+(OFF TOPIC)+: Anyone With A Mechanical Engineering Degree On Here?

BSME, Vanderbilt University, 1987
BS Aero Engineering, Naval Postgraduate School, 1995

My career, first as a Naval Aviator and now as a military program analyst, has been extremely successful by any metric. However, I, as with many of my peers, have never actually worked as a professional "Engineer".

I would HIGHLY recommend a career as an engineer, but caution you to choose the particular field (mechanical, electrical, civil, etc.) that YOU like. If you're doing what YOU like (whether its engineering or underwater basket weaving), you'll perform well and be successful, regardless of employment/hiring trends.

Hope this helps. PM me if you want more details.

 

Did like 2 years MET at University of Cincinnati, didn't learn a thing about trains..................nothing is better than experience in my book!

 

I'm 27, graduated with a BSMET from Colorado State in 2004 after 5 years.
A BSMET degree is applied engineering, much more hands on, welding, machining, electronics, etc, as well as the math and physics and all the other theory. I wanted to know how to build hot rods, but not kill my love of cars by working on them all day (I'm lazy I guess).

My advice: Get a degree and learn every CAD package you can get your hands on because almost everyone that builds anything can benefit from CAD. All I do is design plastic parts on CAD in a nice air conditioned building during the day, and I take with I learned in school and work on my car at night.

I make more money and work less than people who have three times as much experience simply because of that piece of paper. Sad but true.

Somewere I herd that only 1% of the world population has a college degree, and on average that 1% will make a million dollars more in there life than those without a degree. That was enough for me.

 

I've got half a degree. Went to Michigan Tech. Great school and taught me a lot. Just decided it wasn't for me. It's def a lot of work though and you might end up designing a roof section of a car or something. I decided to go the custom fab way and its so much better in my mind. Kinda took the what would you do with a million dollars route. With engineering though, job outlook is pretty decent as the US seems to be doing more designing and high up work than manufacturing. Pay is pretty decent also. I think you can start anywhere from 50-80 if you know your stuff. Tuition was hella expensive at my tech also. Like 30 a year out state, and room and board at the dorms.

 

The money is in Management. You have to work in the trenches so to speak then advance up from there and be in charge of an engineering dept.

But like some folks it just depends what you get.

This is what I tell my 9 year old. Choose something you love to do. If you love it you will do well at it. If you like working on cars then be a mechanic or better yet be an engineer and design/build cars or speed parts. I am doing something I love and I am always building on it. I will do this till I retire.

Another thing you should do is watch the lecture by Randy Pausch who recently died. It's called the last lecture. Catch it on you tube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo

It's over an hour long. It's about achieving you childhood dreams. It's convinced me to go to college.

 

I need you to point me to all of these 50-80 jobs for <5 yrs experience. I must be in the wrong industry or wrong part of the country!

 

I graduated from Oklahoma State in 2000 with my BSME. At first, I thought I wasted my time going back to school after taking five years off to work on the line at GM and painting/restoring/hotrodding/racing cars on the side. My first year as an engineer actually paid less than an automotive assembly job (which paid pretty good). However, after 7 years of designing new construction equipment, they made me an engineering manager and I actually like that pretty well. I also liked designing equipment taking it from an idea all the way to production. My dad was an engineer for GM for 30 years and I thought I would like that. However, I have decided that I like to keep cars as my hobby instead of a job. I think that mechanical engineering is a fairly broad field and there is a lot you can do with that degree. As other mentioned, if you are analytical and like to be a problem solver, it probably fits. If you have any direct questions, you can send me a pm.

Jeff

 

This thread is still open? Ok, I'll play.

Graduated from TX A&M-Kingsville in 1995. Been at it for a good while now. Working at my third company since the first one moved to Mexico and the second one was suffering the down housing market. Someone said long hours and high responsibility and they were right! But then, I do work mostly in the AC, travel a little, and have some time to spend on the HAMB. Oh and I make pretty good coin which leaves some for the hobby after saving some and paying the bills. If I had to do it over again I might consider the medical field but it probably has it's downside too. Someone said learn as much computer-aided drafting and design as possible and that was good advice. I would also say minor in business or get an MBA so you can be an engineering manager and make even better money.

