Career Path

[elMickotanko]

Hi,

Im nearly finished my HND college course and need to make decisions.

Do I take my education further? which means another 2 years studying, being skint, and living with my parents till im 24.

Or do I start looking for a JOB? risking that no-one employs me cos i dont have a university degree, ending up having to go full-time at maplins, aaargh! I still dont know what branch of electronics to follow.

Do all you knowledgable folk have degrees? did any of you learn in the 'university of life'?
I guess Im trying to start a thread on experiences of first jobs, how you got them etc.

M!C/<

 

[bonxer]

Definitely continue college, and get an internship somewhere if you can. When there's 1 open job spot, and 50 people applying, you're at the bottom of the list as it is, right above high school grad. Experience is what counts. Either that or a master's degree. Or both. But you need the bachelor's + work experience to get above the bachelor's only, and above the associate's degrees. And getting a good job in a timely manner with a bachelor's is hard enough. Even harder without. If you're still not sure, by all means go ahead and post your resume and get them sent out to lots of places, and if you get something good, that's great for you, but if not, then you will be more sure of where only 2 years of education stand, and where you need to go from there.

 

[elMickotanko]

Thanks for the advice,

I think I'll apply for Uni and also send out my CV.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

There are HUGE numbers of people with degrees either unemployed, or working in minimum wage jobs - at one time having a degree almost guaranteed you a well paid job, with good prospects, but not any more!.

Personally I consider the reason is the large number of people doing useless degree subjects, simply because it's an easy course (this is encouraged by the UK school system, with the schools wanting kids to do the easy useless courses as it makes the school performance look better!).

By all means go to Uni, but FIRST study what degree will help you get a good job, there's loads of help and information available in this line - my year 9 daughter has already spend a day at Sheffield Uni, with two more days to come in year 10, then a full residential week in year 11. There are usually people available to talk about courses, based on the needs of the surrounding area, with almost guaranteed jobs if you take (and pass!) the correct course! - many also offer on the job experience, while you are doing your course!.

In the meantime, if you can find a decent job, I would probably tend to take it, but try and continue your studies in the evenings.

 

[mechie]

Choosing a future ?

Hi elMickotanko,

I would tend to agree with Nigel (as usual) that there are a lot of 'time-waster' degrees out there waiting to take your money and just put "bums on seats" (that's the English, not American bums).

A big part of your desicion must be driven by the job you are aiming for, a chemistry degree seems to be important to get a modestly paid chemist's job but an engineering degree would have probably stopped me getting the job I have at the minute! (employers hate recruits having better qualifications than they have - it stops them feeling secure !!!); if you do go on to get a degree you may need to consider keeping it quiet for some applications!

Try to talk to would-be employers and ask them what they would expect from you - giving such advice is in their interest, securing future employees with the correct qualifications.

If you can visit a few employers (open days, job interviews, friends and contacts), ask whoever shows you around how they got the job, what qualifications they recommend and what their job entails. Look on the internet for background on the site/industry, don't turn up not knowing anything - there is nothing worse than showing somebody around a site and then being asked reaaly dumb questions like "where does the paper go after it has been through the incinerator?".

 

[lavenatti]

I did not get my bachelors degree until I was 35. Trust me, get it now. After working to pay the bills and having little else to show for a 40 -50 hour work week I bit the bullet and went back to school. The difference in my lifestyle in only five years is tremendous. If you put up with being poor and living with your parents for two more years you'll be much better off.

As for those worthless degrees people are getting, my daughter was insisting on going to college for one of them. I informed her she could go to college for whatever she wanted. It is, after all, her life. I then told her I would not pay any of her college bills if that was what she chose (it is, after all, my money).

She is now in college for nursing.

 

[SocMatt]

Hi elMickotanko,

More and more companies these days are giving staff the oppotunity to further there academic qualifications with day release schemes. I am just finishing the first year of a BEng degree, which i do on day release and my company pays for it.

As far as I am concerned this is a best of both worlds scenario.
Perhaps try and see if there are any companies that would be prepared to support you.

 

[Juglenaut]

So in general an Associates Degree is junk at a Nationally accredited School, hmmm then 25k has junk went to the sewer system, I can't afford to goto school any longer. The US policy does not help the people as much as other countries, and companies in majority does not care about students.

I would live at my parents, well my mother in particular, if she cared. My Farther past 3 years ago. I have a 8 month old Son and going to school and working full time doesn't make ends meet up at all if fact I fall short monthly on dual incomes on a standard cost of living of over 2k net and that is the housholds net income, this is for the mid-west. In fact I get paid less than and average High school grad per capita.

The only way for me to get a Masters is if I get a sponsor or a huge scholarship that paid for it all, I would even sign a waiver stating that if I failed I would pay all back.

Rightnow I am a 12/120/240 US EU electrician that this company hires HS grads for, they basically told me they wouldn't pay more for my degree or experience since it is just as practical for them to hire someone out of High school, so I told them, in so many words that I would not leave my degree on the backburner forever I want to be able to use my degree when I can get paid comparativly more else where.

 

[elMickotanko]

Hi,

I agree about these time-waster courses, things like 'david beckhamology'! :lol:

SocMatt,

What company is it u work for? How did u find out about it? I would love that, that would be ideal.

Where do I look for these companies?

Nigel:

but FIRST study what degree will help you get a good job

Do you mean what university/area or what actual course? I think any course as long as its electronics based is for me. I wouldnt mind giong somewhere else in uk to study, although Glasgow Uni look pretty impressive for electronics.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Do you mean what university/area or what actual course?

Mostly the course, but that often determines the Uni you select as well.

You should be able to meet with prospective employers through the University, these can advise you what they are looking for (and the Uni may well do specific courses for them!), and probably give you a job when you qualify?.

