T&D) and showed me there's a lot more to EE than what I expected.

It's also not hard to change within engineering up till the 2nd year or so. Most of the classes I had the first year were gen-ed with chem, arch, civil, mech, and electrical kids.

tl;dr: If you want mech and are good with parts and pieces, go for it. You can go a lot of different directions with a degree in ME, and if you decide you want to change, it's not hard to change to another branch of engineering the first year or two.

 

[Dogmeat]

Hello everyone, I'll be finishing highschool in the next few weeks. I've been accepted to the Memorial University of Newfoundland into the engineering faculty. I've always wanted to be an engineer, I love design, I love problem solving, and the money shouldn't be too bad.

For the last few years I've said I was going to do mechanical engineering, but lately I've been rethinking this, and wondering what else is out there, and what the other fields are like.

There's a lot of people on this site, a few of you guys must be engineers. So what field do you work in, how is the pay, how hands on is your job, because I really don't want to sit at a desk for all of my adult life, do you enjoy what you do?

If you very specifically want to do mechanical engineering specializing in mechanical engineering design, I would _HIGHLY_ recommend make plans on going to grad school.

The reason I say that is this:

I had the same exact idea, and this was the reason I got my ME degree. However, unless you graduate in the top %10 of your class, you're going to be severly limited in the number of offers you get for mechanical-related design jobs. The semester I graduated we had 154 companies come recruit at the College of Engineering career fair ... the guys I knew who graduated with 3.2+ GPA's more or less got the job offers they wanted, the rest of us kinda had to take what's left over. The other issue with this is, the type of jobs that a person with a 4-year ME degree would have done as an engineer 20,30 years ago have all but completley been replaced by computer software ...

However, if design is what you surley want to do, I would definatley make plans on going to grad school as you will have a much better chance at landing a good design job.

The thing about mechanical engineering is that it's so broad, you get done with it and it's like you know a little bit about everything, but you don't know very much more than that. If you go to grad school, you specialize in a specific area of mechanical engineering, be it statics (structural design mainly), dynamics (dynamic control, vibration analysis, etc), or thermo and fluid dynamics ... over the course of your 4 years, you will kinda figure out which area is most interesting to you and which one you are best at. For me it was always the thermal fluids stuff.

Again, if you specifically want a design job and don't wanna do HVAC work, make sure you have a high GPA ... that's really your only recourse.

Outside of that, if you look at the average starting salaries for all engineering disciplines, the ChemE's start out at roughly $5,000 a year more on average than the ME's and EE's do.

If you aren't going to be dedicated enough to pull a high GPA in Mechanical Engineering, I honestly would recommend getting a Chemical Engineering degree. It's generally regarded as a more technically difficult degree to get, and short of the control theory, vibration analysis, and perhaps the design classes (which IMO you don't really learn that much from in undergrad anyways) you basically take all the same stuff, except you take more thermo in ChemE school.

If I had it to do over again, I would have gotten a ChemE degree.

I still haven't ruled out the possiblity of going to grad school myself, it's just affording it right now that is the problem. See, I went sledding a lot last winter. Hahah

Anyways, I would think about it, but if you aren't ever planning on going to grad school, I'd look hard at what kind of job offers ChemE's or PE's are getting. You get a PE degree you're virtualy gaurenteed an $80,000 USD a year job right outta college. Only problem with PE degrees are, you have to go where the work is, which may be Yemen, Iraq, etc ... ChemE you would theoretically have more options.

I dunno, ME was a good degree to get, I just wish I would have studied harder and pulled a higher GPA to get the job offers I really wanted instead of getting stuck with a ****ty *** job working for an oilfield service company.

 

[portgrinder]

Mechanical is a good way to go and you can really slide into alot of roles with that degree. Alot of the other ones don't have that.

If you like being outside, check out Mining Engineering. They are a hot commodity out west and you can work inside or outside. I live in Edmonton and make trips up to Ft Mac every 2nd week or so. 3 yrs out of school and I'm pulling over 6 figures with a company truck with fuel card. tough to beat.

 

[NickH440]

Thanks guys!

Dogmeat that was a pretty indepth post, thanks a lot. I've gotten that same answer about the high GPA from a few ME's who wish they had done better.

The more I think about it the more ME design is what I would love to do for the rest of my life.But I'm almost sure with PE, I could work in NF because of all the big oil projects that will be starting here in the next decade.

