Mechanical & Electrical engineers
 

Im looking to continue my education, and I was looking at these two professions. But I am curious as to what types of things you would be doing daily in these positions. I know a large group of you are nerds, so I was hoping there might be a few of each in our midsts.

I'm still studying...but have worked several years at a full-time internship with a company that is just waiting for me to wrap up degree to put me on salary.

I have done ALL kinds of work for them over the past several years. Everything from the AutoCAD and component design stuff you envision while in class to human resources and management decisions. I actually do a lot of time studies and cost analysis, and bitch/intern work like organizing graphical description libraries and making bar code labels (repetitive work that needs an attention to detail).

As an engineer, from what I've seen watching my boss and another engineer that mentors me, you will generally be either assigned to a group of individually taking on whatever tasks the company needs that have a technical aspect no one else is fit for. Granted this is a ~300 person company...but not everyone ends up at Exxon-Mobil.

I certainly recommend attaining a degree for one big reason:

OPTIONS

Regardless of what you end up doing, or what others do...you've always got a door open somewhere. There are "headhunters" that are payed to find experienced engineers and get them to work for smaller companies that need the expertise. The way I see it...if I ever hate what I'm doing I will -and can afford to- go do something else.

I worked 5yrs as a machinist before getting Assoc and moving into an office....and as much as I liked it sometimes I truly hated the idea of being stuck there...forever. There are a lot of great career machinists out there, and I applaud them. I tend to get bored once I've learned nearly everything...and want to move on.


I'm kind of partial on this...but I recommend Mechanical since you will have a greater variety of opportunites. Electrical guys really can do a lot...but MEs are needed everywhere, and more of them are needed. It is a broader field, and we're more common, so we don't get quite the pay of the Petroleum guys, or the smart EEs.

I started studying with the grand scheme being to design cars. Things change in 5yrs though, and so will your plans. Don't set your sight on one thing or it's easy to lose motivation...just set a goal with the assurance that ample opportunities will await.

I'm an ME so I'll chime in. I graduated in 98 and in that time I worked several jobs. I prefer to be hands on so I've kept my focuse on jobs that allow that. You can work in consulting, etc, but it will more likely keep you in an office. I am very glad I got an ME degree as it's very versatile. Since graduating I've had the following jobs:
Toyota Assembly Line support engineer. For this job they typically hired Industrial engineers, but ME's were also hired as they were versatile enough.
Tire design engineer for Goodyear. Almost all engineers in this field were ME's.
Electrical design engineer for a small subcontractor to Ford and GM. This job was mostly EE's, but they also hired ME's.
And lastly, I work as an Aerospace Structures engineer. This job is about 50/50 AE's and ME's.

So you can see the ME degree is very versatile as it's kind of a jack of all trades engineering degree. Good luck!

i am also still studying.... 21 years old and a senior at uconn.

I started out as electrical engineering and switched over to mechanical. I found that while I do like to play around with stuff like megasquirt or logic circuits, there is just so much more out there for mechanical. I like working with my hands and seeing what I am making. You cant always get that with electrical.

As for jobs... In mechanical it is endless. You could be behind a desk using software to analize some abstract system on some huge device if that is what you are into...or you could be in a machine shop working with a machinist to model and test a prototype. It really is all up to you.

I'm in my 4th year as a Mfg. Eng. major (very similar to ME's, content-wise). Not to threadjack, but how many of you guys in the field are using high-level math?

It seems that everyone I talk to including my dad who was an ME for 30 years never uses anything above basic calculus. I've been required to take Calc 2 and differential equations and I'm not very good at either of them.

I understand the importance of this math, but do you utilize it manually or just rely on powerful computer programs?

This is the path i'm attempting to head down myself. Pretty much at the very beginning of things in CC right now though.

I'm preparing myself to not have any kind of life when I move on to taking the ME classes.

Thanks for the responses. I am looking for something where I get to work with my hands. I did some CAD in HS and while it starts out fun, it got old very quickly. I would like to, in theory, design something, build it, then watch it being used. I was already leaning towards ME, and I think that is the direction I will go.

On threadjack:


We are required to take up through CalIII, Dif Eq, and then Engineering Analysis using MatLab. While most don't use the higher level math...you have to understand it in order to use the "powerful computer programs." I know guys that are given problems they know nothing about...but using basic formulas and their mathematical modeling knowledge they are able to kick out FEAs...with a fast turnaround.

I personal have had to solve ODEs for vibrational and combined loading problems. Not fun...but can be done in a couple of hours with some refresher work.

In school you really just learn how to learn. I implemented an inventory tracking system earlier this year that I came to understand and design within a week. They were considering paying someone full time to do that. The more you know and the faster you learn the more useful you are.


OP:

I know ZX-Tex is also a practicing ME...so hopefully he contributes.

EVERY engineer I have EVER talked to has told me to NEVER stop studying...that it is very much worth the sacrifice and hard work.

i use trigonometry...

occasionally I'll use kinematics.

however you'll find that while you think you dont use what you learned in school, you've actually built up a pretty solid intuition about engineering in college. and that is worth the 4-5 yrs.

I actually got to do this on another project this summer...two of them actually.

