Engineers.....doing shop drawings? 3

[HirgEIT]

Should structural engineers be doing shop drawings? I have been working for this small design office for close to a year now and pretty much all I do is produce shop drawings using BIM. Every now and then I get a small task involving design, but nothing major. Almost all my engineering knowledge attained during the past year since I graduated was self taught, because 1) There are very few actual competent people in the office, in fact some are downright incompetent and dangerous 2) Those who are competent are way too busy for a lowly EIT such as myself. I am not in a good learning environment and I know I deserve much better (and can easily land a better paying job that is more suited to my needs.) But, I am too loyal and I can't imagine telling my boss to his face that I want out, and I don't...I just want to be given tasks that actually involve engineering and not having to endlessly produce and edit shop drawings like a cad monkey.

And when I actually do some design, there is absolutely no quality control, no one to check after my work... just because everyone else is so busy, and it's damn scary.

Well, this is the last time I work for a small design office.

Is it normal for structural engineers to work on BIMs in the role of a traditional detailer or am I overreacting just a bit?

Sorry for the rant.

 

[MichiganPE]

I would not rule out working for a small firm. You just need to find one with integrity. I worked for a small firm of about 15 employees, and the owner was a great guy, and a good mentor. All employees were paid hourly, time and one half for overtime, health insurance, life insurance, pension, profit sharing, bonuses, and paid vacation based on longevity and hours worked! It was a great system because it made us all want to make the company strong, and profitable.

There were a few engineers of lesser knowledge, but I found two engineers who I knew had good knowledge, and whenever I needed some assistance, I called upon them, and they were happy to help me out. Now I run my own firm which at the moment is only me! It's not the size of the firm you work for, it is the quality. If you think doing CAD drawings is nasty work, then you are spoiled. In my early years at the small firm, I did such tasks as crawling through wood roof trusses at McDonald's Restuarants to survey the condition of the wood trusses, and during the summer time! I remember one time while doing such a survey...a rude customer was placing an order just below me...He shouted out..."Gimmee a McRib, and a fillet o fish"....I almost fell through the ceiling laughing! Good luck in your search...it sounds like you have talent that many firms would like to have.