[poncho-mike]

Originally Posted by Half-Inch Stud

Sooooo, it seems to me that most folks on this Thread are older engineers that;

1. have experienced a real engineering environment; development, analyses, champions of innovation, vertical integration, being a key asset to the company, being part of the "core team".

2. have written worst case and stress analyses, that had gotten read by the Customer, but now see these rituals of assurance become by-and-by "deliverables" at best, yet typically overlooked, you know because of fluff and non-technical customers.

2.have seen the "expensive" engineer trade 1-for-2 (or more!) for younger "talent", with "impressive" results.
3. seen key technology scuttled, lost, mangled, replaced with crap.

4. have wondered where their career should go.

You pretty much hit the nail on the head.

I don't think I'm at risk of losing my job, but I don't like the direction my job is going. I've got three choices, 1) Find a new job, 2) stick it out another 3 years, or 3) retire early and sell my rare cars to fund living expenses for the next six years.

Some weeks are worse than others, and I started this thread after a week that almost had me ready to toss in the towell.

My son is a rising Junior studying mechanical engineering at NC State. So far he's doing pretty well, he has a 3.8+ GPA and is on track to graduate in four years. I hate to think the opportunity for him to do interesting and challenging engineering work has already passed. He may never get to experience the positive experiences of the profession due to the focus shifting from innovation to cost reduction.

[Half-Inch Stud]

poncho-mike....if things go well the nest few weeks, i hope to keep him in mind for some real applied engineering.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by poncho-mike

I don't think I'm at risk of losing my job, but I don't like the direction my job is going. I've got three choices, 1) Find a new job, 2) stick it out another 3 years, or 3) retire early and sell my rare cars to fund living expenses for the next six years.

Some weeks are worse than others, and I started this thread after a week that almost had me ready to toss in the towell.

My son is a rising Junior studying mechanical engineering at NC State. So far he's doing pretty well, he has a 3.8+ GPA and is on track to graduate in four years. I hate to think the opportunity for him to do interesting and challenging engineering work has already passed. He may never get to experience the positive experiences of the profession due to the focus shifting from innovation to cost reduction.

Again - your post is so timely.

I have dissuaded my son from pursuing engineering. He's bright enough but doesn't really enjoy school. Right now he is pursuing an engineering technician degree.

K

[69goatboy]

I've been a mech engineer since 90.
If I had to give a young person advice on the engineering field, I would say not to lean toward ME. Go towards EE or E/ME.

Around here at least, mech engineers are a dime a dozen. A good EE with machine programming experience is in high demand.

[GT182]

Originally Posted by Shiny

Absolutely unless you had anything to do with the removal of tolls from our pockets

Nope never removed tools from anyone's pocket.... just mine. LOL

Tho I did remove them from the trunks of new cars off the assembly line when I checked them for damage before I loaded them on my Anchor Mtr Frt carhauler. The guys on the line didn't want them so I figured they were there for the taking. Besides, GM bought them new replacements to use. Another reason car and truck prices went up every year.

[Stuart]

Like any of the specific engineering disciplines there's plenty of variety in what kinds of work a mechanical engineer may do. For instance, most of the ME's I deal with are designing HVAC systems for buildings. They're pretty busy these days, too.

[Willshire]

Although i was interested in electrical engineering, no money made it impossible. So, i became an electrician. I have had to check a couple thousand engineered drawings for a power plant one time lol. The engineer had to make the changes to all of the mistakes i found though lol. And there were a lot. Now i read the drawings produced by others and price their "ideas"

[pontiacmark]

Originally Posted by 69goatboy

I've been a mech engineer since 90.
If I had to give a young person advice on the engineering field, I would say not to lean toward ME. Go towards EE or E/ME.

Around here at least, mech engineers are a dime a dozen. A good EE with machine programming experience is in high demand.

Exactly right. I have a BSME. Been in industrial automation for over 20 years. 6 years as custom machine designer for tier 1 automotive. 8 years as a pneumatic actuator product designer, leaving as chief engineer. Was hired by a competing firm as a field applications engineer. Saw the rise of electrical automation and now I am the North American product sales manager for our electronic products after 10 years. Everywhere I go to visit a customer they are lacking in controls engineers. I need to hire some for my team but my company will not pay the going rate. The sad part is even though I'm in sales I have to explain to our engineering department how to do things all the time. I still get to play with Solidworks every now and then and still teach how to do many calculations for our sales force and customers. It's still fun but the corporate red tape does drive me nuts when I think how simple things could get done.

