Any Engineers on Here

[Crowmangler]

@S.Clancey hit the nail on the head.

I'm a civil / structural PE. I was always told having any type of engineering BS degree will pretty much guarantee you'll always have a good job.
Getting licensed is a whole other ballgame opens up tons more opportunities, especially later on down the road. Keep in mind after getting the degree you have to pass the FE exam (some never do) then work a min 4 years before you can even sit for the PE exam & pass it (some never do) so you need to figure that into your equation.

After years of design/ corporate life I leveraged my experience along with my professional contacts & clients and started my own business. I now do commercial construction (some design / build).

It can be difficult & nerve wracking just like any other small business but you can do it. You don't have to know everything just focus on what you know & are good at & provide a service for what people need. Find something that dovetails great with your background & go for it.

 

[Venom One]

As someone else said, working full time and trying to get an EE degree will be immensely difficult and long. Probably 3x longer than if not working and it'll suck all your free time. Doubtful you'll finish as it'll be a mental drag and you'll start a family long before getting near the end.

I'd leverage your trade experience, maybe take a course or two to expand your marketability, and relocate if necessary. Trades make good money without the headaches.

 

[Eagle]

I'm an aerospace engineer, which is essentially a mechanical degree with courses the last two years of school specifically geared towards aeronautics/aerospace applications rather than mechanical.

We were required to take one EE class for our degrees, and the basic take away is you either are mechanically inclined, or electrically inclined. I'd suggest you search yourself and figure out which comes more naturally to you, and go that route if you decide to pursue an engineering degree. As previously stated, it's all math intensive, so hopefully you enjoy math.

As far as careers, I'm currently a Patent Examiner and review Aerospace based patents, which I've been doing now for 5 years. Prior to that was 13 years as an airworthiness engineer for aircraft and rotorcraft working with the US Army as a civilian or contractor. I feel like its rare that engineers actually end up doing real "engineering" work, but there are those that get to.

 

[Cfriend]

I'm a mechanical engineer. I enjoy it and make decent money (about 90k) 5 years in. I also work at place that offers a lot of flexibility with remote work, but I don't know if that typical.

If you are passionate about engineering and would be doing it because you love it, then by all means go for it. It will be hard but certainly doable. Like others have said, the math will be rough if you don't love it - especially if it's been 15+ years since you've had a math class. Working full time and trying to complete an engineering undergrad degree will be tough - you won't have time for much fun in what will likely be the next 4-8 years (depends on how much your associates will count for). But again if you are passionate about it, go for it! It is definitely doable

However, if you are simply looking for more money/career advancement, I don't know that it would be worthwhile. Maybe you need to move or change employers. Based on some of the career threads I've seen on here, the trades (like welding) are where the money is these days and I would only expect it to get better as the older guys retire.

Best of luck!



Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[cgoodenough97]

I'm a mechanical engineer currently working in the HVAC industry. I think the value in ME comes from the versatility and opportunities with the degree. There are a lot of markets and paths to choose from that may not specifically require a mechanical engineering degree but engineer in general.

 

[ARK_Ginger]

ME is a big field. You could end up drawing HVAC systems in CAD, working R&D (where the real engineering is), being a glorified babysitter for manufacturing, or basically being a project manager for utilities (me) to name just a few. Having trade skills and an engineering degree *should* be an extremely valuable combination, but depending on what field you end up in it could mean very little to your employer and even less to clueless engineers.

 

[ETtikka]

Unless you have a strong interest in utilities, control systems, or another electrical section, mechanical eng degree is much more versatile.

You can transition into other areas due to the broad nature of a mech degree

If you have an interest in becoming a professional engineer, in many ways elec would be better; the more safety is involved , the more a PE license is valuable

If you want a faster track to more money
Welder or electrician are your best options because safety and quality are so critical with two crafts.

 

[dlee56]

I got my mechanical engineering degree and it's been nice from the generalist aspect. I've worked in project management for a commercial HVAC and plumbing company and in the last year transitioned to the state Dept of Transportation which is usually a civil engineering world but the mechanical degree was general enough to get me in the door and make connections. I'm pretty excited because the DOT is going to open up my options to move to a rural area and keep my pay and benefits.

That being said my degree took my 5 years and it was a damn grind, but looking back I would do it all again. Looking to take my PE exam in the next year to open up even more opportunities.

 

[waldo9190]

ME degree here. 6+ years in as a product design engineer in the outdoor industry (previously corrosion engineer in pipeline industry). I make a pretty darn good wage given my position and location, have the ability to work from home when needed (sick kids and such), and I mean...who doesn't want to design sharp pointy things to kill stuff? That said, I'm pretty much tapped out in terms of salary growth without moving into some sort of a management role or going back to school for my masters, which I've strongly considered going for an MS in material science.