 

I studied mechanical engineering at WKU. I enjoyed the physics and drafting but the math is tough and I thought I was strong in math going in. I ended up graduating with a bachelor's degree in Industrial Technology (1997). If you like corporate life and don't mind long underpaid hours, then an engineer's life is for you. Your initial salary figure will sound like alot until you notice how many hours you are actually working. I wouldn't pick a career with a salary in mind. Do what you love and the money will follow. Most of all, get your education. Your path in life is bound to change but you will always keep your education and it only helps along the way. If nothing else, it will get your foot in the door for the interview. Unfortunately you probably won't start out making big bucks designing the next supercar for GM. I started out designing parts for forklifts and then moved up to fire extinguishers. The creative thinking and problem solving was the most fun part of the job (if you call it fun). I am now in sales, the money is alot better and I actually enjoy going to work each day.

 

I went to Cal State and spent 40 years in the areospace industry. The money was good but you spend lots of time at the job. The greatest project I worked on was when I worked on the Apollo, putting man on the moon. Most of the guys I worked with will tell you the same. If you aren't in the design end you can go nuts from boredom. Unfortunately, a large percentage of engineers can't design their way out of a paper bag. If I had it to do over, I would do something else. It has been my experience that if you do what you love, the money will come. As my daughter says, "Do something that makes you want to get out of bed in the morning". As for going to school, it's never too late. I got my Masters degree when I was 64.

 

I got a BSME from University of Nevada Las Vegas. I love engineering, but I'm more of a hands on person so I've found ways to use my education to further my hands-on skills. I work in the marine power industry right now, but I have worked on a very broad range of things. Everything from medical devices to military to full prototype designs for patents. I also have a few side clients that I do mechanical design stuff for. It's fun!

Ultimately I fall under the theory of "Work to live" not "live to work", so I just have fun and learn as much as I can every day.

Successful?? Well... I guess it depends on who's asking and compared to what. I personally think I'm doin' alright. I've reached all my own personal career goals up to now and done some very interesting jobs. Have I developed a new super top secret divice for NASA that permits them to land on pluto without freezing their asses off?? No? Have I made a million dollars yet? NO? Will I? I have no idea, but if I keep buying Hemis it won't be possible anyway.... One thing is for sure though... the world needs engineers and Mechanical Engineering can be as broad as you want it to be.

Do what you like. Knowledge is power and to me learning is fun when you find those things that you're really passionate about.

 

Well, as the HAMB metallurgist I guess my BS Metallurgical Engineering is good for something!

I got my BS from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, 1987. I have had good work and would probably do it again, even though there are downsides, like any job.

Seriously, engineering is a good career, but you will never get rich, it can be stressful and you never really escape when you leave for the day. Many engrs are on call for problems and with cell phones and pagers it is like an electronic leash. The problem with engineering is that you start out good pay out of school, and then they give you small raises and just keep you ahead enough that you can't really improve enough by leaving for another job. Management can make money if you want that, be prepared to sell your soul to the company and become a company man. Almost all engineering jobs are salary, so you will work longer than 40 hours/week.

There will always be work for engineers, you can also branch out to lots of different things that have nothing to do with engineering except the technical understanding is required.

Business degree will not pay as well out of school but will pass up and have more potential for big money than engineering. I view engineering as agood way to have stable income, you can afford a decent house and provide for your family, you will not go hungry, but to really get ahead you need to do something extra, like run a small business on the side. There are much worse jobs than engineering, but there are also better.

 

I'm an Electrical Engineer, but my father and brother are mechanical. Personally, I don't mind doing what I do. I make a rather successful living (28 years old, 4 years experience and own my own house, can afford my toy cars, get to travel, etc.) I went to Texas Tech in Lubbock.

With the price of oil the way that it is right now, engineers are in high demand and are paid very well. In Houston, if you have an engineering degree and don't have a job, it is because you choose not to be employed, not because you can't find a job.

If I were to go back and do it all over again, I probably would (but get a double major, EE and CS, instead of just an EE w/ a math minor). The guy above me preferred the design end of things, I personally prefer the construction end. I'm a hands on kind of guy and go nuts sitting in front of a sketch board drawing out one lines (I suck at Autocad). I commissioned Independence Hub (an oil platform) and it was beyond a doubt the most fun I've ever had at work. If I stay in the office too long, I'll go stirfry crazy. I'd much rather be turning a wrench or troubleshooting. It takes all kinds I suppose.

