What do you do for a living?

[chacho44]

I work for Ford Motor Company at the dearborn truck. We build all the F150's, lariat, Harley, limited, king ranch, Lincoln, platinum, Raptor. I set the truck up with all the locks, ignition, and keys. Also install the wipers motor, clip for the front facia, drivers side hood shock.

 

[DSG SNAKE]

Can't speak for everyone but I have a friend that graduated and had a job within a month in the field.

Depends on when you graduated and what you did while going to school. It was tough for me to find a job since I graduated in 08, didn't do co-op or intern and my grades weren't the best. Several people I know didn't find engineering work for over 2 years after graduating. Engineering hiring has picked up this year it seems though. Recruiters will say there is a shortage of engineers but I disagree.

 

[Dr00p]

I knew I couldn't sit behind a desk and I wanted to get into law enforcement, so a few years back I heard on the radio that the US Border Patrol was hiring. Filled out my app, took a few tests, and a year and a half later I was in New Mexico training at the academy. Now I live in Texas in BFE running around the desert playing hide and seek. Other then the shitty location and being away from family and friends I love my job, I mean I get to track people all day for miles, over mountains and trough some rough terrain, but when you have been walking for hours on end and finally get the people you've been chasing it's definitely a good feeling!

On that note I have to be at work in an hour, good luck with your search!

 

[smooth]

If you like playing with cars as a hobby, I suggest doing something non automotive related. I used to absolutely love painting cars/bikes whatever it didn't matter, my love for painting turned into a great career but I now absolutely hate painting cars/etc. I really wanted to be a firefighter growing up and wished I would have pursued it

 

[2492harrison]

If you like playing with cars as a hobby, I suggest doing something non automotive related. I used to absolutely love painting cars/bikes whatever it didn't matter, my love for painting turned into a great career but I now absolutely hate painting cars/etc. I really wanted to be a firefighter growing up and wished I would have pursued it

I agree, I went to CC for auto body and worked in it for a short time and soon realized I couldn't do that stuff for another 20-30 years. I'm currently working on my Business degree at northwood in Automotive Management. I like working in the industry but I like leaving the wrenching to my stuff at home.

 

[Birdie2000]

Highly disagree with that. The market is FLOODED with "laid off" ME's, most of whom also have an MBA and years of experience.

--Joe

Yeah, I dunno about that either. Maybe it's a desire for fresh blood because I know of a few ME's who have graduated within the last year or two and they got pretty decent jobs pretty soon after graduating. One guy I know now graduates in a couple weeks and the place he co-op'd at (a very large auto supplier) actually created a job position for him paying IMO very good money for someone fresh out of college.

In engineering, I think it's coming down to if you're pretty good at it, there's work to be had. But, you can't just be average. One of my buddies actually had headhunters coming after him within a year-ish of graduating. He had a few job opportunities and took a great ME job at Eaton working on the supercharger program that he absolutely loves last I talked to him about it.

 

[SVTSINR]

Highly disagree with that. The market is FLOODED with "laid off" ME's, most of whom also have an MBA and years of experience.

--Joe

Ford can't find decent ME's to save their life, they keep bringing back retires that were forced out. If you have the patience I would get the BSME, if not get an associate in CAD and start working.

Ford and Chrylser are rampimg up big time and there will be a huge nutrition in the next 10 years. Almost everyone I work with is 45 and up and have over 25 years. I would be looking to get a degree that will fill those jobs.

I've always liked doing CAD and the pay is great when you have a few years experience. There's a few guys at Ford that will clear $170K doing 60 hour weeks this year. Not bad for having no degree or even a 2 year.

I'm an engineering and a career student. Working on my 3rd degree now, you can never stop learning.

 

[white1995gt]

In reference to the original post.

If and only if you are good at mathematics or were above average in highschool should you consider engineering. All engineering classes no mater if it's electrical, mechanical, computer, etc have the same basic pre-professional engineering math courses (Calculus 1,2,3 and Differential Equations), and that's the best scenario if you place into Calc 1. It only gets harder especially for mechanical engineers in terms of math. On top of taking courses related to mechanical engineering I also have to take a little of everything engineering related. I'm not saying it to scare you but I've seen too many guys/girls switch around their majors and waste money because they can't keep up because of the mathematics.

If you do decide to take on engineering go to Oakland University, stay away from Wayne State. I'm there now and their program sucks. Not because teachers aren't good but because required courses aren't offered each semester so it'll take you forever to graduate. Though if you work it's perfect because most engineering courses are in the late afternoon.

 

[white1995gt]

By the way some of the top earners in the country no matter if they're lawyers, doctors, business owners had their bachelors degree in some kind of engineering. It's definitely a good start if you want to learn something.

 

[2492harrison]

Ford can't find decent ME's to save their life, they keep bringing back retires that were forced out. If you have the patience I would get the BSME, if not get an associate in CAD and start working.

Ford and Chrylser are rampimg up big time and there will be a huge nutrition in the next 10 years. Almost everyone I work with is 45 and up and have over 25 years. I would be looking to get a degree that will fill those jobs.

I've always liked doing CAD and the pay is great when you have a few years experience. There's a few guys at Ford that will clear $170K doing 60 hour weeks this year. Not bad for having no degree or even a 2 year.

I'm an engineering and a career student. Working on my 3rd degree now, you can never stop learning.

yep, I work at the chrysler tech center and the median age is 45-50 and they have 400+ job postings in salaried positions just at the tech center

 

[89-LX]

I'm an airline pilot flying passengers around. Awesome job, shit pay. Stay away!

 

[mrvids]

Depends on when you graduated and what you did while going to school. It was tough for me to find a job since I graduated in 08, didn't do co-op or intern and my grades weren't the best. Several people I know didn't find engineering work for over 2 years after graduating. Engineering hiring has picked up this year it seems though. Recruiters will say there is a shortage of engineers but I disagree.

