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I'm a Junior in the Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering program at Virginia Tech. I was just rejected for an internship with NREIP, does anyone have any ideas what other summer jobs I could get with an extensive knowledge of structural engineering and fluid mechanics?
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Mar 4, 2011 00:40
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Martin Random posted:Take Slorb's advice with a grain of salt. Seriously. Take as an example his equivocation of project management with trial work. I've done project management and I've done trial work, and let me tell you, they're not comparable. As a project manager, I've never hired private investigators to steal the household garbage of my team mates, follow them around at restaurants to overhear their conversation, or try to destroy their ability to fight back by freezing the assets they need to live for invented bullshit reasons. Trials are wars. Project management may involve conflict, but at the end of the day, you're on the same team, and not trying to destroy each other. The same holds true for his dim comparison of byzantine regulatory wizardry with actual problem solving on a project. His reply was pithy and discouraging, but seriously, even the little that I know about engineering, I can tell it was easy to write but way, way off. I like engineering. It can be a respectable job where you get paid well for being creative and doing work that is deeply satisfying. It can also be soul crushing tedium that makes you want to drink. If I started talking about really wanting to practice animal rights law and how I was going to work at the ACLU I think you might have a similar response to what I feel when I see people talking about ray guns and inventing new energy devices. Its such a ridiculously broad field that its pretty hard to sum up the experience of working in engineering, or even electrical engineering in any universal way beside generic office work stuff. Until you do an internship or coop or three its really hard to know if you're going to like the reality of engineering.
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Mar 4, 2011 09:25
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slorb posted:I like engineering. That's really the difference here. Lawyers all hate their jobs.
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Mar 4, 2011 14:24
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Anyone hiring interns? I had my interviews all fall through. Mainly because I'm looking out-of-state and I've exhausted my contacts with no success. I could get a job locally fairly easily but I need a challenge. My Quals: Senior level computer engineering undergrad 1 year FPGA design, Verilog and VHDL 6 months PCB design with OrCAD 1.5 years Java development 1 year x86 assembly development 3 months of AVR C, which I'm currently teaching myself again with tiny85s and mega168s You know you want me! I'm that guy that people come to when they need a plan. I'm the guy that will attack a whiteboard and have a general solution for a problem within minutes.
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Mar 4, 2011 17:05
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Thoguh fucked around with this message at 14:49 on Aug 10, 2023 |
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Mar 4, 2011 19:56
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Thoguh posted:Where are you at? Nebraska, but I'm willing to relocate just about anywhere
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Mar 4, 2011 21:16
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I have a career path question. I recently graduated with a BSME and I'm about to get a job offer from a company that does planning, design and construction for high tech manufacturing facilities. It will mostly be HVAC work, which is not a field that I'm particularly interested in but I don't know how picky I can be in this job market (and it may turn out that I really enjoy it). If I want to change fields after a few years to something unrelated (dream job would be design work for tidal or wave power generators), would the unrelated experience be a hindrance?seo posted:Anyone hiring interns? I interned at Medtronic last summer, they may have something that would be interesting for you. I was in their microelectronics manufacturing facility and I saw some openings last week but they appear to be gone now. There are some openings in other locations though.
