Calling All Engineers

[portgrinder]

All this talk of high GPA's is bogus. You do not want to work with any company that regards GPA very highly...unless you want to be a spreadsheet jockey.

Its about having some decent experience and passing all your classes. I just squeaked through university but had huge references, summer jobs and experience. I'm pulling in way more clink than my classmates. All a degree does is show an employer that you were able to clear a bar and should be semi-capable to learn and adapt in a company. Maybe its different anywhere outside of Alberta, but thats how it works here. Having a good attitude and being able to fit into a team with "no drama" is worth way more than a high GPA.

 

[Dogmeat]

All this talk of high GPA's is bogus. You do not want to work with any company that regards GPA very highly...unless you want to be a spreadsheet jockey.

Its about having some decent experience and passing all your classes. I just squeaked through university but had huge references, summer jobs and experience. I'm pulling in way more clink than my classmates. All a degree does is show an employer that you were able to clear a bar and should be semi-capable to learn and adapt in a company. Maybe its different anywhere outside of Alberta, but thats how it works here. Having a good attitude and being able to fit into a team with "no drama" is worth way more than a high GPA.

No, it isn't bogus ... having a high GPA is what lands you your first job. After that, your work ethic, talent, intelligence and ability are what get you ahead in life. The truth of the matter is, recruiters have so little to go off of when they hire people directly out of college they have little other metric to use for "picking the best" than GPA ... Given, even if you have a 4.0 GPA and you go into an interview and a recruiter thinks you're an idiot or won't fit in, they won't offer you a job, but far and away by and large having a high GPA your senior is gonna get you the best job offers.

Most companies that offer the best jobs prefer to hire peope as interns during the summer to find out what kind of worker you are, but for the most part they only offer internships to the students with higher GPA's ...

Trust me, it pays to have a high GPA. You will have more offers and hence more opportunity to get what you want the first time around that way.

 

[Wade]

When I graduated, there were no jobs. Right in the middle of a down turn. The recruiters wouldn't even talk to me, because of my low GPA. To get a job you need one of three things, the first thing was you could help fill a minority slot, the other was GPA, and the last was extracurricular activities and experience. Of course there was a forth way, know someone, that's what got me a job.

Portgrinder, you have a little different perspective. You did a bunch of competitions and such. Did you do an internship? And, wasn't hiring going good when you graduated?

When I went back for my Masters, I made sure I aced every course. Made a huge difference in my position. Anyway, GPA gets your foot in the door, and helps you clear the first hurtle.

 

[RMK7SledHead]

it pays to have a high GPA. You will have more offers and hence more opportunity to get what you want the first time around that way.

agreed. I was handed a resume to look over today...kid just graduated in December. He didn't list his GPA on the resume (first sign), so I open the transcript.... ME degree with a 2.03 cgpa and a 2.00 in engineering classes. No related experience at all...his work experience was in sales at a lumber store. Not even worth my time to call. Next please...

then there's my coworker. High school dropout who went to college at 16 and got his associates and A&P cert to work on airplanes. Worked on them for two years then went back to college to get his bachelors in ME. He already had his associates and they required him to get his GED to go into the BS program. So he got it, got through school with a ~2.8 cgpa, and got hired on where we work now. He's a GREAT practical engineer...very hands on and designs things that can be built easily, cheap, and light (important on aircraft). They are also ALWAYS serviceable...which is huge for us. His gpa wasn't the best, but his experience more than made up for it.

My gpa got me my first job...no doubt about it. Friday will be three years with the company, which is what other employers pretty much want to see for experience in hiring someone like me. My gpa will still stand out, but what I've done since college will be the factor in getting the next job I want.

 

[hatchers]

All this talk of high GPA's is bogus. You do not want to work with any company that regards GPA very highly...unless you want to be a spreadsheet jockey.

Its about having some decent experience and passing all your classes. I just squeaked through university but had huge references, summer jobs and experience. I'm pulling in way more clink than my classmates. All a degree does is show an employer that you were able to clear a bar and should be semi-capable to learn and adapt in a company. Maybe its different anywhere outside of Alberta, but thats how it works here. Having a good attitude and being able to fit into a team with "no drama" is worth way more than a high GPA.