The info I've got from these posts has been more helpful that any university guide book or councellor.

I have 2 years before I pick a specific field, the first years are just general engineering. I picked my courses today actually, besides the regular math, chem, and physics. I picked statics and grphics and design as my first two engineering specific courses. Next semester I'll have to do introduction to programing and mechanisms and circuits.

Hopefully my intrest in the topics will overcome their dificulty.

 

[winter brew]

Engineers....you guys are friggin whacked! I work with engineers every day, makes me CRAZY!.....my favorite engineers quote "well, it fits on CATIA!"
But really, good for you on gong the extra mile and getting your education and having a goal. Whatever you decide to do, make sure you enjoy it....life is too short to do something you hate.

 

[NickH440]

Engineers....you guys are friggin whacked! I work with engineers every day, makes me CRAZY!.....my favorite engineers quote "well, it fits on CATIA!"
But really, good for you on gong the extra mile and getting your education and having a goal. Whatever you decide to do, make sure you enjoy it....life is too short to do something you hate.

You sound like my dad lol. He's a welder. Sometimes I'll call him at work and he'll be in a bad mood because an engineer in edmonton told him that was he was doing in a shop 300km north of Yellowknife has to be wrong.

 

[winter brew]

You sound like my dad lol. He's a welder. Sometimes I'll call him at work and he'll be in a bad mood because an engineer in edmonton told him that was he was doing in a shop 300km north of Yellowknife has to be wrong.

I'm sure your dad and I could relate!! I help build test fixtures for destructive testing on airplanes and airplane parts, work alot with welders....pretty tough to undo their work!! Actually the work is pretty fun at times, breaking things for a living.

 

[Nate]

and that "zero education" gets you.....

- Little to no benefits
- Little to no pension
- Completely jacked up body with a bonus bad back and knees that cant keep the man up to take a piss
- Hands of leather
- And you will look 200 before you hit the age of 40…sounds dreamy

Remember kids, its not what you make, its how big that pot of gold is at the end and how healty you are to enjoy it....talk to a 50 yr old rough neck see if he has the same thing to say......i could be wrong

Dont speak for all roughnecks buddy knowledge is power for sure, but you dont always have to go to college to get it. Im shooting for retirement by 40 Should be a piece of cake

 

[RKT]

If you very specifically want to do mechanical engineering specializing in mechanical engineering design, I would _HIGHLY_ recommend make plans on going to grad school.

The reason I say that is this:

I had the same exact idea, and this was the reason I got my ME degree. However, unless you graduate in the top %10 of your class, you're going to be severly limited in the number of offers you get for mechanical-related design jobs. The semester I graduated we had 154 companies come recruit at the College of Engineering career fair ... the guys I knew who graduated with 3.2+ GPA's more or less got the job offers they wanted, the rest of us kinda had to take what's left over. The other issue with this is, the type of jobs that a person with a 4-year ME degree would have done as an engineer 20,30 years ago have all but completley been replaced by computer software ...

However, if design is what you surley want to do, I would definatley make plans on going to grad school as you will have a much better chance at landing a good design job.

The thing about mechanical engineering is that it's so broad, you get done with it and it's like you know a little bit about everything, but you don't know very much more than that. If you go to grad school, you specialize in a specific area of mechanical engineering, be it statics (structural design mainly), dynamics (dynamic control, vibration analysis, etc), or thermo and fluid dynamics ... over the course of your 4 years, you will kinda figure out which area is most interesting to you and which one you are best at. For me it was always the thermal fluids stuff.

Again, if you specifically want a design job and don't wanna do HVAC work, make sure you have a high GPA ... that's really your only recourse.

Outside of that, if you look at the average starting salaries for all engineering disciplines, the ChemE's start out at roughly $5,000 a year more on average than the ME's and EE's do.

If you aren't going to be dedicated enough to pull a high GPA in Mechanical Engineering, I honestly would recommend getting a Chemical Engineering degree. It's generally regarded as a more technically difficult degree to get, and short of the control theory, vibration analysis, and perhaps the design classes (which IMO you don't really learn that much from in undergrad anyways) you basically take all the same stuff, except you take more thermo in ChemE school.

If I had it to do over again, I would have gotten a ChemE degree.