 

[JakeSCH]

Aerospace here, fortunately I get to utilize all the math and skills I learned in college on a weekly basis. I enjoy the problems, pays well, and hybrid work but I am very limited in places to work / live.

If it is about the money, it believe you would be better spent starting your own company...

 

[Foldem]

Mechanical in O&G, love it. Challenging, fast paced, high potential for advancement.

 

[541hunter]

My degree is in forest engineering, think civil but specializing in forest applications. I was in professional school for mechanical engineering when I sat down with my advisor and they told
me I would likely have to live near a larger city to have a good job. I switched to forest engineering the next day. At least in Oregon your first 2 years of
School in an any engineering discipline are the same, think calculus, physics, statics, dynamics, etc. I found the first 2 years the toughest. I graduated going on 11 years ago and now find myself in grad school pursuing an MBA at 33 years old, working full time, and with a family of 4. Good for you for considering improving yourself. The pursuit of education should be a lifelong goal. Spend sometime really thinking about what you want in the future (long term). Another forum member gave me some advice when I was considering grad school, he told me to make sure I’m doing it for the right reasons. Finances are not necessarily the right reason.

 

[IdahoBeav]

I'm a former steel fabricator (with welding AAS) and am also 35. I went back to school and graduated with a BS in civil engineering 7 years ago and have worked as a land development EIT/engineer since then. I can't answer for all universities, but my it's my observation that Mech and EE are more demanding academically than Civil. I think Mech and EE offer better salaries to new grads out of school, but those are cubicle engineering jobs, and I'm not sure the advancement opportunities exist like they do for Civil. In Civil, a lot opens up once you become licensed; manage projects, clients, design teams, etc. It also seems that Civil has a backup for those that can't cut it academically, that being CEM (Construction Engineering Management). Those guys work a lot, but they are also paid very well.

If I had not gone back to school 11 years ago, I believe it would still be worth starting school today at 35.

 

[bigeyedfish]

I went back to school to major in Mechanical Engineering while working full time in a steel fabrication shop. It was hard, and I had only been out of school for 3 years, though I was married and had a kid. Difficulty should not be the deciding factor, but just know that it will chew up a pretty big chunk of your time and add some stress to your life.

After graduation I became a manufacturing engineer in a different steel fabrication company. I was also a certified welding inspector. I really enjoy manufacturing/fabrication, but the corporate environment and the office vs. shop bullshit really turned me off. I ended up leaving that company after 3 years and basically abandoned the field altogether. There was nowhere for me to climb the ladder without moving to a new city. I am at a highway contractor now as an estimator, using a tiny amount of the skills I developed through school and previous work experience, but I'm making more money and enjoying my life more than ever. A lot of that is company dependent, but I think it's relevant. I could not have gotten to the job I have now without an engineering degree.

If you are just looking for a new challenge that will pay off quickly, consider becoming a CWI. You still get to weld on occasion, but you don't have your face in the smoke all day everyday. You are in an environment that produces a physical product. You can build a reputation that allows you to influence process improvements, repair procedures, etc. And CWI's are in demand. If you're willing to travel, you can make great money. If you don't want to travel, you can make decent money at the right company. There is also potential to be self-employed once you have some experience.

I took the long way around to get where I am today. If you want to hear more or ask specific questions, feel free to reach out.

 

[Pony Soldier]

I'm a mining engineer but work in geological engineering and metallurgical engineering as well as environmental. These fields have some overlaps in mechanical and EE but usually just enough to understand what you hired them for. We all take or did the same egineering core classes.

In metal mining you are usually in remote to rural settings. Industrial minerals, bring you into the cities a little more as you work in cement, aggregate or a variety of extraction of minerals necessary for everyday life. Depending on the field, there will be a lot of math, computors , and detailed chemistry. Physics can be breathtaking. After you get past a lot of it early in college, much of the training will include hands on work, autocad work and spreadsheets. Most intern programs will pay for a lot of college but it will take the majority of your time to get through it. Placement is fairly close to 100% and the pay is very good. There are so many differant specialty jobs within the industry, you will likely experience 3-5 careers in your life without leaving the field. The work is addicting and you can rarely walk away from it. At 72 I'm giving a lecture this afternoon on metal recovery using gravity techniques. Tomorrow I will be back planning a mining operation and it's associated costs.

 

[hobbes]

CE here with my PE. I finished up college back in 95 and we didn't have any opportunity for remote or online classes so I have to think some of that would be a benefit to a completing a degree.

