Junior Engineer Woes 8

[anominal]

I have two years of job experience with the same employer, one in the field and one in the design office. This is my first full-time job after college.

In the design office I've primarily been a draftsman. The majority of my time has been spent cleaning up CAD files created by ill-trained, less computer savvy, senior level engineers. I've gotten very good at it...

It's grunt work. I don't want to specialize in correcting other peoples CAD mistakes, yet there seems to be no end in sight. I've put up with it for a year. Before I start seeking other employment opportunities I'd like to know if anyone else has been in the same boat.

Perhaps I'm just another plebe from generation whine, living in the age of entitlement.

 

[plasgears]

As you correct errors, build a codified set of Work Instructions to cover as much ground as needed to initiate others, train newbies, and prod the lazy to design right.

I wrote 14 WI under such circumstances. Writing WI is supposed to be the function of experts, but your contributions now will support your efforts to relocate later or gain promotions.

 

[westheimer1234]

a few months of CAD is good in my opinion.. i had to learn drafting softwares like autocad, microstation, pds(frameworks) and pdms in my line of work..

but of course the main software you should be using is staad or risa3d or similar..

 

[stanweld]

anominal,
After two years experience, it's time for some advancement. As others have stated, discuss with your supervisor or mentor. If discussions do not bear fruit, seek advancement elsewhere.

 

[macmet]

A little bit of drafting isn't bad. And with the economy the way it still is, it is better than being unemployed.

But, speak with your supervisor and ask about getting more responsibility. And be realistic. Don't fall for the "he's a nice guy and will do what he promises”. I was in a small company and doing a lot of drafting. I stuck with it b/c of some of the promises made. I found out later that one of the roles I was promised, was also promised to another guy, and it never even materialized.

And don't believe that business is going to pick up simply because the boss says so. I fell for that. What a disaster. Look into the industry yourself if you have to. But, unless you are 100% sure an opportunity will come up for you within that company, start looking for a job while you have one.

 

[brandoncdg]

At my 2nd job I was basically taking the project manager's mylar drawings, scanning that and tracing properly into CAD. What I soon found out after blindly doing this and asking why this or that is happening, is that the CAD people were literally tracing. I then started talking to the PM more about this and learned how to design. He slowly would let me take stuff home and try my hand at drawing on mylars. After a few years of this I can design a large subdivision straight into CAD.

Fixing CAD errors I now see is pretty valuable and a positive is that you have a chance to probably see lots of different types of plans and styles.

A lot of people didn't know I had a degree plus I look much younger. I wouldn't mind that, as long as the higher ups know what you are, that's all that matters. Of course you can't just go in every day to work and not try to learn and talk to others. Talking about projects is where your supervisor will realize he might be able to teach you how to do more than CAD file fixing.

Goodluck trying to find another job right now. It has to get much worse before things will get better.

Civil Development Group, LLC
Los Angeles Civil Engineering specializing in Hillside Grading

http://www.civildevelopmentgroup.com

http://www.civildevelopmentgroup.com/blog

 

[FREEDOM7]

ANOMINAL

Let me predict your future, but before I do let me just say that with whatever you do you must always do it to your best abilities. Never compromise, so for now continue doing the best you possibly can.
Now for my prediction. You will move on from your current position if you have enough guts to finally do it. You will start designing and you will get raises (provided the economy allows for that). You will thank your boss for the opportunity for making more money for him than you take home. If you get married you will force your wife to work so you can enjoy your "life style". By the time you retire you will continue working because the economy didn't work for you as you had planned, social security is gone, and your investments didn't provide you with the returns you had hoped.
How dare I predict this? Because 95% or more of the people reading this post will end up in the same situation.
Sorry.

 

[IRstuff]

Hey! I resemble that remark!

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[FACS]

I'm surprised after only two years you know so much.

That omniscience must be a terrible burden.

Charlie

http://www.facsco.com

 

[IRstuff]

Being part of the 95% is the terrible burden...

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[KENAT]

Funny, there have been so many threads with responses that appear to look down on drafting/drafters or getting pigeon holed as a CAD Jockey etc. that I figured most responders would think a year was far too long to spend doing this work.

I got the impression from the OP that it was literally just fixing mistakes etc. so figured much more than a year of literally just being given these tasks is pushing it. If he's acting more as an assistant to these Engineers, taking some responsibility for overall preparation of the drawings and so on then it may well warrant much more than a year.

Sure it's in part up the the OP to make the most of whatever opportunities he's given, but there's a point where you just need better opportunities.

