I need someone with a degree in Electrical Engineering for a school project.

[Mauzy]

I will have more details in the coming days, but I need someone with a degree in Electrical Engineering to answer a few questions for me. There won't be a ton and I won't need them immediately. The only requirement is that you have a college degree in Electrical Engineering and that you work in the field (you work in a profession that requires use of your degree).

Also, if you know of someone on this board that has sucha degree, let me know. I know the vast majority of you guys are very helpful, so I figured I'd ask here first.

Any help will be appreciated!

[ClubNinja]

Are these technical or survey type questions?  It sounds like a survey, but I could be wrong.

[Mauzy]

I'm sorry I could not elaborate at the time, but now that I have a bit of time I can.

I am in a dual credit (high school/college) Pre Engineering course at the local college. Part of a research project involves interviewing a practicing engineer in the field we are studying. I am studying Electrical Engineering. The questions (about 10, maybe a couple more) are about college life as an engineering student, the current job they are working, quality of life, how they prepared in high school, and so on. They are all written by myself and approved by my instructor. This isn't anything horribly detailed or fancy, I just need a few general questions answered. No traps, no promotions, I don't any deep personal information.  At most I would need two or three sentences for each question.

[ClubNinja]

Ok, that's the impression I got.  I'd be happy to participate.

[Mauzy]

Ok, that's the impression I got.  I'd be happy to participate.

Awesome! Thanks. I will PM you the questions I have tomorrow morning. I won't need them immediately, but I will have a date for you tomorrow. I really appreciate this!

Question 1: Is now a good time to become an electrical engineer?

A: It was 15 years ago.

 

LOL. It just wouldn't be a successful thread without PBJ's cutting wit. 

[ClubNinja]

Question 1: Is now a good time to become an electrical engineer?

A: It is if you're good.

 

[Mauzy]

Im including that in the report. 

[SavannahLion]

Question 1: Is now a good time to become an electrical engineer?

A: It is if you're good.

 

So it isn't a requirement to not live in the U.S. then? 

I used to know four or five of them about eight years ago. Last I heard, all but one moved out of the country. Then I lost touch with all of them.  Oh well.

[shardian]

I am an ME, so if you get desperate last minute I would be happy to answer your Q's.

I remember having to do an interview my first year. I had a neighbor that worked at the Corps of Engineers as a designer. I had all these great questions written up for him about engineering...but it turns out he never went to college. Hell, most of the 'engineers' at the Corp are not really engineers. Each department has a boss who is an engineer, the rest are technicians.

I had to throw my whole list out the window and just chat with him. That was lesson #1 into the REAL world of engineering. If you don't absolutely love it, switch majors now. I plan to go back and get a masters to teach k-12.

Lesson #2: cut your pay expectations in half right now. That way reality hurts less when you graduate. Bachelor degree barely gets you a starting gig. Then you pigeonhole yourself in a niche industry, which cuts off most other job opportunities. Pretty much all non-management jobs require specialized experience. Experience you can't get unless you get lucky.

So, either plan on trying to get really frikkin lucky in your first job, or just go ahead and plan on being a glorified manager/supervisor, or an underpaid technician.

[shardian]

Lesson #2: cut your pay expectations in half right now. That way reality hurts less when you graduate.

That's good advice for anyone going to college, to be frank.  With the way tuition has been skyrocketing lately, I'm not even sure that a '4 year degree' is a worthwhile financial investment.

Tuition nearly DOUBLED just while I was there. Interest rates also almost doubled, though they have recently dropped back down.

If the government wants to help the economy, why don't they suspend interest payments on federally funded student loans? That would help alot of people out and free up alot of money.

[ClubNinja]

Lesson #2: cut your pay expectations in half right now. That way reality hurts less when you graduate. Bachelor degree barely gets you a starting gig.

The issue here is that more people nationally - and especially in areas of high growth in tech and science - are getting BS degrees.  The Bachelor's is becoming the new High School Diploma and it's hurting a lot of perfectly capable people.  At this point, you really need a Master's to be competative.  In a generation, who knows, you might need to finish up that PhD to achieve anything. 

