Volunteering?

[TheBourne]

Hi Folks,

I was wondering if anyone has volunteered in the past or is currently volunteering to establish some experience in a specific engineering role/discipline/company?

Coming out of school with not much but an B.Eng and a slap on the back, I've applied to numerous paid positions without luck. Along the way I've gotten some great advice (and about tenfold in obvious advice) from various people working as or around engineers, but it just isn't cutting it as far as results go. I need a job doing something!!! I feel discriminated against because I don't have a PhD and for my less than seasoned resume (I made my way through aerospace engineering by shoveling dirt and baling hay).

But before this becomes a rant of my own frustration, I'll leave these questions for anyone who has gotten a jump start through volunteering (or anyone with an opinion on the matter):

1) Were companies interested in your offer to volunteer or were they hesitant/suspicious of taking on an unpaid employee?

2 a) Did volunteering help you achieve what you eventually wanted it to?
b) What were the terms of your position, and how long did you volunteer your time?
c) Were your responsibilities substantial or were you a coffee-runner?

3) Did volunteering impress future employers?

4) What was your strategy in approaching companies with the offer?

Hope some insight can be had on this subject.

Cheers.

 

[photoengineer]

I don't think trying to work for free at a company is a good way of improving your skills. Employers that respect you will pay you and this is especially true in engineering. I believe this is especially true in engineering.

Aerospace engineers are in demand and you will find a place that will hire you. It just takes patience, time, and constantly sending out your resume.

I would encourage you to look for contract positions and accept on of those if possible. It is a foot in the door, gives you a chance to meet people, and gives you experience. (Yes, some companies do hire people with minimal experience as contractors. I was one 3 years out of college.)

If you are interested in volunteering, you can contact the engineers without borders organization and work with them. They design health improvement projects in impoverished countries.

Cedar Bluff Engineering

http://cedarbluffengineering.webs.com

 

[TDAA]

I am not a fan of volunteering in a professional service such as engineering. It is bad enough to see people complaining so much about being under paid in various disciplines of engineering that we do not need someone coming in (especially with a degree, and even more so with an advanced degree) and offering to work for nothing.

Hold your head up, point out your work ethic, and land the position you want.

 

[Compositepro]

Labor laws are a big impediment to companies being able to use volunteer labor.

 

[msquared48]

I have volunteered my services for three different projects over the years, two utilizing reduced service fees for charity organizations involving children and the handicapped, and one pro-bono for a down and out family of a friend with serious structural issues in their home. Part of contributing to the community.

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

 

[KENAT]

It may be what you mean by volunteering but you could ask about internships. Typically they are paid though at a lower rate than a direct employee/grad etc. Might be a way to get experience.

As to getting your first job, there have been loads of posts about similar, if you haven't taken a look already have a browse and see if any give you an idea.

Posting guidelines faq731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

(probably not aimed specifically at you)
What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484​

 

[casseopeia]

I occasionally see small, for profit companies advertise on craigslist for volunteer (slave) labor offering nothing more than the privaledge of working for them for free for the 'invaluable' experience and 'contacts with idustry insiders. I always flag those ads as prohibited. I also flag ads offering less than minimum wage. I think it's a bad idea.

If you want to volunteer, do it for a legitimate cause, not for some arrogant slob looking to scam the desperate.

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

 

[tygerdawg]

I got involved with my local professional engineering socieities SME & ASME. Never got any job offers, but made a lot of personal network contacts and refined my leadership skills at low risk. All of which has helped my career, I think.

A friend is a very smart computer guy and he did volunteer work for United Way. I'm no fan of UW for certain reasons, but his volunteer work allowed him to rub shoulders with the go-getter Executives-In-Training that were doing their obligatory stint as "Company X United Way Fundraising Chairman". It paid off well for him, too, in its own way.

TygerDawg
Blue Technik LLC
Virtuoso Robotics Engineering

http://www.bluetechnik.com

 

[moltenmetal]

As I read our own particular Code of Ethics, it is contrary to our code to offer your services for free to a for-profit concern, or for engineers working in such a firm to accept such an offer. By so doing, you actually REDUCE the likelihood that you or someone else will be HIRED for a paying position, which reduces the value of the services you and your peers can offer.

Yes, unpaid internships are common in some "professions". DON'T MAKE ENGINEERING ONE OF THEM! Even apprentices in the trades are PAID for their services while they learn.

True volunteerism is a virtue, but do it for a not-for-profit charitable organization such as Engineers Without Borders, Habitat for Humanity etc. Any number of local charitable organizations will be only too happy to have a young, educated and motivated person available to help them out. And you WILL learn things of value to you personally and professionally by doing so.

 

[monkeydog]

As Tygerdawg mentioned, professional societies have local chapters with montly meetings. You may try attending one of those. You can make good contacts (someone who knows someone).
I would not limit myself to aerospace, getting experience - period - is what you need now.

 

[TheBourne]

Great advice everyone. My main hesitation with volunteering was, as most said, selling short my true capability to a profit-making company. I think I'll look more into "non-profit" engineering societies and try to offer up what I can.

And @monkeydog, I agree that I should not be limiting myself to aerospace...many industry pros remind me that their current position couldn't be further from where they were upon graduation. My main interest was in aerospace and I wanted a B.Eng so I figured it'd be an interesting way to get it! Like most engineers though, I am simply in it for the problem solving incentive.

 

[Niwot]

TheBourne: The best damn engineer I ever hired worked on a farm in Iowa to pay for his tuition. He will be on Solid Works one minute and crawling into a lathe the next. Small companies like ours (40 employees) look for engineers who are not afraid to go home with a little machining oil on their shirts. A small growth company can have great rewards if your timing is right and they generally don't pigeon-hole you like larger companies. Also, there are simply more of them.

My brother is an aerospace engineer and he is one of the lucky few who advanced into a business development position. When he was a project manager, he would be forced by the higher-ups to lay off up to 100 people at a time. Contract-based work is tough, especially at the entry level. Find a small to mid-sized company with a good working environment and make their products and processes better. I am biased, of course. Good luck.

Jake

PS - I bailed and stacked hay when I was in school. No matter what you wear, you go home looking like your arms and legs were in a blender.