Is Engineering right for me? 3

[gravitate]

I basically did a Mech Eng degree because I was good at physics and maths. I got 95%+ in my maths exams. I just enjoyed it really. Antway I got a 2.2 degree which isnt the best as I really found it hard doing thermo dynamics. In fact if my Lecturer who was responsible for monitoring my dissertation project had not been so good and helpful at pointing me in the right direction then I would definately have failed I am sure.
I got a job in the power industry for a contracting company and mainly did site supervision utilising absolutely nothing I learned from university. I managed to get work overseas with the company but I never was a high achiever. I always relied on the tradesmen to know what they are doing and found myself inadequate to make descisions.
This is an example of how I am terrible at it. We were doing a project of a retrofit on a coal fired power station. A fair sized project of 26m. I was at one stage given the task of looking after one of the units. We had sub contractors in place who were already starting the pre outage work. Well I didn't know where to start. I tried looking through drawings that made no sense to me, looked at 3d models which was easier to understand but still hard. All I could do was walk around the site and make sure people were working safely. I then had to go and ask the subcontractors the work they had planned I did not and could not understand how to take a leading role. I relied on the sub contractors for information and help.
I am also a very timid personality when it comes to groups of people which I really do not know why. On a 1 to 1 basis I am fine but groups no way. This leads to major issues in meetings of bieng quiet. Even if I know subject matter I will not say anything as I feel it might be wrong or isn't significant enough to mention.
I am not good at 'banter'either and usually find myself the target. This was fine but at the age of 34 now it starts to bother me in a big way. This presented itself when I was working again overseas and I ended up in a fight and one of the principal contractors was sent to hospital. I got away with a written warning for this.
I managed to get away from the contracting company though as the site work was killing me. I at one stage had time off from depression because it was so bad. Just having to deal with other supervisors and their sheer lack of respect for me I could not cope with.


I have now started another job and the people are a very high calibre and really nice people also. I have been given the task of looking over the installation of pipework through out the site. The project which is a new build power staiton is still in its preliminary design phase.

ITs good but I feel inadequate compared to all my peers as I have been called a 'pipework expert' when I have only worked with pipework for a year and it was not very technical. I am trying to get my head in all sorts of books but its difficult.

I am at a loss of where my career could possibly end up. Berfore I started work 8 years ago I was a confident young man looking forward to an exciting career. Now I am a jibbering bag of nerves who is just trying to stay at work to provide for his wife and kid.

Is engineering wrong for me or have I just had the wrong jobs? I like the current job and I am trying to get more knowledge about piping but I am afraid this can only be learned in the field so I dont know how long I will last here as I am only contracting.

 

[knight185]

Maybe the kind of job you have is wrong for you, not engineering. I was working in a power plant for 18 months learning the ropes of performance engineering, mostly boiler combustion and tuning, before I was asked to take on a big overhaul project (steam turbine overhaul). Althought I didn't have a clue about how to do a steam turbine overhaul, I was not timid about going after the people who could help me. I was in charge of the schedule, budget compliance, coordinating shipping of all parts, coordinating all support contractors, and acting as one of the technical support contacts. I would later go on to do another turbine overhaul before being assigned to a combined cycle construction project that had been started up again after being idle for many years. I was told to implement a lot of system modifications that the OEM had recommended. Didn't have much guidance but I was able to quickly reach the main players (the OEM field engineers and the contracted craft supervisors) and formulate a game plan for getting the job done. I was a little bit nervous but nothing like you are describing for yourself. I think working in a single station as an operating engineer taught me a lot about a power plant and that knowledge helped me with overhaul and construction projects. However, my main weak point is design. For example, I am good at providing project oversight for the installation of piping. But I do not have the necessary skills to adequately design a piping system, make drawings, etc. I went to college to major in mechanical engineering so I could learn about how machines and structures are designed but I never want to do design for a job. I always wanted to be in manufacturing, construction, and commissioning.

 

[SomptingGuy]

I think many of us did a Mech Eng degree because we were good at maths and physics and enjoyed these subjects. I would personally rather work at McDonalds than be in production engineering, but that's just my preference. Unfortunately, many Mech Eng courses channel their students into production/site engineering. Mine certainly did. If you don't like the "shop floor", get an engineering job slightly more remote. There are jobs out there that mix late nights thinking about equations AND the odd bit of oil under the fingernails.