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[HgTX]

[I suppose it would be completely off-topic to question the various assumptions underlying the "force your wife to work" comment...]

Hg


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[SpecialEddie]

Usually the wife CHOOSES to work and forces us to accept it because it's HER lifestyle that we, as engineers, cannot afford to sustain...

 

[berkshire]

Maybe I am just showing my age, but I do not remember seeing a requirement to be proficient at CAD in a senior engineers job description.
The ability to calculate and communicate design requirements by verbal means, sketches, or other methods, was, in the description.
Draughtsmen and subordinates are used to assist the senior engineer in his efforts.
I think the OP's comments about senior level Engineers being ill trained are inappropriate. It is most likely that these people are self taught in the local CAD system so they have a better way of explaining what they want to their juniors.
B.E.

 

[apsix]

"How dare I predict this? Because 95% or more of the people reading this post will end up in the same situation."

So the reason why you believe that your prediction is accurate is because you predict the very same thing for at least 95% of readers?

That's no proof.
Do you resent being forced to work?

 

[apsix]

B.E.
You're reading 'ill-trained' in a negative way.
Surely 'self taught' can be a sub-set of 'ill-trained'?

I don't do CAD and agree that it's not necessary, but I can see that it would be useful.

 

[TheTick]

Drafting is important. Without drafting, there is no meaningful communication of design, and design is just daydreaming.

I learned to draft mostly by machining parts from hundreds of drawings. Through the magic of poor drafting, I had the privilege of producing thousands of parts that met print specifications but failed to function as desired. Why? Because the person drawing did not know how to ask for what he needed. I can't read minds; I can only read prints.

Now it's my turn to draw, and I know how to ask for what I need.

 

[KENAT]

Berkshire's post is more like I was expecting.

I don't believe that senior engineers necessarily need to know how to draft to a high level, I especially don't think they need to know how to use the latest CAD software at expert level.

However, having some appreciation of it is a good thing. Knowing that their drafter lackey has actually specified the parts correctly etc. and accepting that occasionally things get done 'that way' because of limitations of the CAD package but sometimes because of limitations of the CAD Jockey etc. are highly beneficial.

The best Senior Engineer we have here is useless at CAD (well, he's picked up a little over the last few months) but fairly good at knowing a good drawing and what needs to be in it etc. This is more than I can say for many here, they might be OK on the CAD package but their drawings - oh dear.

I got told at a job fair just a couple of weeks ago by a potential employer that they don't employ many 'drafters' any more and the engineers are expected to do their own drafting/CAD. (This conversation conspired because I foolishly put 'Design Enginer/CAD Draftsman' on my resume thinking having another potential role would open doors not slam them in my face!)

Many of the 'great' engineers of the first half of last century, and probably before, started out on the board. I'm thinking RJ Mitchell, Camm, the guy that designed the Titanic (Assuming you accept it sinking was the operators fault not his) etc.

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[SNORGY]

So, is it only in Canada where the engineers are completely "CAD Stupid" and wouldn't know how to draw a straight line even if they duct-taped a ruler onto the monitor?

Seriously...

How is the work culture in the U.S. and overseas with respect to the level of CAD skills required from an engineer? I perceive that it is more common than not, whereas here, it's essentially nonexistent. Personally, I think thad CAD experience and that skill set would be of great benefit to all engineers, and I wonder why we don't see more of that here.

Regards,

SNORGY.

 

[GregLocock]

In my previous job I made the initial 3D models and analysed them for package and function, then threw them over a metaphorical wall to a draftie who turned them into real parts.

In Australia, at my current job, I don't use CAD at all. I'd much rather sit with an experienced draftie, get him to understand what I need, than try and duplicate his experience with manufacturing (most of our experienced drafties came in via the toolroom, and have an enormous knowledge of manufacturing processes).




Cheers

Greg Locock


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[IRstuff]

That's one of several things that changed since the mid-80's, when engineers got computers to do word processing and detailed design. It used to be that we'd send off hand-written memos to the AAs, who'd then convert into finished copies which we'd have to redline. Likewise, senior engineers were supposed to concentrate on conceptual design, and detailing was left to the drafters or junior engineers.

We write way fewer memos, so the inefficiency of hunt&peck hasn't gotten us behind on that front, but I'm uncertain whether forcing the senior engineers to do the detailed design was an overall gain. Supposedly, our overall productivity is up, but I'd like to see some hard data. In some respects, the real advantage is that the senior engineers are busy all the time, compared to them idling while someone else did the detailed design that the senior engineers would check at a much later date.

TTFN

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