Parents, don't let your kids grow up to be engineers!

[Exengineer]

Between outsourcing and off-shoring of many engineering functions, stagnant pay, decline of manufacturing in North America, poor opportunities for advancement, rapid obsolescence, hyper-extreme competition and rampant age discrimination, who would want their kids to waste four years on an education they may not use? There are two year diploma programs now that will pay better than what many engineers make. The golden age of engineering is over and has been for several decades. It will never be as good as it once was and Grade 12 students should not be deceived by university administrators and high school guidance counselors who don't know the whole story.

http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/arti...9-engineer.html

 

[cableguy]

The 2 1/2 year old article is full of crap, and I'd be extremely proud if my kids grew up to be engineers. Not everyone can cut it.

 

[SuperAlpha]

BS. We cannot meet the demand for senior talent especially with upcoming retirement. All graduates including foreigners, cannot fill the void.

 

[wilheldp_PE]

The 2 1/2 year old article is full of crap, and I'd be extremely proud if my kids grew up to be engineers. Not everyone can cut it.

You don't understand. Exengineer was the greatest engineer on the planet, but got screwed by the system. Now, he is convinced that engineers are lower than fry cooks at the local McDonald's. Yet he still feels the need to troll these forums and bitch about the system every chance he gets.

 

[Exengineer]

Unfortunately you will find that the harshest critics of engineering careers are engineers themselves because they have gone through the entire system and have seen and experienced the propaganda vs. the reality. Never said I was the world's greatest engineer, in fact that can't be measured objectively, only subjectively based on who happens to be your current supervisor. As for being screwed by the system, I have experienced nothing worse than what thousands of other engineers have experienced so far. I call it reality, not being screwed. It may not be the reality experienced by all engineers but it was for me. So I am just relating the truth as I see it.

 

[cableguy]

The 2 1/2 year old article is full of crap, and I'd be extremely proud if my kids grew up to be engineers. Not everyone can cut it.

You don't understand. Exengineer was the greatest engineer on the planet, but got screwed by the system. Now, he is convinced that engineers are lower than fry cooks at the local McDonald's. Yet he still feels the need to troll these forums and bitch about the system every chance he gets.

Yes, I know, I've seen his posts before. Not everyone can cut it. Gloom, despair, and agony on me. Deep dark depression, excessive misery. If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all.... Gloom, despair, and agony on me.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

The 2 1/2 year old article is full of crap, and I'd be extremely proud if my kids grew up to be engineers. Not everyone can cut it.

You don't understand. Exengineer was the greatest engineer on the planet, but got screwed by the system. Now, he is convinced that engineers are lower than fry cooks at the local McDonald's. Yet he still feels the need to troll these forums and bitch about the system every chance he gets.

Yes, I know, I've seen his posts before. Not everyone can cut it. Gloom, despair, and agony on me. Deep dark depression, excessive misery. If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all.... Gloom, despair, and agony on me.

He definitely is a glass half empty sort.

Liked the Hee Haw reference.

 

[Road Guy]

it would be nice if states would stop giving foreign degree credit though..

 

[SuperAlpha]

it would be nice if states would stop giving foreign degree credit though..

Agreed. At Texas Tech we had to pay foreign student fees as a part of our tuition. Complete horse sh!t.

 

[Master slacker]

douche nozzle

 

[MGX]

Why so emo?

 

[Capt Worley PE]

it would be nice if states would stop giving foreign degree credit though..

Agreed. At Texas Tech we had to pay foreign student fees as a part of our tuition. Complete horse sh!t.

Here at USC, they'd actually wave requirements (such as the required time working in industry) in some of the doctoral program for forign students. More BS.

 

[willsee]

Engineering has been pretty good to me so far

And everyone I've worked with

 

[picusld]

It sure could have been worse for me...

Also could have been better, but I think that the good has outweighed the bad.

 

[XOXOXO]

Between outsourcing and off-shoring of many engineering functions, stagnant pay, decline of manufacturing in North America, poor opportunities for advancement, rapid obsolescence, hyper-extreme competition and rampant age discrimination, who would want their kids to waste four years on an education they may not use? There are two year diploma programs now that will pay better than what many engineers make. The golden age of engineering is over and has been for several decades. It will never be as good as it once was and Grade 12 students should not be deceived by university administrators and high school guidance counselors who don't know the whole story.
http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/arti...9-engineer.html

HUH?? Que? Como?

There are not enough engineers, we will always need engineers, there are not enough minority/women in engineering and all I do is talk to my son and daughter about becoming engineers so they can take over the M/WBE firm I have started...

All the salary polls show that engineers have the highest entry level pay...and not to toot my own horn but in 8 years I've gone from 40K/year to very nearly six figures.

I think you're barking up the wrong tree.

 

[MGX]

How many minorities and/or women are enough? Who decides and how?

 

[Kephart P.E.]

Are there jobs that pay more money?

Sure, but you can also be canned and never find work again.

Engineering has been pretty good to me as well, I have averaged 6% annual pay increases over the last 8 years.

If I was laid off from my current job with my experience and License I doubt I would be out of work for more than a couple of weeks or less.

I set my own schedule for the most part -and most importantly: I have had continuous employment during one of the worst economic downturns in decades.... all due to being an engineer

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

I was talking with one of the senior consultants, and he reminded me that within the next 5-10 years we will see a severe spike in open jobs (not just engineering) to accomodate all of the retiring baby boomers. I fear we won't have enough mid-level engineers to step up to fill those senior positions let alone provide enough support staff (entry & newly promoted mid-levels). Now would actually be the best time to be a graduating high-schooler looking to get into college, because alot of positions will be available as they get their BS and MS degrees...

 

[XOXOXO]

How many minorities and/or women are enough? Who decides and how?

When I stop walking into a room with 200 male engineers and like, 10 women...then it will be enough. (Would think you guys would want to see more women at these networking functions as well). I'll be personally happy when the numbers are 25-50%...right now, the numbers are nowhere near that.

And the numbers are worse for certain "groups."

I think the government concurs...hence the legislation and incentives.

There are movements everywhere to get young (middle and high school) girls interested in studying engineering.

Share your profession with your daughters...engineeryourlife.org and engineergirl.org

A diverse engineering industry is an innovative one.

 

[CbusPaul]

I agree with you that a diverse engineering industry is an innovative one. However, why is it the government's job to incentivize minorities and women to get involved in engineering?