Not really an engineer, but I want to be...

[turbomacncheese]

Firstly, I know this is a forum for professional engineers, and I am not. But I think this would be the best place for some legitimate feedback.

After a solid semi-career in restaurant management, I decided that I wasn't using my brain enough every day to be happy. I quit the 80 hours/week job and work much less now, so that I have time to school. I've always considered myself a problem solver, and I'm strong in math and science. I placed into calcI/analytic geometry on a placement test at the local cc after pretty much NO math for the last 12 years.

Thing is, I'm 31, and likely to be 36-37 before I have a degree in hand. Is that too old to start a career in engineering? I think I've had enough of settling, but is this a valid point to settle on a new career with faster training?

Thanks
Tony

 

[FeX32]

That is not too old imo. As long as you enjoy what you do, you will never look back.



Fe

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

turbomacncheese ... Check the logo at top LH corner. These fora are for engineering professionals (EPs), not just PEs.

 

[ctopher]

You're never too old to start something new.
You still have 30+ years until retirement.

Chris
SolidWorks 10 SP4.0
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[duong12]

Never to late to start. Go for it.
"The first problem for all of us, men and women, is not to learn, but to unlearn."

Find Electrical Engineer Job listings

http://www.electrical-designer-guide.com/

 

[duong12]

Think about thousands of others were out of work and can't find it back. You're still so lucky.
"Happiness comes when your work and words are of benefit to yourself and others." Buddha

Find Electrical Engineer Job listings

http://www.electrical-designer-guide.com/

 

[casseopeia]

31 is too OLD!?!?!?!?!?!?!



"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance!"

 

[msquared48]

Better done when you're younger, but, you know, I've found that mac&cheese is best served warm, and you are a lot warmer when you are doing what you like.

Go for it dude. You'll be happier with yourself, and that is what will make you successful.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto: KISS
Motivation: Don't ask

 

[TheTick]

Not even clos to the oldest I have seen.

 

[IRstuff]

No different than many ex-military looking for a second career. Your biggest difficulty will actually be choosing the engineering discipline that you want to study, i.e., mechanical, electrical, etc. Choose wisely, padawan...

HOWEVER, whatever discipline you choose, make sure you get a full bachelor's degree from an accredited school. DO NOT get a technology degree, DO NOT get an associate degree; neither will pass the threshold usually applied to entry level engineering jobs.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[Ron]

Agree with the others...Go for it.

Follow IRstuff's advice and choose your discipline carefully. Follow your interests, not the published/touted starting salary data.

 

[turbomacncheese]

"No different than many ex-military looking for a second career. Your biggest difficulty will actually be choosing the engineering discipline that you want to study, i.e., mechanical, electrical, etc. Choose wisely, padawan...HOWEVER, whatever discipline you choose, make sure you get a full bachelor's degree from an accredited school. DO NOT get a technology degree, DO NOT get an associate degree; neither will pass the threshold usually applied to entry level engineering jobs."

First, thanks to everyone for the encouragement! IRstuff, I can already see that this will be the hard part. Perhaps not only because I need to find where my interests best intersect with engineering, but also because there is limited schooling in less than a 1 hour commute and I work full-time to support my wife and four children, and we plan on moving to Illinois sometime before I could finish.

Any tips on what kind of personalities/interests best suit particular disciplines of engineering?

 

[Lion06]

I would offer this advice. I was in a similar situation a number of years ago. I graduated high school in a small town where everyone just finished high school, got a job at the local factory, got married, had kids, and went on their merry way. I scored a 790 on the math SAT in high school and not even my guidance counselor sugested at least looking into college.

I got a job at the local factory, and even years later I was still doing calculus problems in my head while working and on lunch (proving to myself that the area of a circle really is pi*r^2 by using double integration with polar coordinates, and similar things). When I was 24 I decided I couldn't take it any longer and started taking classes at a community college - at the time I wanted to be a math teacher. The college was an hour away. I took gen ed classes there for about 2 years while working full time. When I decided to go into engineering I realized that I needed to step up the pace a little. I started taking as many classes (gen ed) as I could anywhere I could find them. I took classes at two different community colleges (in class and online), and at 3 different branch campuses of the university I finally graduated from.

