Any Engineers out there?

[Haro3]

so im in school for engineering. mechanical engineering as of now, and im to the point where i really have to decide if mechanical is what i wanna do. but lately i've been really enjoying statics and structure, strength of materials and and think i might wanna do structual or civil, especially since i used to do carpentry....i cant decide. are there any engineers on the boards that wanna share experience? and job duties? i hate the thought of sitting behind a desk since i've always been a labor intensive person i love to do the physical end of the work and i hate to think mechanical engineering has a one way ticket to a desk with my name on it...so any input appreciated. thx guys

[big L 17]

i am majoring in computer engering electroincs

[LBT]

Okay, I studied Mechanical Engineering for six years, left University and couldn't get a job doing engineering. I got a job at a trailer manufacturing company working in an office doing costing duties and the odd fling on the CAD machines. The job was not interesting and through one of the workers there, I got a job at a Structural and Civil Engineering company working the CAD machines churning out drawings of buildings, airports, roadways etc... Another year at University (part time as part of the job) and I became sick of the 9 to 5 office crap. There was no time for me. I moved away from all of that and got a job that suited me, less money but more time.

I think you have to be careful at what level you are going to study to. Too high and you may be destined for an office job as employers are not going to think that you want to "get your hands dirty".

[G-1000]

This is like to no Mechanical Engineering in the US any more. We dont make shit or i mean all we make is shit.

[stunner5000pt]

so im in school for engineering. mechanical engineering as of now, and im to the point where i really have to decide if mechanical is what i wanna do. but lately i've been really enjoying statics and structure, strength of materials and and think i might wanna do structual or civil, especially since i used to do carpentry....i cant decide. are there any engineers on the boards that wanna share experience? and job duties? i hate the thought of sitting behind a desk since i've always been a labor intensive person i love to do the physical end of the work and i hate to think mechanical engineering has a one way ticket to a desk with my name on it...so any input appreciated. thx guys

screw that im in physics

physics owns you enginnering boy

[zimmy]

i'm a systems engineer in the IT industry...that count?

[dan991]

I have a BSEE. I design automotive components at General Malfunction (General Motors.) I currently design the navigation systems and OnStar components in Cadillac products. So, if you own a Caddy, chances are you are using something I designed

But, I'm relocating to Atlanta, GA area. I have a job with Panasonic Automotive doing the same thing. I'll be woring on navigation and telematics systems.

Things I work on:

Cellular Communications (CDMA, GSM), i.e. Onstar
CANbus, MOST, ByteFlight, GMLAN networks
Control Modules
Relay Systems
Navigation Displays
GUI
Wiring Systems
Dash Cluster Display
Heads Up Display
Cruise Control (interior electronics)

I pretty do hardware design on anything considered "infotainment" in automotive.


p.s. Please don't send me PM's bitching that something in your car doesn't work right. I can't fix it. Go to a dealer. I design circuit boards

[mavsluva]

i'm a systems engineer in the IT industry...that count?

I'm a systems engineer for AT&T. I'm a CCIE (routing and switching), CCSP and CCVP.

[energizer bunny]

im an electrical/maintenance engineer (im a qualified elec enigineer but i work in maintenance) so i do a mixture of work mechanical, plumbing, elec etc.

[almostgone]

Started out in mechanical engineering, but the thought of running load, deflection, and material analysis all day bummed me out. I've been machining and NC/CNC programming for a shade over 20 years now.
Thinking about going back to school to get current on Pro-E software.

AG

[almostgone]

This is like to no Mechanical Engineering in the US any more. We dont make shit or i mean all we make is shit.

That's why I went to work for a joint German/Japanese automotive company. They stay current on technology and don't mind reinvesting profits into their business.

AG

[spywizard]

my wife works for an environmental engineering firm.. the guys are great, spend alot of time outside, and on site, different places all the time..

[donniebrasco]

i have a diploma in real estate valuation and management, a degree with honours ( 1st) in building surveying, and working on a masters in architecture.
become a surveyor ( many variations ), good money hands on. dont do architecture freakin boring.

[gixxerboy1]

Started out in mechanical engineering, but the thought of running load, deflection, and material analysis all day bummed me out. I've been machining and NC/CNC programming for a shade over 20 years now.
Thinking about going back to school to get current on Pro-E software.

