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Career Advice - Electrical Engineering

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LAN_403

Xplorer

Sun Aug 15 2010, 11:25AM

Registered Member #2416 Joined: Sun Oct 04 2009, 04:23AM
Location: Oceanside, CA
Posts: 91

Hey guys, I've been a bit more active on this forum recently so I just wanted to to properly introduce myself and tell you all a bit about me.

My name it Tony Castro, I'm 20 and am currently going to community college in Oceanside California. Ever since I was a kid I've loved tinkering and taking things apart to see how they work, particularly with electronics. My main interests are lasers and high voltage. I've built a few simple diode lasers with drivers and I've tinkered around with NSTs and such as well. I also have been playing guitar for 8 years and have built a few effects pedals kits. I just love making things. I also love math, i just finished up differential equations. I enjoyed the course, but it wasn't a cakewalk.

So naturally I'd want to something of the sort as a career. I've never even considered any profession other than engineering, and am fairly certain that I want electronics to be my discipline.

I've talked to counselors and career advisers about which engineering schools are best, and how to get in to them, and what's involved... ect. But I've never talked to or known any electrical engineers and asked them what it's really like to be one. Of all the forums I've been on I can see that this one has some of the most knowledgeable members I've ever seen. Some of the things you guys have made just blows me away, I'm really impressed. It makes me feel like I've got a mountain of material to cover before I get to your level.

Anyways, some of you must be engineers and electrical techs. How do you like your job? Do you enjoy it? Is it stressful? Do you have someone breathing down your neck to get something done, or are you your own boss? I know most of what I'm asking is circumstantial and depends on so many other factors. But I've heard some mixed advice. On one hand a few counselors have told me that engineers are in high demand and make very good money. Then I hear that job security sucks and they often moving all over the country trying to find work. One of my good friend's dad was a mechanical engineer who was laid off and had to move back east for a new job.

So any advice or tips regarding where to go from here would be immensely appreciated. I'm going to UCSD next year for engineering and right now I'm at a crossroads to choose my discipline. I mean just "electrical engineering" is pretty vague. There are many subdivisions they can specialize in. UCSD has a new program for nano engineering. That seems pretty interesting. I know many of you will say to choose what interests me most, but I want to choose a profession that I not only will enjoy but also will be in demand. I'm worried about graduating and owing a 100Gs in loans only to not be able to find work, you know? But I'm willing to work hard. I want to get at least my masters and probably my doctorate as well. I'm determined to make it happen. I just want a bit of insight of what it'll be like when I get there...

Thanks guys.

-Tony

radiotech

Sun Aug 15 2010, 05:27PM

Registered Member #2463 Joined: Wed Nov 11 2009, 03:49AM
Location:
Posts: 1546

Have a look at power engineering. This area builds the generation and distribution networks.

There is a way to pay for your education, establish a fall-back position, and earn enough to pay for education. That way is to collect along your way, journeyman's qualification as an electrical worker.

When their lights go out, people tend to pay attention to those who can get them on.

Hazmatt_(The Underdog)

Sun Aug 15 2010, 07:20PM

Registered Member #135 Joined: Sat Feb 11 2006, 12:06AM
Location: Anywhere is fine
Posts: 1735

Is is stressful... hahhahahhaha, why else is it called work!

A lot of the people around here would probably disagree with me in saying work for a defense contractor, but I can say it is fairly stable. Things are pretty good if you're not caught in one of their political agendas, or somebody's "brilliant" idea to reduce the work force for the shareholders metrics.

That being said, you have been forwarned about the downsides.

The upsides are you get to play with really neat cutting edge test equipment, technology, and work with people you can absorb knowledge from. (I say it that way because there is no more mentorship).

Try to get some RF experience, it really counts. Everything these days is about comm. systems and data, so you'll want that in your toolkit. I'm surprised that I'm being given the opportunity to do what I'm doing now with the little RF experience I have, but they think I'm pretty sharp so that's in my favor, and I'm trying not to disappoint.
But the RF will definately help you win that interview.

You're real close to Naval ops. being down there, so NAVSEA is a good candidate ( I think they're down there, might be NAVAIR), as well as the JSF F35 program with a pretty decent Northrop branch, so I would consider those.

If you can get in and make yourself valuable to someone then you will have a job for life.

Also, don't think for a minute that you are irreplacable, or that because you have some kind of access that you won't be let go if they want to get rid of you. They can and do all the time and it is heartbreaking when it happens, but you have to move on when it does.

Good luck,
Hope to see you as a Subcontractor someday!

Mattski

Sun Aug 15 2010, 09:36PM

Registered Member #1792 Joined: Fri Oct 31 2008, 08:12PM
Location: University of California
Posts: 527

I spent about a year working as an electrical engineer after getting my BS in EE. Sometimes it was very stressful, such as when I was writing a contract proposal. Most of the time though it was not stressful, you just put in your hours and then go home and not worry about it. Unlike school where you may put in a full day's work every day and still be stressed about being behind on your work.

What you do will vary tremendously from job to job. The job I held I was hired as an intern to do a technical programming project on something completely unrelated to EE. But then I got to work for their engineering group doing stuff like board layout, rework, tuning, building stuff, testing stuff, and doing a bit of system level work. This was at a defense contractor incidentally. There tends to be a lot of jobs in defense, and a fair number of internships as well. But most of those are with large companies, and larger companies are less fun to work for IMHO.

As an engineer you need to be versed in a few CAD tools and know something about programming. And probably the most important thing is to be able to approach a new problem and figure out how to solve it, even if you have to buy a textbook and teach yourself a new topic.

Also, "nanoengineering" which you mention is kind of a buzz word which can mean many things. Do you want to work on chip fabrication, or MEMs fabrication? Lots of jobs in that, but unless you have a masters or PhD you will often be working at a low level of a big company. UCSD has a strong engineering program, and some very good wireless communication work (both hardware and system level). UCSB (where I am currently) is also pretty well known for its materials and fabrication research.

Chris Cristini

Tue Aug 17 2010, 04:08AM

Registered Member #1749 Joined: Fri Oct 10 2008, 02:04AM
Location: Claremont New Hampshire
Posts: 497

This post looks very familiar.

Xplorer

Tue Aug 17 2010, 04:42PM

Registered Member #2416 Joined: Sun Oct 04 2009, 04:23AM
Location: Oceanside, CA
Posts: 91

Thanks for the replies guys. I really appreciate your insight. I'll look in to Comm and Naval ops, it sounds interesting.

-Tony

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