I talked to professor at Kettering this week and he said they have a shortage of engineers, and the school currrently has 40 open positions for engineering co-op students. I do a know a Kettering grad who finished school about 5 years ago and he had a difficult time finding work in Michigan. Maybe it depends on the type of engineer as I know there are a lot of different categories.

 

[Birdie2000]

I feel like I'm stating the obvious here, but just because someone graduates with an engineering degree does not make them a good/decent engineer nor a desirable employee. Just because some people can't get jobs as engineers doesn't mean that engineers aren't needed, it's just that good engineers are needed, and time on the job doesn't always dictate how good someone is either. There's a difference between having 20 years of experience and having 1 year of experience for 20 years.

 

[2492harrison]

I feel like I'm stating the obvious here, but just because someone graduates with an engineering degree does not make them a good/decent engineer nor a desirable employee. Just because some people can't get jobs as engineers doesn't mean that engineers aren't needed, it's just that good engineers are needed, and time on the job doesn't always dictate how good someone is either. There's a difference between having 20 years of experience and having 1 year of experience for 20 years.

yeah no shit, i had to point out to an indian engineer the other that that having a bunch of pieces welded together would be weaker then just having a single solin piece in a test fixture.

 

[F-crazy]

Up untill recently i floated from job to job..basically on a path to nowhere with more responsibility then i honestly cared to have to deal with...I made excuses for my early shut doors and kinda lost my drive to really strive for something..I had a baby and was slapped with a healthy dose of self realization that i was one "of those" people...floating through life with no purpose..


I went ahead and signed up for truck driving school starting in a week...its a 4 week course, with 100% guaranteed LIFETIME job placement..
So in a month ill have my CDL-A and a career with 40k starting..
full benefits for m family, 401k everything.
Ive already had werner enterprises call me and offer a job..I got an offer from atlas oil hauling fuel..I may go with them becasue its local, home everyday..and in 5 years ill be topped out at 90k,,,but itll only be 16/hr for a year or so untill i get into a class A truck, but then ill be hauling 50,000 gallons of jet fuel..

 

[4Gas$]

Up untill recently i floated from job to job..basically on a path to nowhere with more responsibility then i honestly cared to have to deal with...I made excuses for my early shut doors and kinda lost my drive to really strive for something..I had a baby and was slapped with a healthy dose of self realization that i was one "of those" people...floating through life with no purpose..


I went ahead and signed up for truck driving school starting in a week...its a 4 week course, with 100% guaranteed LIFETIME job placement..
So in a month ill have my CDL-A and a career with 40k starting..
full benefits for m family, 401k everything.
Ive already had werner enterprises call me and offer a job..I got an offer from atlas oil hauling fuel..I may go with them becasue its local, home everyday..and in 5 years ill be topped out at 90k,,,but itll only be 16/hr for a year or so untill i get into a class A truck, but then ill be hauling 50,000 gallons of jet fuel..

What is the name of the "truck driving school"
How much did it cost?
Dose it include the "road test" for the SOS?
How did you like it?

 

[smoked72]

common sense 101

I feel like I'm stating the obvious here, but just because someone graduates with an engineering degree does not make them a good/decent engineer nor a desirable employee. Just because some people can't get jobs as engineers doesn't mean that engineers aren't needed, it's just that good engineers are needed, and time on the job doesn't always dictate how good someone is either. There's a difference between having 20 years of experience and having 1 year of experience for 20 years.

I totally agree. The one course that is not offered in college and that SHOULD be is "common sense 101". I have dealt with many highly educated engineers that can crunch numbers in excel and TELL you how to build it but are truley stupid when it comes to common sense especially when they have to use their brains and not a spreadsheet.

 

[2492harrison]

I totally agree. The one course that is not offered in college and that SHOULD be is "common sense 101". I have dealt with many highly educated engineers that can crunch numbers in excel and TELL you how to build it but are truley stupid when it comes to common sense especially when they have to use their brains and not a spreadsheet.

I agree. I have dealt with engineers who have masters and phd's and they are just blank when it comes to common sense

 

[OldbutNew]

I agree. I have dealt with engineers who have masters and phd's and they are just blank when it comes to common sense

"Common Sense" is the biggest oxymoron in existence. A LOT of the engineers I work with could not get through the syllabus for "Common Sense 101". The BEST ones in the car business are the ones who WANT to be there. The ones who LOVE cars. Earlier in this thread I mentioned a kid I met who worked his way through engineering school working on people's cars. He had practical experience to go with the academics. He had a passion for where he wanted to go. He had 8 job offers coming out of school. No idea which one he's taking. I hope I see him at work!!

 

[webleedorange619]

My dad has been an engineer ay Chrysler for 35 years (and running)..... No degree, just high school. He has been arwarded many times for various things he has done there. And considering he was only laid off once (back in the early 80's for less then a year) says alot about his skills and knowledge.

Now if you asked him how to do calculus and differentual equations he would be clueless. I would have liked to be an engineer but I know im not cut out for all that math. Yet I still know alot more about common mechanics then alot of my buddies who are engineering grads.

I chose to get my BBA in supply chain managment which is a growing field, and so far I love it. Some aspects of it are like engineering without alot of the math requirments (mostly operations). Its a great field due to the versatiliy of the degree, almost all idustries hire supply chain professionals (auto, technology, food, ect). Also it can be used several ways.. Logistics, Procurement, Purchasing, Supply chain, ect.

Somthing I would recommend you look into, also one of the BEST schools in the nation for SCM is located in Michigan - Michigan State, I wish I would have just went to MSU because of the name. In the SCM world its like going to Harvord law to be a lawyer.