Major career decision!

[hareek]

Thanks dudes! I'm feeling a bit old doing this already since I will be a solid 10 or 11 years older than pretty much all the high school grads in the program, but whatever. Had I gone into this straight outta high school, i probably wouldn't have had the burning desire to see it through that I do now. Took me some time to figure out what I want to do with my life, but now I know exactly what I want.

As someone who did engineering school right after high school, I can tell you right now that your maturity, work ethic, and (I'm assuming) lack of interest in getting drunk at any hour of every day will help you immensely in succeeding. Best of luck to ya bro!

[LesStrat]

You'll be rockin' the paradise before you know it!

[longcat]

Could you elaborate?

i went into chemical engineering on the advice of a HS guidance counselor who told me that it would essentially be like being a scientist except that i'd be calling the shots rather than just following instructions. it wasn't till i was halfway through my junior year that i realized it wasn't anything like that...there are very few "design" positions out there in chE. it's mostly a bit of a supervisory role over the people who actually do the fun stuff that's also heavily burdened with bureaucratic garbage in the private sector. then i made the big mistake of going to grad school for environmental engineering to try and salvage my degree and now i'm completely disillusioned with the whole thing, after 7 years of school and $10K in student loans. (although it could have been worse on the student loan front.) after graduation i spent 19 months with an environmental consulting firm, basically writing reports and being my boss's scapegoat for his shortcomings and poor work ethic until they laid me off, and i've been unable to find work ever since.

don't let that get you down though...i'm pretty jaded by my personal experiences. i probably shouldn't have written what i did, so i apologize. aerospace probably requires a lot more hands-on work than the disciplines i went into...i imagine there's a lot more design work going on there.

[Funkfingers]

Observation #1 - The only things that you can truly pass on to your children are your genes and money/property.

Observation #2 - I cannot believe that it could take anyone more than ten seconds to realise that marketing is a sham.

Job satisfaction is a rare thing.

[GuitarStv]

I worked in the aerospace industry (designing military flight simulators) doing engineering for four years after graduating from university. My experience with it has been very boom and bust. A big order goes in for some planes, everybody gets hired . . . a couple years go by and the project starts to wind down . . . everybody gets laid off. Many of my friends are aerospace engineers and have moved out because they don't like the cycle.

Just remember to save during your good times and it should all work out. The work can be fun if you're into problem solving!

[tone4days]

i went into chemical engineering on the advice of a HS guidance counselor who told me that it would essentially be like being a scientist except that i'd be calling the shots rather than just following instructions. it wasn't till i was halfway through my junior year that i realized it wasn't anything like that...there are very few "design" positions out there in chE. it's mostly a bit of a supervisory role over the people who actually do the fun stuff that's also heavily burdened with bureaucratic garbage in the private sector. then i made the big mistake of going to grad school for environmental engineering to try and salvage my degree and now i'm completely disillusioned with the whole thing, after 7 years of school and $10K in student loans. (although it could have been worse on the student loan front.) after graduation i spent 19 months with an environmental consulting firm, basically writing reports and being my boss's scapegoat for his shortcomings and poor work ethic until they laid me off, and i've been unable to find work ever since.

don't let that get you down though...i'm pretty jaded by my personal experiences. i probably shouldn't have written what i did, so i apologize. aerospace probably requires a lot more hands-on work than the disciplines i went into...i imagine there's a lot more design work going on there.

sad to read - i hope things turn the way you want them to soon .. your story reminds me why i think most HS guidance counselors should be exiled to an island where they do nothing but counsel each other for eternity

this tale is why i always recommend engineering students pick a school with a well oiled co-op program ... getting to work in the engineering field during undergrad times is a real eye opener and can go either way to either really cement one's committment to the field or drive one away as they see that 'real life' doesnt always match the 'demo' ... for me, it was the former .. but i had a roomate for whom it was the latter ...

yes, most every job has its suckage ... thats typically why they have to pay us to go every day ...

good luck to the OP ... follow your dream with your eyes wide open (especially about student debt) .... work hard .. good luck! ... any chance you can get a job in a marketing-ish field with an aero firm and have them send you to school on their dime?

t4d

[hareek]

this tale is why i always recommend engineering students pick a school with a well oiled co-op program ... getting to work in the engineering field during undergrad times is a real eye opener and can go either way to either really cement one's committment to the field or drive one away as they see that 'real life' doesnt always match the 'demo' ...