AG

I used to do that for an aerospace company. Then i got into qc and the company folded

[Fallen_Angel]

screw that im in physics

physics owns you enginnering boy

I am in astrophysics myself. Where do you study?

[1819]

lionel.

[dan991]

If you want to make the "really, really, really BIG COIN" then get a BSEE. Then, get a degree in bioengineering, and even better, a PhD in Bioengineering. Then, go in and apply for a job designing medical equipment like EKG's, heart monitors, etc.

Electrical Engineers that design medical equipment are the HIGHEST PAID engineers, period. Doesn't matter if you compare mechianical, environmental, or electrical. MEDICAL is where the coin is. I met a guy that works at GE Healthcare. He designed pace makers. You know what his salary was? $350,000.00 a year.

But... don't think you'll make that kinda of coin because they don't just let any jackass design pace makers.

[FranKieC]

I have a Network engineering degree

[needmorestrength]

got you all topped .... Im at Queens university... I will have a degree in something called Energy systems Engineering, which is a combination of mechanical and electrical and software.. I already have an internship with a company as their "energy management specialist"... I know a lot of Mechanical engineers in big cities who are turning towards energy management and making a KILLING!! Solar power baby

[FranKieC]

My cousing is a biomedical engineer

[stunner5000pt]

I am in astrophysics myself. Where do you study?

york university

what about yourself?

[stunner5000pt]

got you all topped .... Im at Queens university... I will have a degree in something called Energy systems Engineering, which is a combination of mechanical and electrical and software.. I already have an internship with a company as their "energy management specialist"... I know a lot of Mechanical engineers in big cities who are turning towards energy management and making a KILLING!! Solar power baby

doesnt that mena you're a stuck up rich white kid?

[Haro3]

hey thx for the responses guys im gonna kick it around. i love building stuff, machining, welding etc, but its hard to make really good money doing it. id love to get into some sort of fabrication with my degree, i used to build motorcycles but the way the industry is now with all these damn chopper shows that dream wont happen lol damn OCC oh well. we'll see what happens.

[elicotton]

I work for a company which has a metal fab shop in addition to building bridges. Most of the engineers I work with actually have degrees in Mechanical, but are working in what amounts to Civil/Structural. The Mechanical course of study alllows this to happen. However, if you were to major in Civil or Structural, I think you would be limited to those fields.

[Psychotron]

im on my last semester for wireless software engineering, fun stuff!

[needmorestrength]

doesnt that mena you're a stuck up rich white kid?

no way.. im kinda Italian lol... and not stuck up, had to work hard to get anything!!

[stunner5000pt]

no way.. im kinda Italian lol... and not stuck up, had to work hard to get anything!!

*Edited*

[JayP40]

i have an electrical engineering degree. But i am not an engineer, decided that didnt pay enough and I am now a boss for a coal company

[l2elapse]

what about becomming an archeitect

[needmorestrength]

*Edited*

Show a little respect would you?? Racial comments are not tolerated on this board!!!

[Haro3]

what about becomming an archeitect

thats what i originally wanted to do but looked into and dont care for it. i like engineering having to solve problems more fun to me then over all design..

[Johny-too-small]

thats what i originally wanted to do but looked into and dont care for it. i like engineering having to solve problems more fun to me then over all design..

Bullshit. You obviously didn’t look into it hard enough.
I am an architect and business owner. I design all my structures aesthetically and physically. You can’t design in any manner and not know/ understand how the building will work physically.
In order to be successful as an architect, you must understand how to make structures stand. I do both, design and engineer.

This is why architects are viewed with much higher prestige than engineers. We use both hemispheres of our brains, the creative side and the logical/ mechanical side.
Architects are the minority in the Construction world because anybody can engineer but few can design. Don’t believe me? Try it.

[Haro3]

Bullshit. You obviously didn’t look into it hard enough.
I am an architect and business owner. I design all my structures aesthetically and physically. You can’t design in any manner and not know/ understand how the building will work physically.
In order to be successful as an architect, you must understand how to make structures stand. I do both, design and engineer.

