Am I cut out for engineering? 7

[DaveZR2]

I'm a fairly intelligent person. I made it through my BS in Mechanical Engineering without a problem. Wasn't at the very top of the class, but did well.

I'm in my early twenties and I've had 2 jobs since graduation, plus 3 internships during college. Lately I've been really wondering whether I was "meant" to be an engineer. I always get good reviews, get my work done, etc, but I just don't feel like this was my "calling". Maybe it sounds silly. I don't feel like I have the mechanical "knack" that a lot of people seem to have. Generally it takes me a while of being around something, followed by asking questions and independent study until I'm remotely comfortable even attempting to "talk the talk" with other people at work. I don't really feel that I am or ever will be respected in my field. I just don't think I have that natural instinct and/or understanding of mechanical things.

I've always liked to do 3D CAD, which is why I got into engineering in the first place. I'm very comfortable sitting at my desk and doing computer work. That said, I don't want to be a glorified CAD jockey for the rest of my life.

Anyone else ever felt the same way or known anyone who found their calling elsewhere? I feel like I could easily be a unhappy and average engineer for the rest of my life, but that doesn't sound like fun.

 

[Noway2]

Welcome to the after school let down. There have been several threads in this forum along those same lines. Typically the recent graduate finds that when they get out into the work force that things aren't as they expected or hoped they would be.

There are several reason for this, most notibly that you haven't gotten much experience. To be frank, you really don't know much of anything yet. That comes with time. The other big factor is one of attitude. Your email conveys an, "I have lost confidence in myself" message. Perpahs you need to do something to find that extra confidence.

For my first job out of school, I found myself repairing currency validation equipment that was honestly as old as I was and I had to punch a time clock (hourly employee) for this honor. The job experience, though, taught me a lot and taught me things that I think many engineers who spend their life in paper space mode don't understand. After about 1.5 years of doing this job, I decided that it wasn't what I wanted to do and enrolled in graduate school. Within the year, I had gotten my first promotion to an actual salaried engineering position. I have come a long way since then, but not until I had learned enough to be able to take the next step.

 

[IRstuff]

You've been out of school for what, 3 yrs? You're a babe in the woods. Realistically, unless you've already been doing your current job for 3 yrs, it's unlikely that you can actively participate in many work discussions. The fact that you've already been at 2 jobs might exacerbate the problem.

Finally, there may be a question of your own personality. I detect a reluctance to push your own envelope and go out on a limb. You appear to want everything lined up in a neat row before you say anything. THAT is a problem, since nothing is every nailed down that well. I used to be at a company where this one guy presented a list of 30-40 questions that needed to be answered before we made a proposal on a project. The problem was that EVERY question was not fully answerable, so we wound up passing up a good business opportunity, because of "paralysis by analysis."

You need to be sure of your facts, but after that, just realize that no one else has any more solid information, but they do have experience. So listen and learn, and don't be afraid to step on your tongue once in a while. You're new, and young, and you will usually be some leeway for mistakes.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[bk19702]

Don't want to drum up this topic again, but you said you had an affinity for 3D CAD which is why you got involved in engineering. There's a bit of a disconnect there and CAD operator does not equal engineer also, contrary to what some companies think.

School vs. real world are two totally different animals.

 

[KENAT]

It's only 3 years. At 3 years I knew a hell of a lot more of use than at one year, but not really a lot.

I can't imagine having changed jobs in my first few years, that would have been very difficult as part of what made me useful was getting to know how our company & customers etc worked as much as any real engineering knowledge.

You say you enjoy the CAD part but don't want to be stuck as a CAD jockey, which is a bit contradicary. What's your reasoning?

I have similar feelings to you sometimes. Some people (especially some posters here) are so knowledgable that it's almost intimidating. However then I have a manager and a couple of colleagues that sometimes treat me like the font of all knowledge, while I'm thinking "no engineer X is the font of all knowledge" then engineer X comes & asks me a question about something I do know about. It's confusing at times.

Obviously if you feel like this all the time there's an issue but if it's just an occasional thought then use it to provoke you into learning more and getting to be more knowledgable.

KENAT,

Have you reminded yourself of faq731-376 recently, or taken a look at posting policies:

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

 

[IRstuff]

I've been in engineering for nearly 30 yrs. It's taken about 20 yrs to get to the point of being regarded as a "graybeard."

As Kenat points out, one day, you're thinking you don't know very much, but the next day, everyone is coming to you to get questions answered, because you're the "go-to-guy." It is quite weird.

