I graduated 1982 and started work 1978. I worked 45 years, and every company I worked for was either bankrupted, sold off or mortgaged to the limit. But I was always working, except for 6 weeks of voluntary unemployment, and of course several years (in total) of rather fabulous holidays. Anyway, Mr No Attitude has had his 2 days of 'fame'. Byeeeeee! PSA there is now an ignore option for a given user.
Don't knock digging ditches and qa testing. That is how many engineers got started, me included. I have spent 23 years as a civil engineer working my way from a lowly design engineer to a District Engineer with a major domestic water provider. All of that started with digging ditches, installing pipelines, fixing and repairing leaks, and generally learning how things work. It went a long ways to landing me my first job as an engineer. I was able to show a willingness to work hard and common sense knowledge that many entry level engineers don't have in their respective field.
Engineering offices are difficult places to work. Not only is the work difficult, mentally tiring, and requires constant personal development/growth/training, but its an environment ruled by logic with little regard for emotion. You could be technically brilliant, highly motivated, etc but if you're not emotionally dead to criticism, second-guessing, or having your mistakes pointed out then you'll be run off. Design reviews are literally a group of managers/peers/colleagues spending hours poking holes in your work. Nobody will pussyfoot around, your work either meets every requirement or it doesnt, alternative designs were considered or not, analysis/testing has been planned and completed or it hasnt, etc.
The direct answer to every "I cant..." is usually "Keep trying or find another job," regardless if you're trying to find a job or design a rocket. That's not an engineer being unkind, just direct.
