Engineer job security 4

[meshvol]

Hi, everybody!
This September I am going to start studying Mechanical Engineering in Canada and I want to choose an HVAC option. But someone told me that mechanical engineers do not have high job security, especially when they become old like 45-60 years of age. He is also an engineer and he told me that companies try to get rid of aged engineers and take younger specialists. This scared me very much and I am thinking, may be I should have chosen different career, like nursing. But I like HVAC engineering, please, somebody who works in the consulting engineering companies, can you tell me about real job security situation in this profession. I think about my future in bright tones, but this information poisons my life. Please, can you help me and tell that what wad said by that engineer was not true.

 

[CRG]

I can say with certainty that old ineffective engineers are not very employable, but the same can be said of any ineffective professional. In engineering there is no substitute for experience. Productivity increases with experience and it is not so easy get the education that comes with maturity in school. As such, as long as engineers are being hired, the oldsters will have a good shot at the opportunities. Of course, every effective engineer needs to stay current in their field.

 

[DJG0770]

If you expect to get rich, or just work 40 hrs a week, engineering is not for you. HVAC/R engineering is stable when construction is good. When construction is taking a beating, so is our field.

My experience has been that a well educated 'experienced' engineer is very employable. We have firms here in NJ FIGHTING over 'retired' engineers (65+) who want to work a few days a week.

 

[aspearin1]

If you are good, forever strive to become better and avoid being your own worst enemy, you should be fine. The first person who will derail your career is you. Layoffs happen. I'm 27 and I've already experienced this. But a highly motivated, intelligent engineer with persistence will almost always find a new job. For me, it took less than a week. You have little to worry about.

ChemE, M.E. EIT
"The only constant in life is change." -Bruce Lee

 

[lilliput1]

At this times there is no guarantee on a particular job. But as the fellows above said, if you are good you will find work. Nursing is a tough profession that would involve long hours, odd hours, weekend work, limited ceiling on pay. You can earn more but you have to do lot of overtime. I think if you are an HVAC Engineer & get registered you will get better pay. You will also have to work hard & work overtime depending on projects comming in but it should not be as much as that with nursing. Work for a firm that pays overtime & has a individual IRA plan.

 

[meshvol]

Thank you everybody very much for your reply! I felt big relief when I read your replies. Logically, the more experience you have, the better worker and more valuable for the company you are. I knew that I should not have beleived that my friend, probably, he has some own problems. Honestly, I will finish university when I am 46 years old (I am changing my major from Naval Engineering). That can probably be the kind of obstacle to finding the first job and becoming experienced. My friend also told me that it would be difficult to compete with my young classmates. But I think that age is not as important as academic excellence which plays much bigger role than age. What do you think about this?