The travel does suck after awhile. I lived for 2.5 years out of a hotel (literally). At times, I didn't even bother to maintain an apartment, just packed a suitcase and left the rest of my crap in my parent's garage. It does wear you down. You'll be away from your toys for long periods of time, but you will also be able to afford them. Also, try and get an hourly job, even at a lower hourly rate, your paychecks will grow massively when in the field.

John

 

BME from Virginia (not VA Tech) many years ago. It has been an interesting and exciting career that has allowed me to travel all over the world. I have been places and done things that I could never have imagined in another job. The travel, the long hours, and the stress have been tough at times, but I would not have traded this life for any other. The downside has been that the job has often gotten in the way of building my cars.

 

What does this have to do with traditional hot rods?

 

Gotta have money to buy hot rod parts, right?

 

Why did you click on this thread? If you can help me in anyway I would appreciate it.

 

Nice name


The guy is looking for some advice,and he was brave enough to post it up on here and seek some wisdom from the hotrod gods... cut him some slack cool guy

 

The most effective managers are those that know the business in depth (from the trenches), or you'll be very replaceable. Engineers can talk the talk with the clients and internal staff, makes a big difference compared to a biz school (only) grad.

True story, straight out of college, $50k is not hard to find, but a more realistic range is $45 - 55k, depending on the local market (cost of living, whether local economy is robust or not).

 

I would think it has quite a bit to do with traditional hot rods.
Even if you don't have a degree, any sort of modification on these cars takes into account principles taught with a Mech Eng degree.

 

Well, more or less just a bunch of bragging going on. I'm a BSME with 18 yrs. Good profession, but not easy. If you like math, graphs, maybe designing it could be for you. Pay scales are dropping because most companies sending everything to china. They even use china engineers. I think civil engineering may have a good future as our roads and bridges are falling apart and that can't go to china. Starting pay 30-45K and try and get good grades as there are not the jobs there once were and they use grades as a weeder. PM me for more info.

 

1) ISU (but, personally, would go to UIUC, Texas, Stanford, or Cal if starting fresh tomorrow)
2) Tentative "Yes"
3) Most of the time
4) Yes, although there are MANY directions to go in ME
5) Yes, see #4
6) Large numbers of engineers are - or will be soon - at the retirement stage of life. Those recently graduated or currently in school will be in demand. For example omething like 40&#37; of the engineers at my employer have less than 5 years experience; I'd guess another 40% have over 20-25 years, with the remaining 20% somewhere in between. You do the math...

Ha. I think I know the guy you're talking about.

What does 1/3 of the shit posted here have to do with traditional rods?

 

The good thing about engineering is that you arent really fenced in. I have desgined automated assembly lines, car parts, sheetmetal and injected molded parts. I got tired of the constant rush of the "Time to Market" theory and am now working for a huge firm designing power plants. I run calcs all day for process and instrumentation specs. The pace is a little slower, the company is employee owned, my office has a view and has conditioned air. I have die cast hotrods on my desk and Sex Pistols and Vandals posters on the wall. I usually only work 4 day weeks but those days are usually really long. I make enough to pay for the house, cars, X -wife and keep the dogs fed plus take a vacation every year. It is what you make of it. I dont live to work like some of the guys here.

And my primered roadster sits in the parkinglot dripping oil next to 80 thousand dollar BMWs and Mercedes.

 

If so, what school did you attend?

University of Saskatchewan '06 w/ B.Sc. Mech Engineering

University of Manitoba '08 w/ M.Sc. Mech Engineering

Would you consider your successfull?

Depends on what sucessfull is. I'm 24 and afford a house, new Ducati, dog, hot rod and a project car and a brand new daily driver.

Are you happy with your occupation?

I interned at a manufacturing facility and hated it. Just generated paper so someone else could do the real work (welding/machining). I now work at a consulting firm and have a lot more fun as the job changes every day and there are site visits etc.

Would you reccomend someone else to take this path?

Yes

Is there a future in this field as a career path?

Everyone I graduated with graduated with a job. I'd say there is a future but keep in mind Engineers are the first to go when shit hits the fan.

Any other comments?

"...can not image myself working on cars in 10 years"

This is why I went into Engineering. I can still work on my car and enjoy it instead of busting my knuckels on jap crap all day long. My only other suggestions would be millwright. A wide variety of work and the pay is great from what I know

 

TTT. Now that I am laid off this is looking more and more like an option to me.


A lot has changed since I started this post, how does the field look now?