Engineers or Engineering Spouses...

[Aubrey]

Dh is working a temp research job that will end a week from Friday, & he's been looking for work for months. His approach thus far has been to cast his net wide, applying for everything, but for the last couple of days, we've been talking about perhaps honing his tactics.

 

His brother recommended choosing an industry & focusing on companies w/in that industry. The problem for dh is that his res is primarily focused on sales & customer service. We married young, immediately started having babies, & he took whatever entry level position he could find.

 

He's also currently in seminary, but there are insiginficant scholarships available, no student loans, and little work available in the area that pays above $10/hr. So, whether or not he continues seminary at all, at this school, etc., is sort-of a side issue right now.

 

At this point, he can continue to build his customer service/sales experience & try to work up that ladder, but the jobs seem to be low-paying, & it's a type of work he really doesn't like.

 

Obviously, he'll take what he can get, but in helping him hone his approach, I've suggested he follow his brother's advice & try to choose an industry he'd enjoy. I've been telling him for years that he'd love engineering, be good at it, etc. He's convinced now that that's true, but he's afraid it's too late. I figure 30 more years of doing something you hate has to make it worth while, kwim?

 

Anyway, I was thinking that if he could find a job doing sales or cust service at an engineering firm, perhaps he could do night classes or something in the mean time. What I'm wondering is

 

a) is there any point to getting into an engineering *firm* in a position other than engineer? &

 

b) would he become qualified for *anything* more than what he's currently qualified for before completing the entire degree? Iow, in seminary, having a few classes under your belt makes you able to get a PT ministry position. I'm not sure an engineering degree would work the same way, but it would be really encouraging to him if it would.

 

c) how much does it matter where he goes to school?

 

If this is a really stupid idea, I do need to know, but please be gentle. I'm feeling kind-of desperate today.

[Diane in CO]

Well I don't know about the engineeringcompanies in TX (although I lived there for 18+ years ;)), however when we lived in CO my DH got a temp job with Seagate Technologies in the receiving department and got hired on f/t 6 months later. Seagate paid for his bachelors degree while he worked there and he was promoted to the testing lab during the time he was pursuing his degree. IF he had stayed there he could have gotten a position as an engineer and made 70,000+ a year. The fact that he had a bachelors degree and had on-the-job-training would have made up for the fact that he didn't have a master (although he could have pursued that as well and the company would have paid for it). Instead he is pursuing his Ph.D in Archaeology here in NM.

 

My suggestion for your DH is to try temping with the possibility of being hired on f/t....once he can get his foot in the door at a good company the possibilities will open up. Good Luck to you and your DH in this job search!!!

[Aubrey]

Well I don't know about the engineeringcompanies in TX (although I lived there for 18+ years ;)), however when we lived in CO my DH got a temp job with Seagate Technologies in the receiving department and got hired on f/t 6 months later. Seagate paid for his bachelors degree while he worked there and he was promoted to the testing lab during the time he was pursuing his degree. IF he had stayed there he could have gotten a position as an engineer and made 70,000+ a year. The fact that he had a bachelors degree and had on-the-job-training would have made up for the fact that he didn't have a master (although he could have pursued that as well and the company would have paid for it). Instead he is pursuing his Ph.D in Archaeology here in NM.

 

My suggestion for your DH is to try temping with the possibility of being hired on f/t....once he can get his foot in the door at a good company the possibilities will open up. Good Luck to you and your DH in this job search!!!

 

That's really encouraging. That's kind of what I was thinking, but I make stuff up so much, I never know when to believe myself. lol

 

BTW, dh thinks archaeology is SO cool. He would love to do that, too. So many choices, so little time. :001_smile:

[Diane in CO]

There is always time! My dh will be 43 years old this summer and is in his first year of grad school. He is finally pursuing his dream, although he will be almost 50 by the time he has his Ph.D. The motto in our household is better late than never :D

[KatieJ]

My hubby is an Engineer, but there are so many fields in that area that I don't know that we are talking about the same fields, but here I go.