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Mar 4, 2011 23:52
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Satchmo posted:I interned at Medtronic last summer, they may have something that would be interesting for you. I was in their microelectronics manufacturing facility and I saw some openings last week but they appear to be gone now. There are some openings in other locations though. Just applied to the only computer engineering internship, although it looks like a software job. Like your situation, thats something I could do but would rather not get stuck in
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Mar 5, 2011 03:38
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I've been working in electronics manufacturing for a couple years now and would be happy to answer any questions. I thought about posting a thread but I don't know if there would be that much interest.Satchmo posted:I have a career path question. I recently graduated with a BSME and I'm about to get a job offer from a company that does planning, design and construction for high tech manufacturing facilities. It will mostly be HVAC work, which is not a field that I'm particularly interested in but I don't know how picky I can be in this job market (and it may turn out that I really enjoy it). If I want to change fields after a few years to something unrelated (dream job would be design work for tidal or wave power generators), would the unrelated experience be a hindrance? panascope fucked around with this message at 03:45 on Mar 5, 2011 |
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Mar 5, 2011 03:40
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Satchmo posted:I have a career path question. I recently graduated with a BSME and I'm about to get a job offer from a company that does planning, design and construction for high tech manufacturing facilities. It will mostly be HVAC work, which is not a field that I'm particularly interested in but I don't know how picky I can be in this job market (and it may turn out that I really enjoy it). If I want to change fields after a few years to something unrelated (dream job would be design work for tidal or wave power generators), would the unrelated experience be a hindrance? To answer your question: no, it would not hurt you. That experience, practical experience, would help you immensely and really give you a leg up over any entry level engineer in virtually any ME job.
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Mar 5, 2011 04:07
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seo posted:Nebraska, but I'm willing to relocate just about anywhere Awesome - I'll be starting to go to UNL in the fall for MechE. Are there really very many opportunities in the Lincoln/Omaha region for engineering?
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Mar 5, 2011 05:09
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Dr. Goonstein posted:Awesome - I'll be starting to go to UNL in the fall for MechE. Are there really very many opportunities in the Lincoln/Omaha region for engineering? not sure! i'm up in omaha and a comp eng, so I dont know about mechEs. the lincoln campus is pretty ballin though and gets more notice from employers
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Mar 5, 2011 09:53
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Thoguh fucked around with this message at 14:49 on Aug 10, 2023 |
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Mar 5, 2011 21:40
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Thoguh posted:Rockwell Collins isn't too far away from there and hires a lot of interns with those kind of qualifications. Have you applied there? I just want to say that advice like this doesn't really help anybody. When you're talking about companies like Rockwell and Lockheed, 90% of the time the person you're telling already knows, and if they don't they would have found out with 15 minutes on google or a job board. The only time it's helpful is if you talk about companies that aren't well known, or if you yourself are willing to stick your neck out to get their resume past the bored HR rep who's filtering them while barely paying attention to the content (because they're not engineers and don't understand what makes a good engineer on a resume). Remember that almost every posted position is getting a couple of hundred resumes sent for it, just telling someone that an opening exists doesn't help their chances at all. Edit: Not trying to single you out, this is a mistake that literally everyone who has tried to give me job "help" has made. And on that note, I'm an Aerospace grad who's been unemployed for two years, so if someone wants to stick their neck out for me in getting my resume through the door I'd appreciate it. Anywhere in the lower 48 is good, although the Los Angeles area is outright-ideal for me location wise (Not where I live, it's just where most of my friends got work already). Already posted the basics of my skills/qualificatoins in the jobs thread, so if you've got an aerospace/mechanical/manufacturing engineering connection and can give me a leg up, there's a nice dinner or a night of drinking in it for you if I get hired. ApathyGifted fucked around with this message at 02:22 on Mar 6, 2011 |