[Ben M.]

Originally Posted by pontiacmark

Everywhere I go to visit a customer they are lacking in controls engineers.

The worst part is in many cases even if they have them, chances are they're terrible and get things done through luck or no one knowing any better...

[RA1John]

Advance Manufacturing Engineer at Chrysler for just about 25 years.
Previously in Design.

The projects I'm involved with have given me insight into the entire automotive assembly process as well as allowing me to meet a variety of people who were part of the muscle car hey-day. From former assembly line workers to designers, launch mgmt. and part suppliers.
Not just Chrysler but GM too. I'm amazed at the details some of these people still remember...installing carbs on tripower engines at Pontiac Engine Assy., Super Duty engine build, stamping aluminum SD fenders, working on the line at Lordstown when Nancy Sinatra's pink '67 Firebird came thru, suppliers of GTO diecast parts, friends who installed pistol grip shifters on Hemi Cudas, suppliers who provided the tooling that marked VINs on frames, engines and bodies, warranty reps who investigated problems with the Superbird Wings, skilled trades guys who fixed vehicle carriers on the '68 Charger line, etc. Great stories!

These days, I'm involved with a variety of projects for current and future Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles. Glass install, trim, drivetrain, VIN marking, inspection, quality, and documenting the complete build process.

I still walk thru plants imagining what it might have been like in '64 or '68.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by RA1John

Advance Manufacturing Engineer at Chrysler for just about 25 years.
Previously in Design.

The projects I'm involved with have given me insight into the entire automotive assembly process as well as allowing me to meet a variety of people who were part of the muscle car hey-day. From former assembly line workers to designers, launch mgmt. and part suppliers.
Not just Chrysler but GM too. I'm amazed at the details some of these people still remember...installing carbs on tripower engines at Pontiac Engine Assy., Super Duty engine build, stamping aluminum SD fenders, working on the line at Lordstown when Nancy Sinatra's pink '67 Firebird came thru, suppliers of GTO diecast parts, friends who installed pistol grip shifters on Hemi Cudas, suppliers who provided the tooling that marked VINs on frames, engines and bodies, warranty reps who investigated problems with the Superbird Wings, skilled trades guys who fixed vehicle carriers on the '68 Charger line, etc. Great stories!

These days, I'm involved with a variety of projects for current and future Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles. Glass install, trim, drivetrain, VIN marking, inspection, quality, and documenting the complete build process.

I still walk thru plants imagining what it might have been like in '64 or '68.

Well said, John.

This summarizes my life, too, except GM specific (Flint and Detroit).

K

[twov8sandat4]

Originally Posted by 69goatboy

I've been a mech engineer since 90.
If I had to give a young person advice on the engineering field, I would say not to lean toward ME. Go towards EE or E/ME.

Around here at least, mech engineers are a dime a dozen. A good EE with power experience is in high demand.

Fixed. Although, none of the younger generation is interested in it

[Ben M.]

Originally Posted by twov8sandat4

Fixed. Although, none of the younger generation is interested in it

My school still churns out high voltage engineers, it's a specialized field.

[muscle_collector]

my son is a senior in high school and at the same time is starting his 2nd year of taking classes at the junior college here in tulsa. when he was in 8th grade and after his research he decided he wants to be a chemical engineer. what do you guys know / think of that field?

[Ben M.]

Originally Posted by muscle_collector

what do you guys know / think of that field?

Stick with it, be a good worker and reliable, and you'll likely have a decent job. The issues mentioned before about engineering taking back seats to managing spreadsheets and cost accounting will likely still apply unless he goes to work for a national lab or research outfit.

[Old Man Taylor]

Originally Posted by muscle_collector

my son is a senior in high school and at the same time is starting his 2nd year of taking classes at the junior college here in tulsa. when he was in 8th grade and after his research he decided he wants to be a chemical engineer. what do you guys know / think of that field?

My son-in-law has degrees in chemical engineering. He has an excellent job in the environmental industry.

[Captainofiron]

Originally Posted by muscle_collector

my son is a senior in high school and at the same time is starting his 2nd year of taking classes at the junior college here in tulsa. when he was in 8th grade and after his research he decided he wants to be a chemical engineer. what do you guys know / think of that field?