Hubby started out in Maintenance and worked his way up the hard way. He is now a facilities engineering manager. He never did get more than a 2 year degree, the rest of his knowledge is short courses and hard work.

 

There is an old adage that says figure out what you love and find a way to get paid for it.

 

Go for it! Keep encouraging him Aubrey, you are the best support he can have!

Edited May 6, 2009 by KatieinMich

[Tree House Academy]

My dh is an Engineer. He did go and get his 4 year degree (a BSME), but didn't finish until he was 28. Then, he went to work for a small company and made peanuts for about 3 years. Then he went to work for GE and wowza. They trained him in Six Sigma and he is now a Six Sigma black belt. That goes a LONG way in the engineering world. He went from making peanuts to making triple digits in a matter of 5 years. :) He just kept going and learning and doing. They pay for his masters, but currently, he still has his BSME along with his Six Sigma black belt and T-plus/Lean training. Now dh is a manager over realibility and safety design engineering at a fortune 100 company. Working hard definitely makes a difference.

 

That said, dh also has an engineer that works for him who started out in the lab as just a lab technician. This guy has a 2 year degree and has worked his way up. He has been with the company over 10 years, but they did send him for extra training (once they saw promise in him and his designs) and now he is an engineer in title and salary even though he does not have the degree dh started with.

 

If he is interested in the field, then it can't hurt to try it on for size.

[abreakfromlife]

My dh works for a small civil engineering firm. He started as an intern in his jr or senior summer of high school.....he worked there all through college - full time during the summer, part time during college (we were married and had kids by then, too).......he graduated with a civil degree 3 years ago and has worked full time as an engineer in training since......he just passed his PE, so now he'll be a licensed engineer, finally!

 

I don't know how other engineering fields work, but at dh's civil firm, they do a lot of field work and staking and surveying type stuff......that's what dh did, and still does, before he got his degree. They have one guy that has worked there for 10ish years who doesn't have an engineering degree - I don't think he has any degree, actually, and does a lot of field work and inspecting of jobs. They have another guy who isn't an engineer who does a lot of CAD drawings.....

 

Right now, with the economy, their business has slowed down. Dh and I keep talking about how they should go around to towns and companies trying to drum up some jobs; I could almost see how a sales type of guy could be handy.

 

Even before my dh graduated, he was doing pretty much full-time engineering jobs, designing, etc....and was just having the other engineers check his work.

 

I think it's worth looking into if he'd really be interested in it.

[Tree House Academy]

Also wanted to add that I am a technical writer. I actually met dh because I was working with him on a project for which I was writing the manual. I made great money and learned a whole lot about engineering and what engineers do just from being *in the way* ;)

[MBM]

There are many different positions in engineering firms.

 

My youngest brother is an engineer who works for Intel. His wife works in training and development (I'm not sure what the exact title of her department is) at Intel as well, and she has a degree in education from the former USSR. Her job pays about $40K which isn't too bad.

 

HTH and good luck!

 

:)

[snickelfritz]

He manages the engineering department for a manufacturing company that builds heat exchangers for, primarily, the oil industry.

 

First,

Has he considered trade school?

 

In dh's experience, the types of people that can do design work without an engineering degree have come up through the ranks (often drafting.) Many of those have been through a 2 year drafting program. Most companies hiring draftsmen will require either a drafting degree or equivalent job related experience.

 

Dh did say that, in his experience, people go through engineering to get to sales.

 

But, dh also said that connections are very important. If he could get hired on in some capacity, it would help him later on when he was ready to advance.

 

Dh's company is small and doesn't go through the huge buildup and then lay off of employees, but he says most big engineering firms are de-staffing right now.

Edited May 6, 2009 by snickelfritz

[SherryTX]

The term engineer can mean many different things. Electrical, Mechanical, Civil, Structural, Software, Hardware, Manufacturing, etc. etc.etc.