 

[cyprio7]

dudes whats the difference between graduating in the uk with these following degrees...

BEng Electronic Engineering
BSc Electronics


what is the difference? will it make a difference between getting a job? is it true you cant be chartered engineer unless you have BEng degree?

one last question, what kind of money can you get being an electronics engineer, some people have said its crap money an its hard to find a job, others say its a great field to go into and you can earn very good money

what are your opinions on this

thanks

 

[elMickotanko]

Hi,

Through looking at university websites I found that Bsc isnt 'accredited' and so you cant become a chartered engineer with this. I suppose this means you will be paid less (to start with anyway).

 

[cyprio7]

na man my degree is accredited by Institute of Incorporated Engineers (for BSc) but for BEng its accredited by Institute of Electrical Engineers

 

[Pyroandrew]

In the UK, BSc in electronics varies in content very little from BEng, depends on your uni. The major difference is that BSc degree are rarely accredited, some MSc electronics are, but there is an overlap between the IEE and the Institute of Physics, again depending on the course and uni. If you are going to do a degree make sure it is accredited, here it is by the IEE. Also if you want to go places in electronics and get a highly paid job etc. you really need to do a MEng degree. It is extremely rare for a BEng graduate to become chartered, incase you did not know chartered = £££, you can demand higher pay because of your greater experience and extertise. Also the uni that you study at can influence your employability. In the UK again, in no particular order, Imperial, UCL, Southampton, Surrey and UMIST are amoung the best. A degree from these universities can bump up your pay and gives you a better chance of getting into industry higher up.

In Short; don't bother with an unaccredited degree, in any field.

 

[Pyroandrew]

one last question, what kind of money can you get being an electronics engineer, some people have said its crap money an its hard to find a job, others say its a great field to go into and you can earn very good money

On the money side, it varies greatly. Working for the Gov Like I do at the moment, not a great deal, £20k ish starting, rising not by much until you get to grade 7 or 6, home office grades that is. If it is money you want, work in private industry. Graduates can extect starting pay of around £20k - £30k depending on field. With a few years experience in FPGAs you can get a job earning well over £50k, managing projects is similar. Senior engineering managers of programes can earn well over £100k, and I mean well over. Being an engineering consultant you can earn £stupid. When you get into management or consultancy your Chartership (CEng) or degree (MEng preferably), allows you to go to meetings and confrences on behalf of your company, because they trust that you will not be bullsh*ted by sales persons and give apporpriate advice as to how to make profit. Basicly, the more resonsibility you have, the more you earn. Unfortunately, just doing the designing has a ceiling to the amount you can earn.

To earn money, a good path is to do an IEE accredited MEng degree (a nice speciality helps too, I did electronics with satelite engineering), do a few year work to build up experience and a case for becoming chartered, get chartered (quite a complicated task now), get a new job manageing projects rather than doing all the work on the projects.

 

[Pyroandrew]

Hi,

Do all you knowledgable folk have degrees? did any of you learn in the 'university of life'?

M!C/<

One problem, because your in Scotland, I imagine that you will not be old enough to drink when you start. What a shame! . Seriously though I'd go to Uni, it's great. But your degree will last a little bit longer than 2 years if you do a worth while one. My one lasted 5 years, but that is an MEng with Industrial placement year. An industrial placement is good also, it gets you out of the debt you accumulate over the years at uni. :lol:

 

[cyprio7]

unfortunately its too late for me to do an MEng because iv already started.

Im currently doing BEng Electronic Engineering which is accredited by IEE but am thinking of changing to BSc Electronics which for my university has been accredited by the Institution of Incorporated Engineers.

Im thinking of changing because im not enjoying and finding a couple of modules very hard on the BEng... that being linear systems a module with all diracs impulse laplace, steady space diagrams, etc but in hardcore detail and i have to also do a language which i hate. On the BSc you are not made to do a language

If i did BSc Electronics (accredited by IIE) and then did a part time masters afterwards in maybe "Mobile personal and satellite communication" (is what im thinking)..... what kind of job am i looking at and money.

some people i know have said the money in electronics is sh*t and there are not a lot of jobs and you cant earn a lot of money with a BSc as opposed to having a BEng.

what do you guys think?

 

[WilliamN]

I am 27 and am back in school. I received my BS in ME when I was 22. I worked for a valve manufacturer as my first job. I was so happy when they told me I was going to be salaried and was making decent pay. I ended up working 65+ hours a week and I am sure hour per hour a waiter made more than I did. Companies love to take advantage of new grads (most don't have any prior field experience) pay them nothing and work them hard. But its a first job and its not going to be the best. Each year of experience you get under your belt the more valuable you become, and the more your phone will ring with offers. I ended up getting a job at a law firm (not using my ME degree) and now that firm is helping me pay my way through law school. (IP Law) Bottom line is do what you enjoy, the odds of you becoming successful in a field you loathe aren't good.

 

[Pyroandrew]

some people i know have said the money in electronics is sh*t and there are not a lot of jobs and you cant earn a lot of money with a BSc as opposed to having a BEng.

quote]

the money in electronics is there for the taking, as with everything in life things can bit a little bit dead end if you are not good at what you do. My advice, find something you ar good at, or at least try your damned hardest to be good at what you want to do.

A BEng degree will get you a little further than a BSc in electronics, but not too much further. If it's money you want, you really really really need to get your self a masters degree (MEng), maybe a PHD and certianly chartered status. The more little bits added onto your title, the more pay you can dempand.

hope you keep trying hard, I know the lingo seems difficult at first, but after some indepth reading, you will find that it is almost all fancy names given to really simple principles.

Andrew

 

[solidhelix]

OT: just a thought... electro-tech should have a lounge forum to discuss off topic discussion