Also, engineering salaries, even on an entry level, are wildly varied.  When I was interviewing after I finished school, there was a $30K difference between the top and bottom salaries I was offered.  All similar jobs.  It depends on your location, the company, the needs of the company at that specific time, and how your qualifications directly match that.  Unless your expectations are through the roof, there is no reason to cut then in HALF.

[shardian]

It is a difficult situation when it comes to degrees. If you get a masters immediately following your bachelors, you will 'overeducate' yourself for alot of jobs that are borderline technician work. Besides, a master's degree is FAR less valuable than the EIT and PE certifications.

And even if you get a master's immediately, teh better paying jobs still require a minimum of 3 years specialized work experience.

In short, a teaching degree prepares you for work on the first day. An engineering degree just gives you a basic background to enable you to learn a job on the fly. I haven't seen an engineering job yet that has a description of "sit at desk and solve pointless equations all day." 

P.S. If there is even a remote possibility you could end up in the construction business (like I did), take a few civil engineering classes as electives. I almost shat myself when I had a set of building construction plans set in front of me when I first started.  I had no clue what I was looking at.

[ClubNinja]

It is a difficult situation when it comes to degrees. If you get a masters immediately following your bachelors, you will 'overeducate' yourself for alot of jobs that are borderline technician work. Besides, a master's degree is FAR less valuable than the EIT and PE certifications.

And even if you get a master's immediately, teh better paying jobs still require a minimum of 3 years specialized work experience.

I guess it depends on the kind of work you're looking to do.  Sure, there's technician work, but there's also research, design, and so on.  After getting a Master's, you should be in position to do any of those things, not just technician work. 

Also, unless your graduate work was a total joke, most good employers will recognize graduate research as specialized work experience.  Supplement your undergraduate experience with a good internship doing real work or research, and you should be in fine shape by time the job hunt comes around.

As an aside related to your other comment, I'd love to teach if it didn't pay in dust and lint 

[shardian]

Teacher's salary is good enough for a family to live on here in WV. Sure you won't drive a Mercede's or live in a giant house, but if you play your cards right it is more than enough.

I barely make more than a teacher anyways (base salary wise), and work a hell of alot more! The only thing holding me back is my overtime and side work.

[ClubNinja]

A teacher's salary in MA is good enough for me to move my family into a cardboard box underneath a busy overpass.   

[mccoy178]

Shardian, it took me a few years to earn my teaching license and at 30, this is my first year.  What I will say is this, I can not believe I get paid to do this!  I am a Technology Education teacher, i.e. shop, and it is fantastic.  I just made the decision three years ago that I was serious about it and after talking with my wife, it was on like Donkey Kong.  If you really want it, figure out how to make it happen.  You made a damn antennae work and that crazy ass grill, I imagine you could figure out a way to get that license.

Oh, and the pay, let's put it this way, I'll trade that half my salary I'm missing to not ---smurfette--- about my job to any ear that will listen.

[shardian]

Shardian, it took me a few years to earn my teaching license and at 30, this is my first year.  What I will say is this, I can not believe I get paid to do this!  I am a Technology Education teacher, i.e. shop, and it is fantastic.  I just made the decision three years ago that I was serious about it and after talking with my wife, it was on like Donkey Kong.  If you really want it, figure out how to make it happen.  You made a damn antennae work and that crazy ass grill, I imagine you could figure out a way to get that license.

Oh, and the pay, let's put it this way, I'll trade that half my salary I'm missing to not ---smurf--- about my job to any ear that will listen.

Every non-traditional teacher (IE, comes from the 'real world') that I have talked to says the same thing about their job that you did. The only people you hear ---smurfette--- are the traditional teachers who never did anything else. I suppose they think the grass is greener or something. They have no idea how easy they have it.

In the next year or so, my wife will be going back to finish her degree. Once she finishes, my hope is that she will start working, and I can get a degree and join her in the school system.