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Mar 5, 2011 23:48
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ApathyGifted posted:I just want to say that advice like this doesn't really help anybody. When you're talking about companies like Rockwell and Lockheed, 90% of the time the person you're telling already knows, and if they don't they would have found out with 15 minutes on google or a job board. this. also lockheed in eagan is closing up operations
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Mar 6, 2011 01:13
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”UZR IS BULLSHIT” posted:Not trying to crush your dreams, just offering some perspective. ”Murgos” posted:I don't want to smash your dreams but let me provide some perspective: Frankly, I really appreciate the input. I would much rather have dreams crushed now and change course than have spent years trying to execute them only to find out that my plan was bad. ”Thoguh” posted:I think your best bet would be to get a job in an engineering company that does tuition reimbursement in a non-engineering role and have them pay for you to get an EE degree or something. If your degree was in Math or Physics or something similar you'd have a shot at getting hired as an engineer, but with a degree in Philosophy and no real experience, right now your resume wouldn't even get a look. ”dxt” posted:good luck finding an engineering job with no engineering degree and no experience. I have a loving EE degree and can't get one. ”Murgos” posted:As posted above, the clear and easiest path ahead is to take a position at a company (or Lab) that does work in the field you are interested in and use their education services to complete a course of study ”LloydDobler” posted:Please just go to school. <hilarious and terrifying account of your co-worker that I could become> One of the exceptional benefits of my current job is that they pay 100% tuition & books for whatever type of classes I want (they would cover finger-painting if I wanted to take it). It sounds like using this to get an engineering degree is my next step. The only potential down-side is that for the 50 hours a week that I am at work, I wouldn’t be moving rapidly towards my goal. To focus my search, I’m going to make a list of some jobs that I would love to have and then talk to folks there/get your input about what background I would need (education/experience/etc.) to get them. Based on what I’ve been good at historically and what my interests are, I came up with some rough parameters: •I am making something new (vs. manufacturing someone else has made) •I am making something tangible (vs. creating a psychological result as one would in marketing or law) •I am making something on roughly a human scale (vs. fiddling with molecules/planets) •I am solving a variety of problems (one thing that I love about my current job is that I get to manage in a different department every year) •I want to make things that are functional, not necessarily attractive •I am not particularly interested in biology or computer science (though, I do find the occasional programing project entertaining) Do any jobs/types of jobs that satisfy these criteria jump to mind? One example that I thought looked awesome was working in Exxon’s (or any other big energy company, for that matter) R&D department. JamesWatt fucked around with this message at 19:37 on Mar 6, 2011 |
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Mar 6, 2011 19:35
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I was wondering if any one has any sort of opinion on Washington State University and University of Washington's ChemE programs? I would like to shoot for UW's program, but with my bad grades when I started college 10 years ago, I need to prepare for the worst, and so WSU is on my list. I would prefer UW as I already live in the Seattle area, and wouldn't need to move, but hey, if I need to move, I need to move. Basically, it looks like the UW's program is mostly theory, and this is why we do it, with a little hands on, and less time on actual ChemE classes. WSU's program looks more hands on, and this is how we do it, with more time spent in actual ChemE classes. This would be similar to what the engineering programs were like at University of Michigan, and Michigan State University, respectively. I would honestly prefer the more hands on program, but the higher 'prestige' of the UW program is hard to just brush aside. I would also need to move to attend WSU, and I need to get in to either first. Basically just trying to get some better ideas of the difference between the two.
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Mar 7, 2011 09:06
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I'd also like to know if there are any difference in terms of employability between graduates of a 'more theoretical' engineering program or a more 'hands on major'. Is there much checking beyond looking for ABET certification in engineering programs?
