Posted on 08/03/2004 4:49:17 AM PDT by Dane
It must be split into subgroups such as computers and industrial eng.
I hear you. All those nimrod guidance counselors saying, "Follow your bliss!" and "The money will follow!"
And little junior doesn't have the education yet to ask..."Did you follow your bliss into guidance counseling?"
It's a matter of wishful thinking--but you cannot daunt the determined fool. Not your fault. Hope you didn't get suckered into debt--that I will NOT do...
"International Relations"? What is that?
At least your daughter made a poor judgment in what to major in as opposed to dropping out of college.
Most jobs don't require a specific BS or MS, only a generic "4-year degree"... if specific education is required, it's usually a certification like being a CPA, right? So she could always get certified in something-or-other at a community college, and she'll fulfill requirements just fine for most jobs...
I didn't see geology either...
"EE is typically same as ME, or real darn close to it"
No, it's lumped in with computer engineering, not ME
It must be split into subgroups such as computers and industrial eng.
Either that or they just plain forgot it.
He coulda woiked for da Times! He wuz robbed!
Being a "real" electrician takes years. One does have to go to school as well as be an apprentice for years. I believe we are at last seeing a shift away from over paying people with dumass leftist degrees. The sciences/engineering degrees and technical/trades are what we need and really make our lives better. We could do fine with a few less journalists, attorneys, MBA's, socialogists, etc.
I can hear my wife now (with shotgun), "PULL!"
LOL... actually he does creative writing for a living... he's a lawyer now who's making 4 times more than I could ever hope to make as a programmer.
Be glad you didn't get a PhD. I know Assistant Profs making in the 30's and a 60 year old full professor making 50k.
14 years of college to become a vet?
Better gig than newspapers!
Red
can't believe bio;gy-life science is lower than liberal arts or english
Yes, the starting salary is good. But the salary stays flat; pretty much increasing just a little bit better than the rate of inflation (unless one continues with additional education and earns a higher level degree, or moves out of Chemical Engineering).
Starting salary is what lures a lot of youngsters into engineering, and recruiters never say anything about subsequent slow salary growth, although salary compression has been a liability of the engineering profession for decades. When I got my first engineering job (mid-80's), starting salaries were higher than those of many experienced engineers. And I was aware that, not changing any other variables, the same thing would eventually happen to me.
HOWEVER (and this is a big however), any time I hear people complaining about their salaries, I have to ask (not always to their face, I do have some manners), whose fault is that? If your salary isn't growing the way you want it to, then fix it. It's not like we're living in the Soviet Union. There are options.
There's self-improvement within a profession. I got a master's in engineering (quit old job in the process - strategic issue here) & have done much better salarywise. There's also moving around jobs to gain experience & better positions.
There's changing professions (easier to do when you're younger, granted). Some engineers I know went to business school, and they're generally better off now. Law school is an option too; engineers tend to do well in patent law.
There's also going into business, either on the side or instead of a salaried job. Of course this has risks, but people tend to ignore the fact that drawing a salary based on someone else's business is also risky.
I don't mean to pick on you, kidd, but I think older engineers tend to get the salaries they earn. My observation is that engineering is a profession where people tend to get awfully complacent at a young age, and then wonder why their salaries don't keep up with their friends who went into other fields. (flame suit on) There just seems to be a real entitlement mentality, where people think, hey, I went through four+ years of hell in engineering school, so pay me a lot now and keep paying me a lot.
How's that for a good rant?
My husband and done quite fine with a BS in computer science.
I was making over 60K with a BSCS when I quit to be a stay at home mom. I'm sure I'd be making over 100K if I had continued to work.
Nice work, IF you can get, or keep, it.
No flames; everything you've said is all quite true. When I state that engineering salaries remain flat, I was making an observation, not a complaint.
I've seen Chemical Engineers go off into law, medicine and business and do well. I've seen people go into consulting - some succeed, some don't.
But I personally don't want to go into law, medicine or business. My present employer is screaming for engineers to move into Project Management. However, I LIKE the technical work (mostly). I have too many young children to take the risk as a consultant, nor do I have the time to advance my degree (perhaps when the babies are a little more independent).
Well poly sci covers one of mine, but I see history isn't even listed. I probably don't want to see how low that one is on the list.
The managers aren't going to drop tens of thousands of dollars on you if they don't have too. Quitting or threatening to quit right after they have made big plans with a customer usually loosens up the salary a bit. Of course you can't use that too often or too transparently.
And you do just have to up and quit occasionally. They always appreciate you more after you are gone and they always like the new guy they just hired best.
Most of the folks I know suffering with slow salary growth just aren't willing to rock the boat a little.
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