Ideas for getting back to engineering

[Crosstrained]

I have another career change question for the forum, but the “gotcha” here is that after 8 years as a mechanical engineer, I’ve spent the last 4 years as a business analyst.

I started in the power industry 12 years ago, working for an EPC contractor as an ME. I moved to my current employer about 7 years ago.

I left engineering for lots of reasons, but mostly ego. I felt bad because I wasn’t as successful as I wanted to be in life. A business analyst isn’t >> an engineer, but at the time I was thinking corporate business planning was where I wanted to go. Things didn't turn out as expected. I've stayed in it for 4 years because of the non-core benefits - a nice office, no concrete deadlines, nice boondoggle-type meetings instead of going to jobsites in July - but at the end of the day, I'm again embarrassed that I don't do any real work. I have the capability to solve problems, and instead I do something that doesn't matter. If I'm right or wrong, nothing changes. Also, due to many corporate structural changes, my future isn't what I imagined when I laid out my 5-year plan. I don't see a future in anything now. I'm so far out of engineering, but my business role isn't traditional enough to translate to other companies, even if that was the direction I wanted to go (it's not).

I have gone in serious circles with my self-analysis trying to figure out if going back to engineering is the best fit for me. . .after years of wondering if maybe I should consider medicine, organic farming, or dog training, I ended up articulating that my “sweet spot” is using math to figure out how things behave. That was my “doh” moment. . .you mean you like the type of work an engineer does? I’m definitely more the ‘analyze on a computer’ type of engineer than the ‘tear apart a motor’ engineer, so I always questioned my place as an engineer, but I think is where I belong. I get the nice feeling that I'm with my people when I'm with engineers but feel like I have shown up naked when I'm with corporate people.

Anyway, I’m still a PE, and I still have 8 years of real world engineering experience. I also I took a graduate fracture mechanics course 2 yrs ago to try to stay on top of the game a little (barely keeping a toe in, but something).

I started exploring what to do next last fall, and got accepted into a full-time MSME program with funding for this fall, but I turned it down due to a family situation. I thought a fresh degree would help, but now I’m not sure how I feel about it. Ideally, I’d rather move into a new engineering role, perhaps in a different industry or company, without a detour through college again, but would they even consider me? (I do feel I could get back to my old engineering department at my current company, but it isn’t exactly what I want to do long-term and I want to start fresh.)

Thank you anyone who did take the time to read to the bottom of my novel. I am happy to share more details about my background and situation if you have questions. I really appreciate any insight you might have about getting back on the engineering track.

Thanks!

 

[hokie66]

Sounds like your main problem is deciding what you really want to do with the rest of your life. That is your decision to make. None of your experience will hurt, but indecision will.

 

[Crosstrained]

Hokie66, thanks for the response. I guess I am surprised by what you said. That is exactly what my problem HAS been for most of my post-college life. I chased what seemed lucrative, never sure what I really wanted because the grass always did seem greener and I always felt inferior to my peers. However, I feel I've exhausted the chase. Any uncertainty about engineering isn't on my side, it's what employers would think of someone like me. In this forum, it is hard to articulate the details of the 23 experiences I have had that led me to that conclusion. As for education vs. job, I don't want to go to school, but I think it may be necessary to show employers that my skills are current and my intentions are sincere. I don't know people who have experience going back to engineering after a 4 year break, except those laid off or taking time off for kids. I also don't know anyone who has moved from the power field to something else at a mid-level role. I am hoping someone might advise what might be necessary to make a transition back to engineering - is it possible at all, only possible in my original field of power, only possible with new degree or coursework?

 

[xnuke]

You need to market yourself appropriately (without lying, of course). For example: "Now that I've learned more about the business world, I'd like to apply both my engineering and business knowledge in an engineering position." Employers that are hiring the graduates of my engineering program often like to hire those with a background in business or finance.

xnuke
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