Cant agree with most of what you say,…..all big boy employers scout big boy schools, they only interview the higher GPAs, everyone knows this

In short, a piece of paper gets you in the door, your experience/teamwork/diplomacy/ect move you up the ladder and/or open more doors, yes its really that simple…..or atleast it is in the good ol USA…..lol

Is "clink" and common term in the north?...never heard it that way

Your quote" All a degree does is show an employer that you were able to clear a bar and should be semi-capable to learn and adapt in a company"

^^^ that is just plain retarded, you must be a sheet metal worker or something.......that is crazy talk my friend, jsut crazy talk

 

[hatchers]

True story.....

My Boss asks me to review two resumes and help with two interviews for a software engineer job....

The first guy is straight out of collage and top of his class…typical Chinese kid with tons of smarts but no experience, this guy will need two yrs of training to work alone. His interview gives the impression he wants to tackle every problem and learn learn learn learn.....full of energy and always smiles

The second guy is 45 yrs old and has been a Rockwell software engineer for 20 yrs, so he could step in to the job with little training…..his interview gave me the impression he thought he knew it all and never engaged in a conversation, one of those people who likes to hear himself speak and have an audience to hear his nonsense

Well, we picked the kid…..no need to ask why, if you don’t get, you never will

 

[racingpit]

Thanks for the quick responses guys, Petroleum was the first thing that came to mind when I thought about other fields of Engineering. Newfoundland's economy is driven by oil now, so it seems like a good choice, and the oil sands in alberta are still going. Most of my friends have just left highschool, and moved to fort macmurry to drive a truck, they make over 70K a year, and all they needed was a driver's liscence! Most of my family works in trades, wleding, electrical, mechanics, and have over 20 years experience, they seem to all be making about 100K a year. I could easily do this, and live happy, but I have the knowledge, and drive to go a lot further. I already have 2 university credits in physics and calculus through a program in my highschool.Also, It seems like the cost of living is going up all the time, so I want to start out in the right direction. I figure that my work terms will cover my student loan, and I'm hoping I'll have a job before I leave university.

One thing I've always dreamed of doing was making enough money and having the experience to own my own business.

All my teenage life I worked to buy my own sled, this winter I accomplished that goal, and it seemed like the best decision I ever made. Now it looks Like I'll have to sell it in the fall, since I won't be able to ride more then 2-3 times in the following winter. Life is full of a lot of tough decisions.

I have 2 sleds, and I didn't have to sell them while I was still on college. I am on my 3rd year of college. and still have them. Granted, I don't get to ride anymore. You could always downgrade sleds.

 

[portgrinder]

Portgrinder, you have a little different perspective. You did a bunch of competitions and such. Did you do an internship? And, wasn't hiring going good when you graduated?

Hiring is always good in Alberta. The only guys I graduated with that got asked about marks were the ones going to large companies, alot of them in the US. Most have them have all since quit or have become "spreadsheet jockeys"

I had good summer jobs every year with big companies, and the ONLY time I ever got asked about marks was for my summer job after 1st year of university. I met the guy at a tradeshow. It was to work at the biggest oilsands company in the world and I had a 2.2 avg.....somehow I got hired.

I also did a pile of other stuff in school. Design projects and stuff. I knew a bit about project management and people could tell.

I have no desire to hold a 9-5 job at a big company. The small non-public ones usually take better care of you I find. Believe what you want, I'm just saying marks are far from everything. I'm doing better than 80% of the people I graduated with and I was no rocket surgeon in school!

Edit: Most of the time school is not about learning the material because you will need it later. Its about learning how to learn and process info quickly. Its about figuring out how to handle an imense amount of bulsh*t at once, prioritze and get through it and still get 6 hours of sleep every night.

