How often do you read or work on side projects to advance your learning outside of work? 3

[EngineerDave]

In my current field, as in previous ones I work pretty long hours. The work sometimes involves weekends, and late nights during the week.

I'd like to keep current by reading in my field, but when I go home, I feel like the family is being neglected already from my long hours.

How do you keep up with journals, etc in your field? I am thinking that I'll need to schedule some time during the work week to focus on it, but that time
is already taking up pretty quickly.

 

[Jboggs]

I mainly do my technical reading during lunch and, uh,... on the "porcelain throne". Some at home but our kids are gone so there's more time for that.

 

[GregLocock]

"How often do you read or work on side projects to advance your learning outside of work? "

Continuously. Intensely. Randomly.

We don't watch TV, so in the evenings my wife reads bloodcurdling tales of mayhem, while I am currently learning about aerodynamics and statistics on MOOC, learning about electronics on an Arduino, and discussing the programming of a laptime simulator for cars on the interwebs.

Cheers

Greg Locock


New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376

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[SomptingGuy]

I'm going through MIT's online 18.085 course: "Computational science and engineering". 50-odd hours of free lectures to fill great gaps in my linear algebra.

- Steve

 

[racookpe1978]

Turn off the TV.

Avoid "flutters" on the internet like Facebook or whatever.

Open book. Open toolbox. 8<)

If children are at home, open game box.

 

[glass99]

You should learn something new every day! If you don't you are going to be stuck with obsolete knowledge, so its kind of mandatory irrespective of how busy you are.

Your company should pay for at least one conference per year too.

 

[rotw]

I work also at least few hours if not one complete day during week end otherwise I am overloaded during working week.

I also need to prioritize. If I can afford to not work the real (company) work during week end; then its clear my week end is dedicated to design and fine tune a software that I am currently programming. When I do so I have to read books and technical papers and also technical standards like the ISO.

My company does not offer any training or book nor particular tools; so I buy my books over the internet (say one book per one or two month on average) and I am also planing to invest some personal budget to attend dedicated courses which I take on my holidays time - as an inconventional way to build competence since out of reach.

No complains - its just the way it is.

"If you want to acquire a knowledge or skill, read a book and practice the skill".

 

[dbooker630]

In addition to the 'porcelain throne' reading (thanks Jboggs), I simply log on to Eng-tips! The wealth of knowledge that is shared and the resources that are recommended are a good thing.

 

[loki3000]

what are you programming, rotw, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[MartinLe]

I communte by train, so sometimes that'S the time I spend with a textbook or other from the library. With kids etc it's hoften croaching on ten when I'd have time in the evening, somehow I never spend that time with a textbook or learning CAD or programming language or all the other things I could be doing to further my knowledge. I try to avoid overtime since it's not paid anyway and still find it hard to make time for some studying.

 

[Latexman]

I sharpen the saw everyday.

Good luck,
Latexman

Technically, the glass is always full - 1/2 air and 1/2 water.

 

[rotw]

loki3000,

Sorry for delay to reply; thanks for your concern.
I cannot exactly say the idea because I hope that one dayI can make money out of it and fullfill my dream which is to become an Entrepreneur and create jobs for people. It is something which has to do with machinery and process and I use a mix of fortran and visual basic for the code.

Problem is that my programing skills are poor because I am mechanical. My code is long, redundant, slow. I cant do nothing about it and it takes huge spare time to arrive at something which is workable.
I have still a lot to do in implementing physicals things, I am adding module by module. I think about the modules I want to add day and night; I also visualize what would be my dream Graphical user interface if things were so easy; I also dream about all the features to be sound and reliable and also proven and tested; I am far from this result. I happen to think sometimes of how I will do presentations to potential customers and defend my code its features, I mean I live these moments like if it was to happen one day.

The most terrible thing is that as long as the program gains in size it becomes difficult to keep things under control and modify it properly, I get simply lost in my own code.

The good thing is that while programming; I reinforce my technical understanding of how things work. I mean it helps somehow to understand theory and apply it because it pushes you to think about it.

Sorry to stay vague about what I am programming exactly

"If you want to acquire a knowledge or skill, read a book and practice the skill".

 

[21121956]

Hello everybody:

At least one or two hours during normal working day and Sunday morning I dedicate to study issues related to hydraulic turbines because I work as a Mechanical Engineer in developing of Small Hydroelectric Plants (preparing Technical Specifications, Supervising the erection and assembly of mechanical equipment, etc.).

But wait, I forgot to say that the studies on hydraulic turbines are on machines for large plants (> 150 MW) because I hope to someday make the big leap.

El que no puede andar, se sienta.

 

[msquared48]

I just bought two used RV's in the past year, and am constantly learning about the electrical, water, propane and sewage systems, but not at all times willingly... Does that count?

Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)

 

[EngineerDave]

It's December so I'm taking my courses for PE credits to maintain it. I also maintain another certification that requires alot of credits, and a maintenance of certification exam.