I also find that just listening and nodding your head in the right times can often result in the guy getting the solution and giving you the credit!

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[swivel63]

it takes time. some people move up faster than others. and many times it has NOTHING to do with ability. sometimes it's right place, right time.

 

[John2004]

>Kent:
>You say you enjoy the CAD part but don't want to be stuck >as a CAD jockey, which is a bit contradicary. What's your >reasoning?

That was my thought also. There is honor in all honest work. I'm not sure I even like the term *CAD jockey* because in my mind it kind of puts down a profession.

A good draftsman is a skilled worker and there is more too it then learning how to run CAD software.

If your happy doing CAD work, and that is initially where your interests were and the reason you got into engineering in the first place, IMHO, I would suggest to do what makes you happy.

As far as mechanical aptitude & ability, I think that even 6 months to a year full time out on the shop floor (woodworking, machine shop, etc.) actually building things every day can help very much. If you have the opportunity to break away sometimes & get out on the shop floor and learn from the guys (or gals) out there, I would try to do that as much as you can.

John

 

[Noway2]

>Kent:
>You say you enjoy the CAD part but don't want to be stuck >as a CAD jockey, which is a bit contradicary. What's your >reasoning?

Same way that I enjoyed the times I spent doing PCB layout for a new design, but I wouldn't want to that as my job as a steady diet of it gets really old, realy fast. At least to me it does as I know some people who love doing that every day.

 

[KENAT]

CAD Jockey/Monkey to me is the guy that knows how to use the CAD package but hasn't got a clue about proper drafting or the engineering behind what they're modelling.

So I'd hope with an Engineering degree the OP would really be just a CAD Jockey, but I have seen it.

The OP's phrasing to me suggested he still enjoyed the CAD work, I didnt' see it as the situation you mention Noway.

Frankly if you enjoy being more of a Designer/Drafter than a hard core engineer and can make a living at it, then why not?

KENAT,

Have you reminded yourself of faq731-376 recently, or taken a look at posting policies:

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

 

[KENAT]

Should have been "So I'd hope with an Engineering degree the OP wouldn't really be just a CAD Jockey, but I have seen it"

KENAT,

Have you reminded yourself of faq731-376 recently, or taken a look at posting policies:

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

 

[DaveZR2]

The reason I don't want to be a Designer/Drafter for the rest of my life is that I feel that all of the drafting and detailing work (as opposed to 3D modeling and design) is shoved onto them, which isn't my cup of tea. And that's not meant as an insult to these individuals. Some people probably enjoy that type of work.

Noway2 is right in saying that some of the typical CAD work can be boring and tedious to some.

I guess I'm frustrated at my lack of natural mechanical talent, because what I'd really like to do (in engineering) is design and create things. Moreover, I'm at a point where I'm wondering where exactly my natural talents lie, if not in the career path that I've chosen.

 

[swivel63]

i get what he's saying. he doesn't want to be pidgeon-holed. all engineers benefit from knowing CAD, but do you want to the totatlity of your career to be "just CAD?" i know i wouldn't.

 

[John2004]

>DaveZR2
>I guess I'm frustrated at my lack of natural mechanical >talent, because what I'd really like to do (in >engineering) is design and create things.

I agree with you the 3D modeling & design is much more fun and creating detail prints gets old fast, but some people love it.

A few things come to mind that may help...

Confidence is important, so try not to be too hard on yourself with talk of "lack of natural mechanical talent" and so on. You have to appreciate yourself for the unique person that you are. Everyone has their own unique knowledge, experiences, and way of looking at things. Often, a solution will lie in someone being able to look at a problem in a new way or with a unique point of view, rather than someone having exceptional intelligence or raw talent.

>what I'd really like to do (in engineering) is design and >create things.

Try to seek out people that are good at designing and creating things and keep your eyes and ears open and try to learn as much from them as you can. Their thought process, creative process, methods, attitudes, the knowledge base they work from, etc..

One of the most intelligent and creative people I have ever met or worked with was an immigrant woodworker from Italy that never went to college and if I recall correctly, may not have graduated high school. The guy probably had a Genius IQ. Try to keep the attitude that you can always learn something from everyone.

As I mentioned before, I think that some time spent building and fixing things, i.e., woodworking, machine shop, auto mechanics, taking things apart & thinking about how they work and why they were made the way they were, etc., can help. You can then learn to take the different mechanisms, methods, and knowledge from different fields that you have acquired and apply or combine things in new or different ways to solve problems.

