Does more "hands-on" work make a better design/manufacturing engineer? 3

[VivK]

Hi,

I have been lurking in this site for a while and found it to be a most helpful site. I have a career question and hope that someone can give me some advice. Thanks in advance.

I have a BE in Mech and had been working for about 6 years. I have a little experience in design and had been in R&D (making prototypes and mock-ups). In another word, I know a little bit about a few different areas, but not enough that I can handle a project all by myself.

For the past few years, I wanted to become a manufacturing engineer but due to my lack of design skills and manufacturing experience, I had been unsuccessful in my job search.

My current job seems to be a step towards my goal - I am about to start doing manufacturing systems benchmarking. However, I feel that this a very "hands-off" role, going for site visits and looking at processes etc. All theory but no "real experience" (the manufacturing engineers in the plant would probaly take over the implementation) so I won't get any practical experience from it. Even if I get to do any "real" implementation it would be when we finish the benchmarking (which could be the end of next year).

On the other hand, there is a job that I had a few interviews for (the prospect looked really promising). The role is as a project engineer for a small automated equipment company. The work will be getting customer specs, design, build and deliver. To me, it seems more like a hands-on role. The disadvantage will be that I may not get the overview of manufacturing systems but I will get to know the different type of processes and the equipment required.

My question (or confusion) is, which role will make me a better engineer and give me more chance of working in the manufacturing field in the future? The more hands-on role (where I'll learn manufacturing processes and the equipment) but with less manufacturing overview, or the benchmarking role with better manufacturing overview but perhaps more theory then practical experience?

Thanks for your time.

 

[ClydeMule]

VVk,

The last 2 engineers we hired were mechanics on the side when getting their degree.

All of my summers in college I puched cows and packed mules for hunters in California's Eastern Sierra. Of all of my interviews, only one person questioned the fact that I didn't do a summer internship.

The fact that I had a job where I had a lot of responsibility and worked hard was impressive to many. I spent more time in one interview talking about fly fishing than engineering.

I did have a lot of hands on work experience at school though.

I imagine a gradaute engineering degree and hands on experience is a plus. Even though the job does not exist now, I would have gone for the small company. But I am a small company kinda guy.

Clyde