This is why architects are viewed with much higher prestige than engineers. We use both hemispheres of our brains, the creative side and the logical/ mechanical side.
Architects are the minority in the Construction world because anybody can engineer but few can design. Don’t believe me? Try it.

chill bro, i worked for an architect for a while and he had structual engineers do his problem solving. i know how it works i did look into it and i understand how it works. i however done like the over all design i dont want to meet with people and come up with the design i want to be given a rough design and finalize it. yes SOME architects do allll of the work. the one i worked with designed the structure then have engineers crunch the numbers. i know that architects have to know how to engineer naturally i mean you cant design a structure if you dont know the general ideas. but the architects i knew never worked out the problems thats all im saying. believe me i know architects arent stupd haha its a rediculously hard program its just not what i wanted to do. but you also realize taht architecst STILL work with structual engineers on any project right? i worked for a city and regardless of what the architects designed for new city projects nothing was ever finalized until all the engineers looked it over....not saying architecs dont know how to solve problems im jus saying that they dont always do all the problem solving

[xlxBigSexyxlx]

I heard the hardest thing about engineering is the college.

But once your there, its rather easy.

My friends uncle swaps from computer to mechanical and says he basically he sits at his office all day playing games on the computer.

Im on my way for a software engineering degree, along with an MIS(managment information system) degree. I know its gonna be hard, but Im not a huge party guy and Im rather smart, plus, I wanna be making good money.

[Haro3]

i've heard the same that once you get to your job they teach you what you need to know and thats it. granted you have to know the basics but i mean i had to go through so much crap already that i cant even remember how to do its like you memorize it for a test and thats the end of it. never tobe used again. i use the basics all the time, simple derivatives and integrations but some things i did in the calc series and what not i cant ever see myself using, i could be wrong but i jus dont see myself needing alot of info i've been forced to learn.

[xlxBigSexyxlx]

i've heard the same that once you get to your job they teach you what you need to know and thats it. granted you have to know the basics but i mean i had to go through so much crap already that i cant even remember how to do its like you memorize it for a test and thats the end of it. never tobe used again. i use the basics all the time, simple derivatives and integrations but some things i did in the calc series and what not i cant ever see myself using, i could be wrong but i jus dont see myself needing alot of info i've been forced to learn.

Yeah, I would really like to know if thats true. I hear people say it all the time. and, the college part does seem hard...real hard, but nothing I cant handle....but if sitting in office playing games pays $100000, I can go through that lol

[Johny-too-small]

chill bro, i worked for an architect for a while and he had structual engineers do his problem solving. i know how it works i did look into it and i understand how it works. i however done like the over all design i dont want to meet with people and come up with the design i want to be given a rough design and finalize it. yes SOME architects do allll of the work. the one i worked with designed the structure then have engineers crunch the numbers. i know that architects have to know how to engineer naturally i mean you cant design a structure if you dont know the general ideas. but the architects i knew never worked out the problems thats all im saying. believe me i know architects arent stupd haha its a rediculously hard program its just not what i wanted to do. but you also realize taht architecst STILL work with structual engineers on any project right? i worked for a city and regardless of what the architects designed for new city projects nothing was ever finalized until all the engineers looked it over....not saying architecs dont know how to solve problems im jus saying that they dont always do all the problem solving

You’re correct. Many architects just design the big concepts and pass the buck to their sidekicks to do the numbers and finite details. In addition, you’re also correct in point that architects must know the full scope of the project including engineering. I find that designing the structure of a building is just as fun as the conceptual design itself. I think you found me to be on the defensive due in part to the fact that I hear, "...what’s so hard about designing..." However, when they actually try it themselves you'll quickly find a wastebasket filled with trashed concepts and nothing to show for their hours of work. Sorry if I came across harsh bro, I love what I do and I am proud of my projects as it reflects who I am.

[Haro3]

oh no i totally understand design lol its so easy to think of something and then actually making it work SOOOOO different. i used to design/fabricate/build motorcycles and like people watch the shows and think they can do that shit lol its soooo much harder than it looks. i machined for a while and did alot of fabrication with that as well got real into pro engineer and solid works programs if you know them? they're awesome so yea i understand design but i know waht you mean with people not understanding it and taking it forgranted

[Kärnfysikern]

This is why architects are viewed with much higher prestige than engineers. We use both hemispheres of our brains, the creative side and the logical/ mechanical side.
Architects are the minority in the Construction world because anybody can engineer but few can design. Don’t believe me? Try it.

I think its stretching things to claim that engineers are not creative...

[needmorestrength]

I think its stretching things to claim that engineers are not creative...

Agreed!!! I think that there is something creative about being able to desine an efficient heating system that allows 400 tenants to be comfortable in their own environments