 

[portgrinder]

Your quote" All a degree does is show an employer that you were able to clear a bar and should be semi-capable to learn and adapt in a company"

^^^ that is just plain retarded, you must be a sheet metal worker or something.......that is crazy talk my friend, jsut crazy talk

Actually I'm a mining engineer. 3 years out of school and last year I made over six figures with a company truck.

 

[trev583]

I'm actually doing engineering at MUN, I am still undecided about my major yet though. I've been pretty set on mechanical as it seems like its the most broad aspect, but lately I have had second thoughts about computer/electrical engineering because of the programming course which was C++ language showed me I really enjoyed the problems. I done the statics course I did like that too though. This well be my 3rd year there and your class will graduate the same year as mine will if you go threw with no problems (because the program is changed from 6 years to 5 now), which seems like you are alot better prepared for it unlike I was. I done well in high school but I did not have good study habits, just the night before a test kinda thing and that did not prepare me for my first year at all as I just barely got passing marks but not good enough. I almost quit after that as alot of my buddys did. I'm really glad I never though done really well the second year and enjoyed it alot more. If ya got any questions pm me and also I got some first year books if your looking for any.

 

[63nova]

Engineers get trashed on Snowest

I've been lurking on this site for a while, but now's the time to jump in. Read through a few posts on snowest where sled problems or new model info is discussed. OEM Engineers are regarded as the scum of the earth. On Snowest, they are called morons, idiots, "MIT geeks that don't ride" and every other insult under the sun. If you choose to become a Mechanical Engineer in the powersports world, don't expect to receive a lot of respect for your work. If have an ME degree and I've worked in consumer product design for over 25 years. Even though product design is one of the most exciting areas in Engineering, its no place to build your self-esteem or make a lot of money.

I find it surprizing that there is anyone at all on Snowest is encouraging you to take up Engineering!

 

[zach477]

I started in Mechanical Eng and did it for 2.5 years until I switched to Manufacturing Engineering. I didnt like the jobs I was seeing with Mechanical, looked like a lot of designing on ProE while sitting on my butt. Im glad I changed to Manufacturing. The course work is much easier and isnt as time consuming. I was able to get a job as a student eng and had 4 years exp when i got out of college since I could put in 30+ hrs a week during the school year. I also got a minor in business and am currently going back to school to get my MBA since my employeer is paying for it. Got my frist job right out of college (took my last final on mon, moved on tue started on wed) and worked 4 months as a manufacturing eng before being promoted to a production supervisor/manager. I was recently promoted again to plant manager in less than a year. My salaries went from $50K, $60K, to $95K all with 10% bonuses if we meet our profit goals for the year.

 

[Ex-Member]

Most people that bash have no idea what goes into doing something like that. There's all kinds of problems encountered along the way that you'd never think of and have to go back and work around or fix the problem.

 

[RMK7SledHead]

OEM Engineers are regarded as the scum of the earth. On Snowest, they are called morons, idiots, "MIT geeks that don't ride" and every other insult under the sun. If you choose to become a Mechanical Engineer in the powersports world, don't expect to receive a lot of respect for your work.

I find it surprizing that there is anyone at all on Snowest is encouraging you to take up Engineering!

I know what you're saying. I see a lot of things on my sleds that I could improve on...but at the same time, I understand how an engineer thinks through it, and there has to be SOMETHING that drove them to do what they did, even if it wasn't the best way.

I design airplanes. We have one message board for ALL our customers. We (the engineers) don't post on that board often because we would be overcome with garbage from people who know NOTHING about what went into the design. When I do discuss something, it's off the board via email or a phone call with the customer. There is A LOT of poor information spread around about things folks have no clue about...I try to remember that every time I log onto this board or a diesel pickup site. I try to remember that their engineers are probably watching too, and I don't wanna be the a$$hole spreading garbage around.

Oh, and about pushing someone to look into engineering: The world would be nowhere without engineers. Like it or not, we are the reason new things come about.

 

[Supplicate]

Of course there was a forth way, know someone, that's what got me a job.

I have found its not who you know, its who knows you.


We'll see how the job front goes in the next year or two, I might go back and finish my ME.