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Mar 7, 2011 13:58
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JamesWatt posted:Do any jobs/types of jobs that satisfy these criteria jump to mind? One example that I thought looked awesome was working in Exxon’s (or any other big energy company, for that matter) R&D department. There is a way to become a mechanical engineer with only a two year degree (or possibly no degree) and that is through machining. I am in school to get my BSME and recently turned down a job that would make a little better than your average graduate without a BSME. I got offered the job even though every other candidate had a BSME (and some more experience in CAD as well) because it was a company that does a lot of machining and prototype work of which I have a few years experience as well as understand the latest in technology of the field. Guys with experience setting up, programing, repairing, etc. CNC mills and lathes are respected very highly when it comes to becoming engineers. That said I turned it down because not having a BSME would be very limiting in the long term and also kills the chance of an MBA, which is in my plan. Lord Gaga fucked around with this message at 17:32 on Mar 7, 2011 |
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Mar 7, 2011 17:28
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timtastic posted:I'd also like to know if there are any difference in terms of employability between graduates of a 'more theoretical' engineering program or a more 'hands on major'. Is there much checking beyond looking for ABET certification in engineering programs? engineering technology programs are generally more hands on. I took classes/labs on welding, machining, casting, etc. I actually did all these things. The idea is that by learning how to weld, you will design parts that are easier to assemble. I did take less math, which made for a rude awakening when I went into a grad program. I only took calc 1, 2, differential equations and statistics. The math course was a review of Calc 1-4, differential equations and statistics. That coupled with the fact that I took the math courses 4 years earlier... Also, yes there is a big difference in employability coming out of college. One of the guys in my program was turned away because the company thought his degree was an associates, not a bachelors. Many companies simply don't take our resumes at job fairs and such. There is a stigma. Some of the bigger employers will still hire you, but not into the same positions, and moving upward is generally not possible with just an BS*ET. Molybdenum fucked around with this message at 18:51 on Mar 7, 2011 |
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Mar 7, 2011 18:45
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Molybdenum posted:There is a stigma. Some of the bigger employers will still hire you, but not into the same positions, and moving upward is generally not possible with just an BS*ET. This is a very big point. Where I work we have some people with ET degrees, but they can only move up to something like level 3 or 4 (out of 7 I think) after that you can't really go any higher without an Engineering BS degree. Same idea and even more-so with Associates degrees. I think you come in 1 level below 1...so level 0 I guess. Most of the people here with Associates Degrees are ex-military though.
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Mar 7, 2011 21:14
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Molybdenum posted:engineering technology programs are generally more hands on. I took classes/labs on welding, machining, casting, etc. I actually did all these things. The idea is that by learning how to weld, you will design parts that are easier to assemble. I did take less math, which made for a rude awakening when I went into a grad program. I only took calc 1, 2, differential equations and statistics. The math course was a review of Calc 1-4, differential equations and statistics. That coupled with the fact that I took the math courses 4 years earlier...
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Mar 8, 2011 00:24
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Got my employer review sheet from my interviews last week today. Basically the employer rates you on a 1 to 5 scale (5 being the best) based on Communication skills, Professional Appearance, Preparation, and Employment Consideration. I got fantastic scores across the board thanks to the suggestions posted here. The only problem any of the employers had with me was that I haven't taken Mass and Energy Balances/Thermo/Fluids yet (ChemE) due to having just changed majors last semester. Despite this it's still a possibility I'll get an offer. All four of the companies I interviewed with were particularly impressed by my preparation for the interviews such as having questions for them and knowing what the company does in general. As much as it was stressed here and at the career center on campus, you'd be surprised at how few people ask questions and show interest in the company their interviewing with at these things.
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Mar 8, 2011 01:48
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Thoguh fucked around with this message at 14:49 on Aug 10, 2023 |
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Mar 8, 2011 03:48
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Has anybody here joined Tau Beta Pi? I got invited to some informational session. Is it worthwhile to join and stick on your resume? I'm skeptical because I assume it doesn't really tell anybody anything that GPA alone wouldn't.
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Mar 8, 2011 04:21
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OctaviusBeaver posted:Has anybody here joined Tau Beta Pi? I got invited to some informational session. Is it worthwhile to join and stick on your resume? I'm skeptical because I assume it doesn't really tell anybody anything that GPA alone wouldn't. Tau Beta Pi and <engineering major specific honor society here> are good additions, I would say. They have neat little conferences you can go to for networking stuff. TBP and HKN 4 lyfe 
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Mar 8, 2011 04:58
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OctaviusBeaver posted:Has anybody here joined Tau Beta Pi? I got invited to some informational session. Is it worthwhile to join and stick on your resume? I'm skeptical because I assume it doesn't really tell anybody anything that GPA alone wouldn't. I joined it, but I can't say I exactly got a ton out of it. I mean, I guess I get a magazine sometimes which can have decent articles. Like you say, your resume should indicate your GPA already, and anyways no one is going to care about any of your honor societies once you get your first job and work for a while. I do know that some chapters are really active, so I guess if you're looking for a bit of camaraderie it can't hurt to join? The guy in charge of the chapter at University of Michigan keeps asking if I want to join with them in stuff, and I kept tell them to knock it off with the emails. Grad school is already enough work.