If you look at the national averages, its the highest paid engineering discipline.

That being said, the work really depends on the company.

I have friends and ex-college mates that are CHEMEs and they have very different work experiences. Some are as mentioned (Excel-gineers) and others do lots of research/lab work and development.

Usually the refinery/oilfield jobs will be excel and keeping up with API/ASME codes and the busywork involved

[PontGuy]

I got my ChE degree from Ga Tech in '82 and a lot has changed since then. There are a lot of different industries that hire Chem Engineers and the work varies a good bit. As I mentioned earlier I settled into the Pharma industry but spent some time in nuclear and general chem mfg early in my career.

From what I have seen lately a lot of engineers working in Pharma end up spending most of their time on regulatory documentation no matter what their degree. I never found that much fun. Process design work and optimizing processes are a lot more rewarding. But either way the pay is good.

[John V.]

We have a saying at our house. Engineering chooses you, you don't choose it. Raise your hand if you have ever been talking to somebody you've just met, and after listening to you for a while they say, "You're an engineer, aren't you?". My wife has said stuff about me to people she meets and they will often say, "He must be an engineer". People (non-engineers) can just tell I guess. I admit to it being a sorta flaw of personality and that is why we believe it chooses you.

I have 4 sons, can brag on all of them, but 2nd son got 2 Engineering degrees, one for mechanical, one for aerospace. Did it in 4 years at UF (he did have about a semester's worth of AP credits to start).

He graduated in May '09, could not have been a worse time, yet secured a good paying job prior to graduation. About 7 months later, co. closed that office, his severance carried him for 3 months (he refused to take unemployment benefits) while he pondered his next move. He thought about going back for a masters, got accepted at multiple schools but also got job offers and in the end took that where he has now been since. His current employer actually bought out his former employer recently. Somebody here described a Corp. Eng, that is what he is, but he is involved with stuff that blows me away.

I badger him about sitting for his P.E., but he doesn't see the need, says the license is for old school civils.

As we raised our kids, I heard frequent laments about the young generation. But I always defended them, not just my kids, but plenty of other bright kids doing extraordinary things.

I often say, the way we did things isn't necessarily better than what these kids are doing today, it is just different.

I think it is human nature as we get older to be nostalgic for the past (isn't that why many of us like old Pontiacs?). And also typical for the older generation to think the younger generation is going to hell in a hand basket.

But somehow the world keeps going.

I also think that a lot of us, me included, start feeling dissatisfaction with what we are now doing as we approach retirement. Some keep doing what they are doing seemingly forever. Me, I have no burning desire to stay on this path, pretty close to believing I don't need to work for financial reasons and looking ahead to what I would really rather do with the rest of my life. Those feelings tend to cause me to find fault with my job.

I read an article recently that discussed the "brain drain" at a lot of workplaces as experienced boomers begin to leave in droves. Employers are studying how they can retain these people. The answer was not money, but time off. That struck a chord with me. But I'm not sure my employer could give me enough time off to satisfy me. If I could take a week off per month, I'd probably want to have 2 weeks off per month. I'm looking forward to the day when I can get up in the morning and decide what I want to do rather than do what my employer needs me to do.

I tried to steer my kids into alternative energy, none took the bait. Who knows what the next big thing will be. But there will always be challenges. And bright minds, some of them engineers, will be there to get society past the hurdles.

I still think engineering is a good field of study. It is a rigorous program. I think I learned to do things in a certain way that I applied to all kinds of things I did over the course of my life.

If engineering finds one of your kids, I think it is still a positive. When I graduated in '77, ChemE's were getting the big bucks. But I stuck to the area that I found fascinating. I don't think it makes sense to chase something just because the field pays well. Just like when I promoted alternative energy to my kids. I think it is fascinating, maybe I would enter that field as a young engineer today. But it didn't excite my kids. They're gonna do what they want to do.

Sorry for the long post I was on a roll!

[Half-Inch Stud]

As JOHN V. pointed out; there are some sharp kids in undergrad & graduated.

I've mentored a few "bright bulbs", even of recent. It's super-easy & rewarding.
Iv'e mentored a few "dim-wits", not as recent. It's dreadful drugery & not clear if rewarding for any party except the employer.

And, yea it seems Engineering pick you.: So it become relational, even across disciplines. That makes for great future alliances in Biz teaming & trusted Points-Of-Contact for privy technology. HIS