Even if what you say is true and you do somewhat lack natural mechanical ability, I think you can overcome it with hard work and by keeping an open mind and always taking advantage of opportunities to learn from everyone. However, you have to enjoy it.

There is a book titled "What Color Is Your Parachute" that is supposed to be helpful for people who want to assess what type of career may be best for them. I have not read it yet but I hear it's one of the better books on the subject. Maybe it could help.

I think that the bottom line is that for the most part, you have to be reasonably happy with what you're doing, and do what feels right for you. If you're happy working hard towards your goal that's one thing, if you're not happy and it just does not feel right most of the time, then that is something else.

John

 

[demayeng]

Long story i will avoid, but basically i identify exactly with your original post, even down to the 3D cad work i was doing in mechanical engineering. I am now in structural engineering after changing careers 18 months ago.

What i want to say is that only in the last 6 months have i felt comfortable enough to say that engineering is for me. I always thought i didn't have the passion or natural engineering mind and always thought i was an imposter and had to fake it when dealing with others in the field.
At some point recently, I realised that engineering is constant learning, and i now derive pleasure from learning how to do new things, and mastering old ones. It's weird, but i'm feeling like i'm getting addicted to learning new things in engineering, like i get addicted to playing Sudoku!
Also remember that engineering is actually a very creative field. I now truly believe that any type of person can gain satisfaction from engineering work. Good luck with it. But don't stress also - 3D cad work is enjoyable too, and you can make good money.

 

[EngineerDave]

I graduated with my bachelors in 1996. I have had the same feeling off and on for all these years. First I went back to grad school while working most of the time. That helped.

Then I went back to grad school a second time, not by choice but from a 9/11 inspired layoff situation. This turned out to be the best thing ever but I am doing something completely different than the last few jobs.

In fact since 2005, it's like i started over completely as well. I'm in a new field that is so far removed from the first two that there is little transferable knowledge.

And I'm in a similar situation to some of my previous jobs. Low man on the totem pole, with tons of projects (probably more than the others) but getting little respect as an expert.

It's a tough place to be in, but all you can do is go out there and compete.

This year I was more swamped with this job than probably any previous. One of my co-workers was not only an almost total lack of help but a hindrance.

I am deciding from now on, that I must focus on what i want to accomplish and ignore the little nuisances that bother me like said co-worker and other annoyances.

 

[opmgr1]

DaveZR2,
What you described happened to the best of us. Fresh out of university and realise that it a different kettle of fish in the real world. As one poster indicated right now is not the best time to be job hopping as you need to time to get the relevant experience, to honed your engineering skills. You also need to go out on a limb, protray a positive attitude towards what you are doing, get involved in technical discussions with your colleagues and soon you will be surprising your-self. Be patient but not laid-back.

 

[MechEng2005]

I can relate to the OP. I have found that when I feel like I don't have the "natural" talent, it just means it's time to talk with the other engineers of people involved in the project. I have found that often I get the feeling that I don't "fit the mold" of what I should be because I feel like I am working way too hard on something that should be fairly simple. Talking with the others involved, particularily those doing the hands-on work of the project, often makes me realize that it really isn't simple, and there is a good reason it's giving me headaches. Sometimes the solution is a "rule of thumb" and I was trying to figure something exactly. Other times (as with trying to determine how an ironwork is going to do something), talking with them makes me realize that the way they do things is a "trick of the trade." Maybe simple, but not intuitive. Also, those involved generally love to talk about what they do and feel appreciated. Often the people that really "make the magic happen" in the field feel overlooked by those in the office (particularily management) and are thrilled when somebody takes an interest and tries to do things correctly or make things easier. Too often (in my experience) things are left to be figured out later, which means the guy at the end of the line gets the headache.

-- MechEng2005

 

[graybeach]

Dave - I think this could be an exciting time to make a career out of 3D cad. Building Information Modeling (BIM) is starting to take off, but there are numerous questions about how BIM will work in a practical sense.

BIM becoming more established for architectural and structural but, according to the recent ENR spread on BIM, mechanical is lagging. I am an older person and have a hard time wrapping my mind around how BIM could possibly replace 2-D drawings for any discipline.

Smart young people like yourself are going to have to figure it all out.

 

[HgTX]

If you don't feel like you have it in you to design, how about some aspect of engineering where you're dealing with how to make other people's designs work? Quality control, manufacturing, the engineering/analysis side of detailing, something like that?

Hg

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