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Mar 8, 2011 05:35
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Thoguh fucked around with this message at 14:49 on Aug 10, 2023 |
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Mar 8, 2011 05:40
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Wolfy posted:I think he may have been asking a different question. Here the UC system has a rep of teaching a more theory oriented curriculum while the Cal states are viewed as hands on. The majors are the same but people seem to think there's a difference. Basically this. Same degrees, but I was wondering if the employers make any sort of distinction between the two programs, knowing that one's hands on, the other theory. Also, if my thoughts are true in regards to the school system here. Seeing that there is a trend of sorts in that regard, I'm going to lean that way. I'm hesitant of asking the advisors, as I've found most advisors will just tell you what you want to hear, or they think will make them look good, so you'll go their school.
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Mar 8, 2011 05:40
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Flyboy925 posted:Basically this. Same degrees, but I was wondering if the employers make any sort of distinction between the two programs, knowing that one's hands on, the other theory. Also, if my thoughts are true in regards to the school system here. Seeing that there is a trend of sorts in that regard, I'm going to lean that way. I'm hesitant of asking the advisors, as I've found most advisors will just tell you what you want to hear, or they think will make them look good, so you'll go their school.
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Mar 8, 2011 06:01
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I did mechatronics and manufacturing majors in australia and now i work in an automation and controls company doing building automation (pretty much HVAC control but also some security stuff). The work is quite varied considering the subject (airconditioning). I've designed, installed and commissioned the controls systems as well as having input into the mechanical design for systems for a fair few jobs now with a wide diversity in the end use. You'd be suprised the complexity that goes into something as simple as an office tower, to not being suprised by just how even more complex a pharmaceutical or electronics manufacturing plant conditioning system can be. I've almost always done the end to end project from the sales hand over to us (who always undersell the projects just to win work) to handing over the installation to the service guys (who always complain about the quality of the install even if you hand them something flawless). Laboratory conditioning has always been a favourite due to the laissez fair attitude about energy consumption in leiu of having the space at a flat temperature and humidity within some ridiculous tolerance level. My least favoured aspect is just the nature of the construction industry. Being typically a subcontractor of a subcontractor (controls is usually a subcontract to the mechanical subcontractor) and being one of the last people to finish on any construction site; all of the poo poo rolls downhill to you. You spend most of your time covering your rear end and fighting off the queue of idiots who want complicated things done yesterday who typically make your life miserable over poo poo that isn't your responsibility. Its long hours most of the time, and I've almost always been under-resourced for some reason. I guess its a symptom of the industry having been compressed down so far in terms of time and cost by the people holding the purse strings who figure they can save a few pennies. However, most projects either run behind or over budget; and of those projects the vast majority do both at the same time. Then at the end of the day you get a shitfight of contractors trying to backcharge eachother in a scramble to recover cost because people at the top failed to estimate correctly (that or deliberately underbid to get work). Then, at the end of the day after all that bullshit to finally get over the line, they all say "That was a good job yeah?" and start it all over again without learning anything. At any rate, the 3 or so years i've spent doing this stuff has been more than enough stress for me so i'm more or less about to start peeling together my resume to change engineering fields if i can to avoid the construction industry and its ailings. I'll end my rage here. I don't have any doubt of the experience that its given me. I've come from being a technically oriented individual to being both technically strong as well as a much more proficient in my ability to deal with other people no matter how buttfuck retarded they are. It has also been big or high risk projects that i've worked on with a diverse bunch of people and I doubt I would have had the opportunity to work on the range of projects I have. I'd recommend it, but I'd probably tell you to be a bit smarter about it than I was initially and really watch yourself so you don't find yourself doing longer and longer hours just to meet some lovely practical completion deadline that a bunch of faggotastic builders with no idea set (hell, they're probably trying to push everyone to finish weeks and weeks earlier so they can get a fat bonus for early completion. Lets not talk about how many defects rushing creates.)