Exactly I tell all youngsters today considering engineering to get summer work and internships with companies in the field they are considering because it really helps explain the reality of a given engineering field. Doing this is what helped me switch from mechanical to civil.

[tone4days]

use to build weapons, now you build targets?

[hareek]

use to build weapons, now you build targets?

More like used to design HVAC ductwork, now I design concrete.

[CTN]

Yeah I've been researching the field and the schools and whatnot. every little bit helps.

There are two universities in the Toronto area that offer aerospace engineering, both of which have co-op in/after third year, and something similar but within the univ. after 2nd year.

[GuitarStv]

your story reminds me why i think most HS guidance counselors should be exiled to an island where they do nothing but counsel each other for eternity

My HS guidance counselor told me to ditch math, physics, and chemistry since they were dropping my grade average too much . . . and that I should really focus on an english degree since my english marks were high. It was a WTF moment.

[GuitarStv]

Yeah I've been researching the field and the schools and whatnot. every little bit helps.

There are two universities in the Toronto area that offer aerospace engineering, both of which have co-op in/after third year, and something similar but within the univ. after 2nd year.

If you're thinking of going to ry-hi . . . I know a ton of aerospace guys who've graduated from there. None work in aerospace anymore, but they've all got decent jobs. Aerospace jobs in the GTA you're looking at Bombardier, Honeywell, P3, and Wescam. (A few other several smaller companies of course.)

[lazyfinger]

then i made the big mistake of going to grad school for environmental engineering to try and salvage my degree and now i'm completely disillusioned with the whole thing, after 7 years of school and $10K in student loans. (although it could have been worse on the student loan front.) after graduation i spent 19 months with an environmental consulting firm, basically writing reports and being my boss's scapegoat for his shortcomings and poor work ethic until they laid me off, and i've been unable to find work ever since.

Not to derail the thread, but that's the field I'm interested in and wanted to get into something similar. But with the current economy, and reading your experience, I'm having 2nd thoughts. I wanted to become career professional as an Environmental scientist/specialist, putting myself through grad school. It's a little disconcerting to think the world doesn't need professionals in the environmental field, working and innovating for conservation.

[longcat]

nope. they just want them to report the results they want to hear (on the government side), or tell them the absolute minimum they need to do to remain compliant (in the private sector).

there's no profit in conservation, so nobody cares.

my school also did a "co-op" program where some of the projects you could take on were from outside companies, but unfortunately i wasn't chosen for one. apparently i didn't kiss enough asses or something.

[LesStrat]

lc, my cousin earned a chE degree from Tulane. He was a supervisor w/in 3 years, and a couple of years later he ditched it and became a headhunter. I guess he overcame The Grand Illusion.

t4d has offered some valuable guidance. Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto.

Hopefully this discussion doesn't make you Snowblind, c2n.

[CTN]

If you're thinking of going to ry-hi . . . I know a ton of aerospace guys who've graduated from there. None work in aerospace anymore, but they've all got decent jobs. Aerospace jobs in the GTA you're looking at Bombardier, Honeywell, P3, and Wescam. (A few other several smaller companies of course.)

You went to UofT?

Also, LesStrat, It's good that I am getting these kinds of perspectives of the industry. It's eye opening, but it's not dissuading me at all

[ratherdashing]

Co-op program is a MUST for engineering. Not only does it put you light years ahead of everyone else in terms of employability, it also gives you an in with at least one employer (unless you totally blow it - don't do that).

[GuitarStv]

You went to UofT?

Also, LesStrat, It's good that I am getting these kinds of perspectives of the industry. It's eye opening, but it's not dissuading me at all

I went to U of Guelph. My first job in aerospace though, most of the engineers were from Ryerson and U of T.

[tone4days]

i would caution readers to not overgeneralize from LC's anecdote about her experience in the field ... the plural of story is not data .. if you can develop and execute a solid career prep and development plan, go for it!

my company (but not my local business unit) hires folks with env eng degrees and they do interesting work ... but its about ability, location, flexibility, and all other intangibles working in a profession (including luck, some of which you can make for yourself but most of which just kinda happens sometimes)

if you can develop and execute a comprehensive career prep and development plan, go for it! ... in fact, that holds true even if you've had setbacks

[LesStrat]

You went to UofT?

Also, LesStrat, It's good that I am getting these kinds of perspectives of the industry. It's eye opening, but it's not dissuading me at all

I wouldn't want you to feel like a Man in the Wilderness, drifting like a Boat on the River and asking, "Why Me?"

I suggest a Never Say Never approach.