enigneering solutions? 2

I hold a degree in Industrial Engineering but have been attached to a firm involved in distribution of software solutions such as CAD and CAM systems and mainly in the areas of pre-sales and marketing activities for 3 years. As I have been trained (and interested) more in the areas of process improvement and operations management, I would like to switch my career path. However, my predicaments come in the form of unmatched skills and experience acquired for the past years and my doubting if there is any kind jobs out there to suit my interest and skill set. Hence, I seek advice from anyone out there on the pros and cons and also possibilites of
1. Starting afresh in the field of industrial engineering with no related industrual experience
or
2. Utilizing my gained experience in solutions support and distribution but being mroe involved with Industrial Engineering based solutions instead of CADs where it is more Mechanical Engineering based.

Thank you!

 

[RDK]

I am a civil engineer and as such cannot comment directly on the different aspects of industrial engineering. I can however describe some of my career shifts.

The best career advice that I received in school was that it realy doesn't matter what fields you work in, just have a general target where you want to be when you are 45 years old because that is where you will be working the rest of your career. With earlier retirement common now I would put that age at 40. This gives the average university graduate 15 years to get there and 15 years to work and retire in the mid fifties.

In school I majored in hydrology. My first job did involve hydrology. This phase lasted 6 months. The boss needed someone to be on site on a construction project. So I became a junior construction type for 3 years.

An opportunity came up for a intermediate facility engineer. (operations and manitenance) that was offered to me. I took it and was there for 5 years. Then 2 years as a planning engineer for major construction projects, 5 more years as a facility type and then I started my own business and manage construction work for owners.

Did I mention that this career took me in and out of government, industry and consulting firms as well as a return to school?


Now in my mid 40's I can see myself having a rewarding next 10 to 15 years managing construction work.

To answer your question, it realy doesn't matter. Think where you want to be at age 40 and what experences will get you there. If they are not a perfect match don't worry. If there one path becomes a dead end don't worry. You will have a career that will span 30 to 40 years. One or two years spent on a path that you later backtrack on is not wasted. You will learn and grow on every path. Some of the most important lessons are not technical but personnal, political, organizational, finacial, managerial or something.

Any field of engineering is broad enough that almost any experence can help prepare you for advancement. If one job does not work out or seems to be going too far away from your goals, there are lots of other jobs out there.

Learn and grow from all experences both good and bad. Remember any eperence that does not kill you will make you stronger.

Hope this helps.
Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com

 

[JML]

Oh boy Mr Kitson is so wrong this time.
When I was 45 I was working my tail off as an Industrial/Production Engineer for a modest salary.
Never being one to accept that things are 'as they are', (I'm a Mechanical Engineer by qualification), I decided to do something about my situation.

Now I own the company and I've just turned 50. I have owned the company for the last three and a half yrs. but I guess it's not too relevant.

Mr Kitson is speaking of the average person I suspect and in that respect he is sadly accurate.....but engineers are not average... are we?

 

[RDK]

Am I really that far off in your case JML?

I may have missed the age by 5 or 10 years, but do you see yourself doing anything else other than what you are doing now before retirement?

The thrust of what I was saying was that at about the 2/3 of the way through your work career, you would hit your plateau and stay at that level.

It is also not of critical importance what career path one takes in the early stages of the work life. If one path does not work out then take another. In your career you will not have the luxury of perfect knowledge of all the implications of a career choice. You make your best choice based on the limited and possible incorrect information you have and if thinks don’t work out make another change.

At least in engineering it never was a negative for an engineer to have several employers over one’s career, it was almost expected for an engineer to have worked in several jobs and for several employers to become well rounded. I know one engineer who has worked for the same employer for about 15 years and lives in fear that he will loose his job (restructuring, downsizing or any other reason) because he believes that his other employment options are limited. They are not but he will most likely drop a level or two in changing jobs.
Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com