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Mar 8, 2011 08:04
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Does anyone have any recommendations on studying for the Fundamentals of Engineering (electrical) exam? I'll definitely need to study because some of the stuff on their I've only had maybe one physics 101 class about (fluid dynamics anyone?) It looks like I'll need to buy something but if anyone has reccomendations that would be great.
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Mar 9, 2011 01:34
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The Moon Monster posted:Does anyone have any recommendations on studying for the Fundamentals of Engineering (electrical) exam? I'll definitely need to study because some of the stuff on their I've only had maybe one physics 101 class about (fluid dynamics anyone?)
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Mar 9, 2011 02:48
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movax posted:Tau Beta Pi and <engineering major specific honor society here> are good additions, I would say. They have neat little conferences you can go to for networking stuff. Yeah I showed up to the informational meeting and I think I'm going to go ahead and join. Not to expensive and it can't hurt. Plus there were some cute female engineers there, so that doesn't hurt. Pfirti86 posted:I joined it, but I can't say I exactly got a ton out of it. I mean, I guess I get a magazine sometimes which can have decent articles. Like you say, your resume should indicate your GPA already, and anyways no one is going to care about any of your honor societies once you get your first job and work for a while. I heard this one isn't that active right now, but it just depends on the president. If nothing else it gives you the chance to bs with some profs at the meeting. Thoguh posted:If your chapter is active, it might be worth it just for the networking (both now and 5 years down the road when you are looking for a new job and your buddy from TBP happens to know of one). I'm already in the IEEE, but I agree, this can't hurt.
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Mar 9, 2011 04:23
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The Moon Monster posted:Does anyone have any recommendations on studying for the Fundamentals of Engineering (electrical) exam? I'll definitely need to study because some of the stuff on their I've only had maybe one physics 101 class about (fluid dynamics anyone?) Get the Casio FX-115, its a great calculator, and learn to use it. Does your school have FE review sessions? Go to them, and learn some of that other Engineering stuff from classes you don't have to take. Use that stuff, the FE ref manual, and your new calculator to study for it. The first part of the FE exam is just general engineering. The 2nd part is more specific; Electrical, Chem, Mechanical, or another general. You get an opportunity to look at all of them and decide which one to take. You'll do best taking the General or Electrical section, just check and see which one you can confidently answer the most questions in and you'll be fine. SB35 fucked around with this message at 06:02 on Mar 9, 2011 |
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Mar 9, 2011 05:58
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As far as engineering societies, when I look at resumes I ignore them unless there is something like "President" or "Activities Chair" after it. If you join, be involved and get leadership experience and talking points.
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Mar 9, 2011 23:54
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Brendas Baby Daddy posted:As far as engineering societies, when I look at resumes I ignore them unless there is something like "President" or "Activities Chair" after it. If you join, be involved and get leadership experience and talking points.
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Mar 10, 2011 02:49
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A Jew in Manhattan posted:Do the people in charge of hiring only like to see engineering related societies and clubs? I have leadership experience in a large non-engineering student club. No, non-engineering activities are good too. I know a lot of people I interviewed with while I was in college liked seeing that I was on my school's ultimate team (and I wasn't even an officer or anything).
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Mar 10, 2011 03:04
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Thoguh fucked around with this message at 14:49 on Aug 10, 2023 |
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Mar 10, 2011 06:35
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Thoguh posted:At my company, when we review resumes for internships/co-ops and also for new hires, we score prospects three areas I've mentored multiple undergraduates in multi-year long projects. I also work collaboratively on projects across departments and universities with other researchers. Should I bring that up under 'leadership and teamwork'?
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Mar 10, 2011 16:56
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