I completed an Associate of Science in a local school then on to two more years at a university to complete the BS. There was no way around the classes required for the Associates whether I completed them locally or at the university. Maybe that's changed. I know cost sure as heck has.

SIU had/has Mining, Electrical, Mechanical, and Civil. The associate requirements were the same for all of them so there was time to determine focus. I was torn between Mechanical and Civil until I got into Thermo and decided I didn't want any more of that. I could do it, I just didn't want it. EE never did appeal to me. I hated the basic circuit classes.

Calculus I, II, III, and Diff Equations during the associate were my most disliked classes out of everything. Don't just look at them on the surface and say "I can't do that". You likely can if you have a mechanical and mathematical mind. They'll want to know that you can handle college algebra and geometry first. If you are trying to figure those out you'll have hell in Calculus. You'll want to have those down so they are second nature at least in my opinion.

Engineers, especially those with PEs, have opportunities that expand beyond just design if you want more and are willing to move around. Remote work is more and more available, especially in the private sector. I currently have some opportunities for working from home but I don't particularly like doing it.

I'm more familiar with paths that can be taken in Civil than the others. I had options for Environmental, Structural, Transportation, and Water Resources. I thought I'd go Environmental to work at local plants but do not enjoy chemistry. I really liked fluid system design and water related classes so was convinced I'd be designing water pumping systems. I didn't end up doing any of that.

I worked 2 years as a rookie engineer at a consulting firm testing concrete and soils, and surveying. I followed that up with nearly 10 years at nuclear plant, 8 as an operator not doing engineering and 2 as a design engineer. Afterwards I moved to being a project engineer for a town managing capital improvement projects, anywhere from paving to facility remodels. I'm now in transportation and besides interning a couple summers in this field, didn't think I'd end up here. There wasn't a one of those on my radar while in school.

I say all of that to attempt to demonstrate that out of a lot of degree options, engineering is one of them that is worthwhile and does open up doors. Even if they aren't the doors that you anticipate. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the trades and both my boys are going that route. There are too many spoiled rotten self entitled asses coming out of college now with pointless and overpriced degrees that think the world owes them a high paying job while sitting on their ass at home looking at a monitor as soon as they are handed a diploma. I don't think engineering is one of the pointless degrees.

If you are willing to do the work and aren't expecting to be wealthy as a typical engineer, it's a good choice to make. That's my opinion.

 

[IdahoBeav]

Keep in mind after getting the degree you have to pass the FE exam (some never do) then work a min 4 years before you can even sit for the PE exam & pass it (some never do) so you need to figure that into your equation.

I believe all state licensing boards allow for the FE to be taken prior to graduation. I highly recommend this, as it greatly helps with job search for new grads.

Many states, and the list has been growing recently, allow people to sit for the civil PE prior to 4 years of experience. I know several people who passed the PE in less than a year after graduation. They do then have to wait for the 4 years experience in order to apply for licensure. Before the Idaho Board allowed those with less than 4 years to sit for the exam, it was common for people to travel to Utah for the exam in order to pass it early and get it out of the way.

 

[Cedarsavage]

Thanks for the input lots of good information here. You guys have at least rule out EE. As far as selecting degree type those are the 3 options where I can get free school. If I had the choice I'd probably go Industrial Engineer, but I don't have that option where I am. Finances play a part, but to be honest I'm bored out of my mind where I am, and can't see doing it the rest of my life, for a lot of reasons big one being the politics of my workplaces, I'd really to get back to quantifiable objectives, and I'm just seeing all my boxes checked with anything locally. I feel like the industrial tech option would brush up on the things I'm missing and give advancement options that I want. I guess my big concern is if I don't go full Engineering Degree it won't be worth my while, but I do have my work experience to bring to the table.
Keep the experiences coming, it definitely has given alot of perspectives to think about

 

[Trogon]

If this hasnt been mentioned yet: AVOID SCHOOL DEBT at all cost.

Unless you are headed to stanford/berkeley/MIT the school name doesn't mean the paper its printed on. You can acquire school debt extremely quick and easy going back to school (30k a year, easy, plus high interest). This debt burden can easily be a parasite on whatever extra gains you made in career. Can be worth it, but be savvy about it. Investment vs return, thats all it is.

 

[VinoVino]

MSME here. I go through phases where I get to utilize the math I learned, but my type of work is more based on knowing some general physics and math theorems. I loved my physics and thermodynamics classes.

I found I really enjoy DSP, too, and had some good exposure to it in undergrad and grad school. I get to use that quite often in my current position.