When you say he wants to go into engineering - what does he mean by that? Depending on the state you are in, you need to actually get not only a 4 year degree in an engineering field, but also pass a test and get a PE (Professional Engineer) license to work with the title of Engineer. There are a lot of variables.

 

Yes - there are several types of positions that engineering firms have. Engineering Pre-Sales is a very good field, but many times you have to have technical experience or a formal education related to the field. Also, getting a job as an engineering tech is a great start as well. However, once again, depending on the field, it usually requires some formal or military training.

 

It is a hard question to answer until your husband has picked his industry and is more focused. If he is looking to get into any company that is in manufacturing Six Sigma training is a good idea. Many companies will provide it, but one can take classes at colleges or even online nowadays.

 

(I have about 8 years experience recruiting into several different type of Engineering related positions.)

[OneRoomSchoolHouse]

I have a chemical engineering degree and my dh has a civil engineering degree. A little backgroud: We married at 19, unexpectedly got pregnant 6 months after we were married and we both still graduated on time with our dd being 18 months old. An engineering degree is definately hard work! The choice you would have to make is which field of engineering to get into. Chemical engineering has a very wide realm of possibilities and pays the highest starting out. As a ChemE you can work in the agricultural, chemical, food, pharmicuticals, refining, and more. I started out from college in the mid 50's, but the kicker is that I went into Environmental (laws and regulations for the air, water, and waste from the chemical plants). I quit after 5 years to stay home with my dc's and was making 6 figures at the time.

 

My dh on the other hand, started out making in the low 40's. As a Civil Engineer you are almost required to get your Professional Engineering license (PE) and once you get that (after 4 years of having your degree and passing 2 tests), your salary ceiling opens up alot more than for a ChemE. My dh is currently the boss in a branch office and could potentially work for himself, although is still is not making as much as I did before I quit.

 

Of all the fields to go into, I highly recommened Civil because the course material is much easier and it is much easier to get on as an intern and learn how to design like someone else mentioned. Currently my dh has a guy working for him that is going to school part time and working full-time. The guy is a CAD drawer and makes $35k.

I would push very hard for him to get into the Environmental field, no matter which degree he decides on. All business that make products require environmental staff and no matter how the economy is doing, environmental staff are still required to make the required monthly, quarterly, yearly reports to the state and federal agencies. Plus, the money is VERY good. I hired the dh of a friend who was working at Home Depot and my company was paying for his tuiton to get his civil engineering degree once we saw how promising he was. They also were very flexible to work around his school hours.

 

I have so much more to say on this subject, but am afriad I will bore everyone to tears. Please pm me is you need to talk more, I know this is such a hard decision to make!!

[SquirrellyMama]

I would also suggest a 2 year degree to start. My dh is a computer engineer. He has said before that they were hiring people with 2 year degrees as long as it had engineering or computer in the name of the degree. I think they are now open to Management Information Systems degrees too.

[OhM]

I'm an engineer (electrical) and work part-time for Jacobs, which is a huge multi-national firm, but our office is relatively small - less than 50 people. I have a unique situation, because my husband works there and recommended me. I was hired out of desperation when they had great need, so I was able to negotiate a less than half time position.

 

They have a wide range of opportunities across the country (and around the world). Maybe your dh could find a local fit for his experience. Here's their careers website. Good luck!

[Ria]

My dh is a ChemE (BS) and MechE (MS); my son is a sophomore majoring in civil engineering. I'd second the 2-year degree to start, but he'd still need to do the remaining 2 years at some point.

 

Not to discourage you, but engineering degrees are a lot of work, and require a lot of time to study and work on projects, etc. Ds has a good friend who's a draftsman. The guy really wanted to go into engineering, and the company was willing to pay for his courses. Unfortunately, he just couldn't handle more than one course per semester, and calc 3 and differential equations got the better of him. He gave up.