I worked full time while taking classes part time for 4.5 years and then worked part time while taking classes full time for 2 years. During all of this I had a kid, got divorced, then got remarried. I was 30 when I finally finished. It was a long, hard road to hoe, but very much worth it. I get to exercise my brain daily and love my work. I make less money than I did in the factory (by a pretty substantial %), but am much happier.

I would say that if you are passionate about engineering, then go for it. You will definitely be there because you want to and not just because you're good in math/science. That will make a huge difference in your study time and how you take notes and pay attention in class. This will ultimately be reflected in your grades and the opportunities that open up to you.

When I talked to my mother about going back to school and I expressed concern about how long it would take me to finish and how hard it would be she just asked me how old I would be in 7 years. The answer was the same whether I went to school or not. Why not go for it and be happier in 7 years?

11 years later I just found out my application was approved to sit for the SE I exam.

I have a tremendous amount of respect for anyone who has the fortitude to take this road. It's not borne out of a need to please others or expectations from parents/family. It's clearly a desire to better oneself and contribute as much as they can to society. That being said, the bulk of the respect comes from that fact that it is a long, difficult road (I know this first-hand, obviously) and not everyone can make it. Those that can (and do) automatically earn my respect.

 

[cancmm]

Well said SEIT.

I had this conversation with someone else recently. We noted that of the engineers we knew, the ones that actually liked being engineers tended to avoid retirement. I'm far from retirement but I could understand the logic. My father is not an engineer but planned to retire a few years ago. He found that he was bored and needed his own time away from my mother (ha!) so he went back to work. If you're an engineer and spend your whole life bettering yourself at some profession that you love, why would you up and quit when you're at the peak of your knowledge base? I could see slowing down but retiring completely? Not likely, at least for me.

That being said, the reason I wrote that is that even at 37 years old, you may think you "only" have 25-30 years til retirement. However, if you're in good health, you may end up doing this the rest of your life. It's an addictive profession when the rules keep changing and the wealth of knowledge is so vast. You just never stop learning something new.

 

[impeller1]

Go for it man. When I was doing my Bachelor's degree about 2 years ago, there was this retired pilot who was in my year. He graduated with First Class honours with a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering. He was about 55 years at the time!! So you're nowhere near close!

 

[rbulsara]

Go for it! I wish more people would have the attitude like you.

Rafiq Bulsara

http://www.srengineersct.com

 

[HgTX]

If you know you'll be moving in a couple of years, I suggest doing as much as you can at your local CC, then seeing what accredited engineering programs within commuting distance of your intended location in Illinois have distance learning components. You can start with distance learning, then attend in person once you move. I do advocate attending classes in person whenever possible as you will gain more from direct interaction.

Also see thread730-265061

Hg

Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[IRstuff]

While there is the obvious personality stereotype of the engineer:
> Introverted engineer: looks at his own shoes when talking to someone else
> Extroverted engineer: looks at the other person's shoes when talking to them.

The main factor is really finding something that you like to do, can do, and are willing to do for the rest of your life. Bear in mind that typical engineering is mostly an office job, but there are exceptions.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[turbomacncheese]

Hell, half the reason I want to be an engineer is just to be "in" on the engineer jokes, lol. Seriously, though, lots of great advice, and thanks for the little nudge. I may resurrect this thread from time to time with progress, and hopefully one day, I'll count myself among the engineers WITH the answers.

 

[EngineerTex]

I think that the answer to your first qestion is pretty easy. When you're 37 and looking back at the previous few years, are you likely to say that you were glad that you had skipped all the bull of an engineering degree? Will you have preferred doing whatever it was you were doing between now and then?

As for deciding which degree to pick, I can only tell you about how I decided on mechanical. If you find yourself fascinated by everything with moving parts and can spend hours leafing through manufacturers' catalogs of out-of-date machinery that you have already looked at a hundred times before, then you should probably pick mechanical. Couldn't tell you what turns on the guys who build bridges or radios.

Engineering is not the science behind building. It is the science behind not building.