I still haven't ruled out the possiblity of going to grad school myself, it's just affording it right now that is the problem. See, I went sledding a lot last winter. Hahah

Anyways, I would think about it, but if you aren't ever planning on going to grad school, I'd look hard at what kind of job offers ChemE's or PE's are getting. You get a PE degree you're virtualy gaurenteed an $80,000 USD a year job right outta college. Only problem with PE degrees are, you have to go where the work is, which may be Yemen, Iraq, etc ... ChemE you would theoretically have more options.

I dunno, ME was a good degree to get, I just wish I would have studied harder and pulled a higher GPA to get the job offers I really wanted instead of getting stuck with a ****ty *** job working for an oilfield service company.

This is some great advice.. I am a EE and graduated with a 3.9GPA.. Got the job with the largest company in the world.. Moved all over the World.. got some great experience and made some good coin...

When it was all said and done after 8 years of doing that.. Decided to Quit and do something that I really enjoyed.. So, I set up a private conusulting biz for a few years and did well.. then I dabbled in real-estate made some more coin.. then started my business..(RK TEK) never been happier!! Now, I do what I really have a passion for and am making advancements in a field that the "experts" state is dead..I use my engineering mindset and experience to think outside the box and make designs that defy theory..

Bottom line: Get a job that makes you happy.. DO NOT get a job/career based on how much money you will make!! You will surely be unhappy!! I had it all and bagged it because it was not my passion..

NOW.. I may make less money but I have a drive and passion for my work..

IMHO.. EE's are going by the wayside.. Software dictates.. Hardware is merely software these days...

Another KEY point to ponder..

DO NOT think that even if you graduate with a 4.0 GPA that some company is giong to swoop you up and make you a project manager or any other "higher up" just because you graduated top o fthe class!! THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN!! you will start at some position where you are a nobody and have to play politics to get to the higher position and this will take YEARS!

The KEY is having experience and when you first graduate college you have little to no experience and your job title will reflect that status.. Getting the ME or PHD will assure you a prominent position but it may be in a part of the country that you do not wish to liv e in or in a company that you later will find out is not the company to work for!!!

I fyou do anything white collar// go for the higher degree otherwise you will probably be unhappy your whole career!!

Kelsey

 

[Shawnmcgr]

I think your experience in mech and elec classes in your first two years will make up your mind which discipline will fit you best. I think either elec or mech are the most broadly useful degrees; both are very general which allows you to chase jobs in many industries all over the world.

I started out leaning towards elec. in 1st year and could not stand it. Graduated with mech and never looked back. I put 5 years in the oil field service industry (90% field work) then swithed to the pipeline industry (7 yrs).

Both of these degrees will allow you to work in the field or the office as much as you want.

How much you make is dependant on the industry your in, experience level and the head on your shoulders (judgement, communication, smarts, efficiency, knowledge, etc). Engineers generally start at $50-$60k but can very quickly move upwards if successful (they make money for thier employer). I think they peak in the $200-$250 range if working in senior management. You can check out the engineering professional associations for salary surveys to get an idea of salaries in industries and at what responsibility level.

Good Luck,

McGreg

 

[RMK7SledHead]

Engineers....you guys are friggin whacked! I work with engineers every day, makes me CRAZY!.....my favorite engineers quote "well, it fits on CATIA!"

50% of the time, I did something wrong when it doesn't fit. The other 50%, the monkey making fun of my engineering and design skills is holding the part upside down. It goes both ways.

 

[maluchm]

Do yourself a favor and stay away from the automotive industry if you plan on being a M.E.

BTW - Everything fits in CATIA! Everything is nominal and fits perfectly

 

[paulw22]

Well if you enjoy winter as much as the most of us on here, there is only one answer, Civil engineering is mostly design work in the winter, most employers will give you time off easily to pursue outdoor adventures. Summer time is construction season in Canada, so you could look forward to working in the sun all summer and riding all winter. Keep in mind no mater what the economy may dictate, infrastructure always has to progress. You may also consider geomatics if you enjoy the outdoors, legal surveyors are probable the most sought after engineers in Alberta. The bonus with this profession is you can write off as a business expense 1 lifted diesel truck, 2 lifted quads, 2 modified sleds, the only problem is if the oil patch is busy you will never get to use any of it except for work. Good thing is you can go to UNB after MUN to get both of these, and still go home for holidays.

 

[Dogmeat]

RKT makes some good points ...