[Heather in Savannah]

He is not a degreed Engineer and has found that there are limitations(the company he worked for the past 2+ yrs will not hire you full time without a 4 yr Engineering degree). He would dearly love to obtain his degree, but cannot find a school which offers a part-time degree program. He cannot afford to quit work and only study. I'm not sure how this would work into your family situation. I too would second the Environmental Engineering field...I think it is the Engineering of the future. My dh's field is Automotive/Aerospace and those areas are rapidly declining...however, as a previous poster indicated, even those fields have research departments and government guidlelines to follow which focus on the environmental aspects. I heard the tone of desperation in your posting, and you have my sympathies...I know that feeling.

Blessings

[Blueridge]

Bless your heart. Be encouraged! At least he is interested in working. :D My dh was actually in the same groove that your dh was early on in our marriage. He has a degree in business but it just didn't suit him. He floated in wildly different fields (mortgage lending...fast food management...) and then decided to look at the military before he was too old to consider it! He took the ASVAB test, which was extremely helpful in showing him exactly what his greatest aptitudes/strengths were. It is used to place people in the career fields that they would most likely be successful in. Dh scored, to his great surprise, extremely high in the electronics/engineering areas. He got top-notch training in the Navy that led up to his career as an engineer in the cellular telephone industry. So, perhaps your dh should look at sample practice ASVAB tests online. He could also call a military recruitment center to ask about taking one (without enlisting). It could possibly help him turn toward the right direction. Blessings~

Ginger

[Aunty Social]

When I was in my early 20's, dh was finishing up his masters and we had an infant. I have no degree, but took the state civil service exam. Depending on your score, you got put on a list and called when state jobs opened up. Not certain to get into an engineering profession, but it's a good backup.

[sixpence1978]

I'm not sure I will add anything new, but DH (and I at one point) works in the engineering field.

 

I agree, there are many different types of engineering, and they will all vary a bit.

 

I was a computer engineering major in college. IMO, if he is looking to enter that area, no a degree is not always asked for. Obviously it helps tremendously, but with the right skills, he could find a job.

 

My DH is an aerospace engineer. You could find some entry level mechanical (think hands on, trade skills) that might work. But a degree is really required in this area. My DH is now finding that he isn't getting the raises he wants because he doesn't yet have his MS. A lot of the companies will help you pay for education degrees though, which is nice.

 

If your DH is interested in getting started with engineering, be prepared for a lot of work. Getting the degrees require a lot of work that isn't always easy. But it is very rewarding.

[Aubrey]

Dh has a degree in History, fwiw. I've been kind-of hoping that a 2nd bachelor's would be...a smidge easier than getting the 1st one. Or maybe he could do some leveling work & go on to the MS.

 

I realize there are huge differences between the degrees, but--does that make any difference w/ regard to getting into a company, do you think?

 

Thanks, ladies, for all of your insightful & encouraging replies.

[snickelfritz]

But, I do have an engineering degree. So, I can speak to degree requirements.

 

How much science and math has your dh had?

 

Honestly, I had few non-science or non-math courses that I had to take. Typical U.S. history, government, freshman comp, and a couple of generic humanities that had to meet certain requirements, speech, technical writing, etc.... And you want those spaced in with the hardcore math/science courses to lighten the load.

 

The rest....you pretty much hit the ground running with Calc 1, Calc 2, Differential Equations, math elective, Physics 1 and 2 for science majors, Chemistry 1 and 2 for science majors, science elective...etc..... THOSE are the pre-requisite courses that filled up my first 2 years of basics.

 

So, while I won't say never...I don't think he would even *want* to start with at a M.S. level in engineering. Unless he took a lot of extra math and science courses in his previous major, I think he would probably still have a good 3-4 years of study left in a bachelors program. My program took me 5 years. I did switch degrees, but from biochemistry to engineering...so I didn't lose any classes.

 

I'm not trying to discourage you. I'm really not. If his passion would be engineering, than I'm encouraging of that. But, you do need to know what you're getting into.

 

As far as what university you attend. Unless he would be going on for a masters, Ph.D. studies, or really getting into heavy duty research....it doesn't make much difference. When dh is hiring, he doesn't really care what college they came from. He wants to see a degree(or enough work experience to make up for it), see their skill sets, evaluate their relationship skills, etc...