- Steve

 

[Jboggs]

I've been in mechanical engineering for over 30 years and have had lots of different types of positions: manufacturing, machine design, project management, department management, consulting, sales and marketing, insurance investigator, etc. I've worked in teams and solo. I've worked in a lab, on the plant floor, in the machine shop, in an office, and in my own basement. I've gotten grease and sweat all over me and I've made presentations to Boards of Directors. I've worked with primadonnas, mentors, assholes, good-ole-boys, political operators, and some damned good engineers.

You need to understand this - mechanical enigneering is probably the most wide open and diverse engineering discipline. For example, when I went to school they assumed that at some point you would be working with steam boilers and power plants so they concentrated on that topic. I've never worked in that field. In consulting, if you say you're a mechanical engineer everyone assumes you design HVAC systems or plumbing. Never done either one, and couldn't if I had to. Its hard to imagine a field of business endeavor in which mechanical engineers would not be involved in some way.

There are several keys to career happiness, but in my opinion the main one is to find your passion. Going in to engineering because you are good in math is one thing, but what do you really ENJOY doing? I sucked in math. Barely squeaked by in calculus and failed differential equations. I have NEVER had to use either one, but I use algebra, geometry, and trigonometry every day now. What do you love to do? What turns you on? Here's the test for you: if you truly love what you are doing you will think about it, a lot, when you aren't at work. You will even dream about it. I have literally dreamt the solutions to many problems. I love solving mechanical or machine problems and seeing my ideas come to life. Some folks get their kicks building big buildings or digging big ditches. Some want to make airplanes, or dams, or manufacturing plants. Some want diversity, to do something different every day, that's consulting. Yes, you may have some "issues" but it sounds to me like you just haven't found your engineering passion. This field is wide enough that I'm sure you can find your passion in it somewhere. Look around - a lot!

Then you can concentrate on finding a working environment that allows you to grow into responsibility rather than being thrust into it. In that regard I will say that most of my biggest projects have intimidated the heck out of me when I first looked at them. Using the old engineering approach of just taking a single bite at a time will carry you through to success. And always look for the individuals you can learn from, either directly or by doing what they do or even by observing their mistakes.

Don't get so hung up on having to always be right. Most problems will not be solved in the first attempt. Success is built on failure. Without failure we would have nothing to learn from. Don't be afraid to ask for advice or opinions. In fact, that's one of the best ways to compliment people and make them feel good about themselves - ask their opinion. Being willing to appear wrong, but also willing to learn, is one of the indicators of a healthy ego.

Hang in there. You can do it. Really.

 

[IRstuff]

ME is a pretty board discipline, and it's likely that you could spend an entire career hopping from subdiscipline to subdiscipline.. So, it seems like there are a couple of issues:
> engineers are mostly introverts, but you seem to describe yourself as relatively far from the mean, which is a problem regardless of what you wind up doing. You need to be comfortable in a public forum, because if you can't publicly demonstrate your expertise, you're just going to get rocks come review time
> you need to sit back and assess what you currently think you want to do. Note that this type of assessment is not cast in concrete, as interests and abilities change over time. Only then can you determine what you should do.

TTFN
faq731-376

 

[Terminus0]

I'd suggest taking a class on public speaking, or because I'm very into this perhaps a improv class. You need to do something to take you out of your comfort zone.

If you can do that, that'll take one issue mostly off the table, and you can concentrate on your technical problems.

 

[Mr168]

Good suggestion by Terminus0. Something like Toastmasters could be a big help for you. Don't rule out professional psychological help as well. It may not seem like it, but being treated medically for anxiety may have a significant positive impact on your life and work performance, and is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.

 

[lacajun]

I am not good at 'banter'either and usually find myself the target. This was fine but at the age of 34 now it starts to bother me in a big way. This presented itself when I was working again overseas and I ended up in a fight and one of the principal contractors was sent to hospital. I got away with a written warning for this.

You need professional help. This is not normal behavior, as you probably know, and will resurface until you get help. Putting someone in the hospital over what I perceive to be trivial issues indicates you need professional counseling. I hope you seek it and get it.

Conversation is an art and an art that is indispensable in life. Learn to appreciate it and what is going on in others' lives. It's a compliment and a sign of respect to show interest in the lives of others.

You are old enough to have taken responsibility for your own development. We all have to change as we go through life. I hope you begin today, if you haven't already.

Pamela K. Quillin, P.E.
Quillin Engineering, LLC

 

[msquared48]

Putting it succinctly, if you have to ask the question, then the answer is NO.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

http://mmcengineering.tripod.com