More School???? 1

[bushel3]

I finished my undergraduate degree in civil engineering and have worked for about 2.5 years as a geotech/structural engineer. Similar to other posts, I'm thinking about going back to school.

My career goal is to continue to work on new projects because they are fun and I like to learn. I have a hard time writing the same report more than a couple of times in a row because I don't have to think anymore.

I currently work for a small company and have been able to work on many different types of projects as a result. My boss is a book worm and frequently hands me multiple text books so I can write the next new report that he assigns me. I read them and after talking some more with my boss am able to ocmplete the tasks that he gives me. I can't think of a job that could be more fun than this. However, I want to make sure that I won't get stuck writing repeat reports over and over if I have to start working at a different firm.

At your companies do people w/o a master's degree or Phd reach a "ceiling" in terms of the difficulty of projects they are allowed to work on?

 

[ScottyUK]

Most companies use more people to work on projects of greater complexity, rather than employ one genius. Rare is the complex project which can't be broken down into simpler elements. The majority of engineers in the UK who have reached Chartered status - broadly equivalent to the PE in the US - won't have either a Master's degree or a PhD. The M.Eng programs are a relatively recent innovation and the majority of C.Eng's are the older and more experienced engineers. The balance will shift as the professional bodies toughen their academic requirements to require M.Eng rather than B.Eng for their academic exemption in order to offset the sliding educational standard of the B.Eng. PhDs will always remain niche and specialist so far as I can see: whilst those who attain them are evidently talented and motivated, they will never be a majority.

I am unaware of a ceiling related to academic qualifcations, although there may (justifiably) be one in some industries and some organisations which is related to professional qualifications such as C.Eng, PE, Eur.Ing, etc. I will wait for the fireworks now I have re-ignited the PE debate.


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I don't suffer from insanity. I enjoy it...

 

[JAE]

bushel - do you want to continue in geotechnical or move toward structural engineering? If structural, I would highly recommend you go back to school and get an MS degree.

 

[bushel3]

JAE

I don't really care geotechnical vs. structural. That has always been my problem. I took enough courses in undergrad to have my "specialty" in either. I am in night school right now working on a masters one class at a time. Last semester I took prestressed concrete really enjoyed it. Now I'm taking a site soil improvement class and like that too.

Right now I design foundation related structures (such as jack piles, retaining walls and caissons) and write geotech reports for buildings, dams or whatever else I can get my hands on. I like the big picture better than fine details which lends itself a little better to geotech problems. However, geotech problems seem to involve fewer numbers and I love playing with numbers.

I think the reality is, I'd love to work for 5 different specialists who do all aspects structures and geotech work. I want to be part of designing tunnel someday and I'd love to work on designing a prestressed concrete bridge. I like knowing and understanding the concept behind the problem. After I have a good understanding of the problem and how the numbers involving the problem work I'm ready for the next challenge. Usually that takes me two to five reports to see how each variable effects the problem. After that it is just plug and chug.

I'm probably more valuable if I'm an expert in one thing, but engineering theory/design is too much fun to just know one part of it. I the words of my prestressed concrete prof. "Its beautiful, its just beautiful."

 

[UcfSE]

Maybe the problem is that you don't care what you do. It is great to be enthusiastic about your job and engineering, but that won't get you anywhere. It isn't enough to want it. You have to take the steps to make it happen. If you want to do tunnel work you have to get on the path to do so. The same goes for a concrete bridge, or a high-rise. Your limit is your ability. Either way, you have to care about what your doing. You have to want something bad enough to work for it and not straddle the fence or be wishy-washy over it. If you want to write reports, or have a hand in several different areas, you can do that too. It all depends on what you want. Just remember, we specialize for a reason.

 

[DrillerNic]

In the UK, I think the level of academic qualifications necessary are pretty job specific, and often are either the result of 'tradition' or a way of reducing the number of potential applicants. So to work in the UK in the upstream oil & gas sector, you almost have to have an MSc or MEng, preferrably in Petroleum Engineering. To work for a large engineering contractor (KBR, Amec etc) as a Mechanical Engineer, I think an accredited MSc is gernally OK, but an MEng will make you stand out....

From you say, Bushel, it sounds like you're getting excellent experience and that means you may find an MSc a little boring- I'd suggest one thing to do might be to try and get that experience recognised (if you can't go for a professional qualification using the work you've been doing) by writing a couple of papers for a relevant enngineering journal?

I think there is a ceiling in engineering, but it's not related to academic qualifications but to the fact that beyond a certain level you have to move into (whisper it) management to continue getting promotions and more pay; larger organisations have a small number of gurus who have managed to stay pure engineers, but they are pretty rare!

 

[zdas04]

Nic,
I was one of those "technical guru's" that a major company allowed to stay on the technical track for an entire career. Every year my bosses got younger and my "peers" that went on the management track got further ahead in the salary and "perq" race.

Even in the rare company that in fact values technical contribution, you had better get a lot of job satisfaction from your tech stuff, because the tangible stuff seriously lags. I loved what I did and accepted the slow advancement as the price I paid for the internship that let me start a successful consultancy at 50 years old and really start having fun.

David

David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering

http://www.muleshoe-eng.com

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