[Shelly in the Country]

The rest....you pretty much hit the ground running with Calc 1, Calc 2, Differential Equations, math elective, Physics 1 and 2 for science majors, Chemistry 1 and 2 for science majors, science elective...etc..... THOSE are the pre-requisite courses that filled up my first 2 years of basics.

 

 

 

 

Agreeing with the previous poster. My dh is an engineer with a BSME. Other than the Chemistry, this sounds like his first two years of courses...at least I don't think he had any Chem. After that I think the last two years of college were more specialized classes (he has a fluid/thermal specialization). He had VERY FEW electives in college. It was all math/science classes over in the engineering building on campus. You don't need your PE in the type of manufacturing jobs my dh has had. Most people don't have their PEs as a matter of fact.....but it doesn't hurt either.

 

Edit: Nvm, he told me yes, he had Chemistry. Whoops...

Edited May 6, 2009 by Shelly in the Country

[Aubrey]

But, I do have an engineering degree. So, I can speak to degree requirements.

 

How much science and math has your dh had?

 

Honestly, I had few non-science or non-math courses that I had to take. Typical U.S. history, government, freshman comp, and a couple of generic humanities that had to meet certain requirements, speech, technical writing, etc.... And you want those spaced in with the hardcore math/science courses to lighten the load.

 

The rest....you pretty much hit the ground running with Calc 1, Calc 2, Differential Equations, math elective, Physics 1 and 2 for science majors, Chemistry 1 and 2 for science majors, science elective...etc..... THOSE are the pre-requisite courses that filled up my first 2 years of basics.

 

So, while I won't say never...I don't think he would even *want* to start with at a M.S. level in engineering. Unless he took a lot of extra math and science courses in his previous major, I think he would probably still have a good 3-4 years of study left in a bachelors program. My program took me 5 years. I did switch degrees, but from biochemistry to engineering...so I didn't lose any classes.

 

I'm not trying to discourage you. I'm really not. If his passion would be engineering, than I'm encouraging of that. But, you do need to know what you're getting into.

 

As far as what university you attend. Unless he would be going on for a masters, Ph.D. studies, or really getting into heavy duty research....it doesn't make much difference. When dh is hiring, he doesn't really care what college they came from. He wants to see a degree(or enough work experience to make up for it), see their skill sets, evaluate their relationship skills, etc...

 

That makes sense, & it's actually good news. He finished his BA at a state sch nearby who'd take him back (w/ a scholarship if he stuck to hist) in a heartbeat.

 

It sounds like the BS level will be best for him, but the good news is, he took Trig & Bio for Bio majors, for fun. I think he made As in both...well...he graduated w/ a 4.0, so he must have.

[Vida Winter]

Dh is working a temp research job that will end a week from Friday, & he's been looking for work for months. His approach thus far has been to cast his net wide, applying for everything, but for the last couple of days, we've been talking about perhaps honing his tactics.

 

His brother recommended choosing an industry & focusing on companies w/in that industry. The problem for dh is that his res is primarily focused on sales & customer service. We married young, immediately started having babies, & he took whatever entry level position he could find.

 

He's also currently in seminary, but there are insiginficant scholarships available, no student loans, and little work available in the area that pays above $10/hr. So, whether or not he continues seminary at all, at this school, etc., is sort-of a side issue right now.

 

At this point, he can continue to build his customer service/sales experience & try to work up that ladder, but the jobs seem to be low-paying, & it's a type of work he really doesn't like.

 

Obviously, he'll take what he can get, but in helping him hone his approach, I've suggested he follow his brother's advice & try to choose an industry he'd enjoy. I've been telling him for years that he'd love engineering, be good at it, etc. He's convinced now that that's true, but he's afraid it's too late. I figure 30 more years of doing something you hate has to make it worth while, kwim?