You do want to shoot for as high of GPA as you can get, as that's typically who the best jobs go to ... but don't assume for a single second that's going to make your live easier to to speak. I've read several things over the years that have been published by some large corporations that has effectivley stated that they could make no definable correlation between on-the-job performace as they rate it and GPA graduated with ... Some people might disagree with this, suffice to say this data came from a former recruiter for one of the 5 largest oil companies in the US ... so I figure there might be some merrit to it.

But overall I guess you just have to follow your heart .... I didn't change majors once during college, I went ME all the way through.

Another thing to think about ... your first two years of college, you have to take all the same core classes with a few exceptions, and this can depend on the university you go to as well .... for instance, CivE's have to take surverying, chemE and PE's have to take Organic Chemistry I and II as well as the same basic chemistry I and II everyone else has to take ... I think EE's typically have to take an extra circuits class and lab their first two years that the others don' thave to take .... The difference will be only like one or two classes is all. Come to think of it, at some universities they even have sophomore-level fluids lab classes .... like I said, the difference may only be one or two classes but it will be dependent on university....

Point is, talk to your adviser and if you go in undeclared, find out what options you have for taking sone of the degree-specific classes in summer school are so you don't go into your junior year only taking a bunch of gen-ed classes and then this one freshman or sophomore level class that was a pre-req for some of the classes you _REALLY_ need. You wanna try to have some balance in your schedule IMO ... the semester I took 19 hours of nothing but junior level ME classes about killed me .... gotta plan a little better than that

Another thing is, believe it or not, I wouldn't recommend taking less than 15 hours a semester, but no more than that your freshman year....

The reason for this is, even as rigorous as engineering cirriculum is, it's still possible for you to have too much time on your hands, and this is generally when you drink yourself out of school Try to avoid this

well hell i drank a lot even when i was taking 19 hours so I dunno but main piece of advice:

DO NOT QUIT.

You will find that probably %50 if not more of the people you start with as a freshman won't make it to their junior years.

Nobody ever became an engineer by quitting, and there's a reason it's so hard. When hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars rest upon what are sometimes even the simplest of calculations being right .... they HAVE to be right. That's why it's so tough

But like I said, if you start it, keep in your mind that no matter what you're going to finish it. Even if you don't graduate with a 3.5+ GPA, you still have a more valuable degree than the guy who got the psychology degree, etc ...

 

[Red Dog]

Hello Nick sounds like some good responses. I would introduce you to Nuclear Engineering. I live and work in the Tri-Cities Washington state. Believe it or not Nuclear is part of are substained Future and we are alway's looking for new talent. We are located in the south eastern corner of Washinton State,an hour and half from some awesome riding, with the Columbia River in our back yard, can you say fishing. Bad Cheetah and Red Dog love this place. Cheers....

 

[Dogmeat]

Hello Nick sounds like some good responses. I would introduce you to Nuclear Engineering. I live and work in the Tri-Cities Washington state. Believe it or not Nuclear is part of are substained Future and we are alway's looking for new talent. We are located in the south eastern corner of Washinton State,an hour and half from some awesome riding, with the Columbia River in our back yard, can you say fishing. Bad Cheetah and Red Dog love this place. Cheers....

This is really interesting to me ... what exactly do you study in nuclear engineering? I'm assuming it's almost like a hybrid mechanical engineering/nuclear physics degree?

Seems like you'd take a lot of thermodynamics courses and then a lot of physical chemistry for that degree .... sounds tough! heh

 

[NickH440]

Hello Nick sounds like some good responses. I would introduce you to Nuclear Engineering. I live and work in the Tri-Cities Washington state. Believe it or not Nuclear is part of are substained Future and we are alway's looking for new talent. We are located in the south eastern corner of Washinton State,an hour and half from some awesome riding, with the Columbia River in our back yard, can you say fishing. Bad Cheetah and Red Dog love this place. Cheers....

That sounds pretty sweet. I've never really thought of nuclear engineering. Washington sounds great, But I think I got it made in Newfoundland for all the outdoors stuff, it will take a lot to convince me otherwise! I'm leaning more and more towards petroleum everyday because I think I'll be able to stay on the island. In my hometown, I live 3km's from one of the provinces best salmon rivers, 10km's from the base of the Appalachians mountains, about 200 feet from the Atlantic Ocean. If you love the outdoors, this is the place to be! The hunting is pretty sweet here too, I found out last week I got my first moose liscence for the fall season. So my first midterm break will be a hunting trip!