 

Anyway, I was thinking that if he could find a job doing sales or cust service at an engineering firm, perhaps he could do night classes or something in the mean time. What I'm wondering is

 

a) is there any point to getting into an engineering *firm* in a position other than engineer? &

 

b) would he become qualified for *anything* more than what he's currently qualified for before completing the entire degree? Iow, in seminary, having a few classes under your belt makes you able to get a PT ministry position. I'm not sure an engineering degree would work the same way, but it would be really encouraging to him if it would.

 

c) how much does it matter where he goes to school?

 

If this is a really stupid idea, I do need to know, but please be gentle. I'm feeling kind-of desperate today.

 

 

I don't want to be discouraging here but having done it myself (getting an engineering degree), I can say it would be pretty hard for your husband to achieve this. Not impossible, but it would take a long time and the coursework is difficult. It's one thing to look at a course catalog and feel like you can handle these courses, and an entirely different thing when you sit down and study until 2 a.m. every night and weekend in order to complete the work.

 

It took me a solid 6 years to get my degree (I did change majors though) and I was a full time student with no children. I had a co-op position with the Dept. of Energy in order to help pay tuition, and I remember taking differential equations after working a full day - a good friend of mine had the assignment of pinching me - hard - if I started to fall asleep in class. The semesters when I worked full time and took night courses (one at a time) were brutal. I would have to study about 3 hours for every hour of lecture - your mileage may vary.

 

In addition, given the current state of the economy, big companies are not hiring as they used to. Of course (hopefully) that will be changed in the next decade, but I think this economy is going into a pit for a few years.

 

If I were faced with looking at job prospects for the next few years I would look at recession-proof industries like health care and pharmaceutical companies. With an aging population there will be demand for nursing and different tech positions. Then there are always traditional trade tracks like plumbing, which will always have a demand for services.

 

I'm sorry if this was not as gentle an answer as you wished; but I think it would be a disservice to you to gloss over the realities. I do admit I have been out of the engineering field for quite a few years, so my advice may be dated. As another poster stated, environmental engineering, in whatever form that may be in, is almost certainly going to be in demand with the current political emphasis -- but as to what degree to get for that, I have no idea.

 

:grouphug:

 

Dana

[chiguirre]

Lots of engineers in our family of various sorts. For my dad's and dh's jobs, you'd need to be an engineer in order to be in sales. The projects are simply too technical for someone without that background. IMHO, your dh would have to have at least some college coursework in drafting or IT or ??? to get a job with future potential. If his heart is set on seminary, trying to start a career in a technical field would be a truly daunting task. If he's willing to give up seminary entirely for the forseeable future, it might be more doable, but it would still be an enormous effort.

 

I've followed your posts over the last few months, and I truly sympathize with your situation. It occured to me that it might be easier right now for you to be the bread-winner if you can renew your teaching license and get a contract for next school year. Could your dh take over as the homeschool/childcare parent while continuing at least pt at seminary? Just something to think about for the short term.

 

Good luck!

[snickelfritz]

I would look into a technical college, for a 2 year technical program, and also look into an engineering program. Find out the difference in time commitments, the difference in pay, & the difference in how hiring is going.

 

The college counselors are really the only ones who can tell him how much work he would have left to do. I do know they will often "forgive" certain pre-requisites when you have a full degree. The hard thing about engineering is that so much of it is dependent on a previous class and you can't just skip those, if you don't know the material.

 

Good luck finding a choice that will work for your family.

[OneRoomSchoolHouse]

As you may have noticed earlier I am hard core Environmental field. The money is so good there. I would suggest looking into a 2 year environmental degree of some sort.

 

Industrial hygiene is a great field (basically you tell your company what chemicals are safe and what do to if they are not...like what protective gear to wear or how to remediate a harmful substance, etc.). At my college they had a Masters degree in Environmental Engineering which was a lot less intensive than the other engineering programs.

 

Surveying or CAD drawing would also be a good skill set to have and would allow him to get hired after only a 2 year degree.