One design was a "headed product quick cut." It was basically a jig that can hold 6-15 bolts at a time when we have to cut them down in length. The guys were cutting them one at a time on a chop saw...and somebody lost a finger. This device fits into the hydraulic vise saws...and is MUCH faster. There was a lot more work to it than I could have imagined...coming up with a design...sourcing off-the-shelf parts like a toggle clamp...and then machining everything else. It meant a lot of drawings...but also a lot of getting out there...talking to folks...and a few days over in the mill department.

The other deal was a hanging rack for our coating department for the behemoth flanges they have to roll into the ovens. It was like a Statics HW problem on steroids...but meant a few days of helping with cutting and welding. Fun stuff.

My dad's an ME, he's spent most of his career designing paper equipment for paper mills. He bounced around from company to company since he kept getting better and better offers. The last offer he took was to join a sales partnership selling the very equipment he used to design. He now makes a good deal more than 6 figures and has a very good understanding of what he's selling, which helps a lot.

I'm in my senior year at Okla State in Mechanical Engineering Technology. This degree is a touch different from a traditional ME degree in that you only have to take up to Calc 2 and have more application based classes. The curriculum has fit me perfectly. Not that I'm bad at math, but I don't necessarily love it either. You should look into it. Lots of ME's come over to MET and are much happier. There is also a technology version for Electrical Engineers if your into that. Like others have stated Mechanical is the way to go I think. I'm a little biased though, as I don't really enjoy trying to manipulate electricity.
As for work experience, I also started off as a machinist and wanted to go further. I've interned a lot of different places and done all sorts of things from designing parts to writing planning documents to make aircraft parts. Its all up to you and what you want to do.

Michael

How many of you were involved in things like FSAE? How did it change/improve your experience?

Im going for mechanical, but Ive been working in a law firm and I want to be a patent attorney.

FSAE at uconn is HORRIBLE. it is a bunch of non car guy retards who think they are the best engineers on earth. The school doesnt support it very well, so its just doomed. I feel if it is good at your school then it would be a great experience. My best friend is a big part of BAJA and absolutely LOVES it.

I instead chose to be the head of the Uconn car club...we are mostly MEs anyway, lol.

I looked into FSAE at my college, but it seemed to me most of the guys were extremely focused on it and that experience was their primary method for getting a job. Many of the guys put in 50 hour weeks and had grades to match. I had to keep some scholarships that required a B average and that took all of my time so I wasn't really able to get involved.

And not to knock MEtech degrees, but employers do note the difference and MEtech degrees don't always qualify for ME jobs.

Any engineering degree is very tough, but I think it was worth it. In fact, I wish I had stayed at gotten my Masters as going back is nearly impossible once you get in the workforce. But when I graduated, I was so tired of all the studying that I wanted nothing to do with more school. Oh well.

I'm a ME and hope to eventually get my boss to pay some of a Masters in ME from Univ. of wisconson-madison. But that'll never happen.

I do lots of cad work and FEA. Boring. I use sooo little of what I learned it's sad. I'm a sad man. I forget it all now. I have my trusty EIT/FE exam formula booklet though which reminds me of whatever I need to know.

My wife who is also a ME and a secondary in engineering management works for a large pharma outfit and has had a lot of interesting jobs with that company. There's sooooo much you can do with a ME it's silly. A company like that prefer engineering types over the typical business grads, the engineering way of thinking is a benefit in certain areas.

All the EE's I know are weird. Not necessarily in a bad way, but...you know what I mean.

I'm an ME and I chose that major knowing i wanted to be a patent attorney. Now in 2nd year of law school. ME is nice because it is a true "general education." If you decide after graduating with an engineering degree you can always pursue patent law as a career move. (A few of my classmates worked in industry for 5-7 years before moving to law school).

Patent law is truly the only specialized area of the law. (there is a separate bar you have to take and only science/engineering majors are allowed to take it)

I look at it as a back up plan also, if the law thing doesn't work out, there are always lots of engineering jobs to grab up. Good luck with your decision.

Don't mean to thread jack. FSAE as in automotive engineers right? I'm studying to be an auto technician at the moment and have been kinda curious about going to that afterwards...Unless its close to the same thing.

You don't have to be enrolled in automotive engineering to do FSAE. My dad did it at USF as an ME student.

I just wiki'd, I'm thinking of SAE, not FSAE. Anyone here an automotive engineer?

Yup, the FSAE team at BYU was almost exclusively MEs.

+1. Although they're sane compared to my programmer friends!

Holy crap, I had no idea that so many people on this forum were ME's. It's really encouraging

I'm on my last stretch of finishing up my AA at FKCC(actually I have over 60 credits and Calc 1&2 done), but I still need 4 electives classes to get my transfer. Hooray for pottery!!!

I will be going to UCF for Mech.Engineering in August. I was planning on leaving in January but decided that going to college in Key West isn't all that bad.

I'm a design engineer. Mechanical engineering, with speciality in tooling/fixture design. My degree isn't in engineering per se, but actually in CAD/CAM.

One word of advise: go contracting at first. You'll get to work in a lot of different areas, and learn what you like and hate. I've done everything from piping diagrams for nuke power plants to electronic PCB design for the F-15 nose radar. I've worked on subway cars, for small prototype houses, at major corps like Xerox and a couple of dozen others. I worked in automotive design for a while; that's where I learned that car companies will chew you up and spit you out. BTW, I designed those cup things in the rear shelf of GM vehicles that cover the child tether loops. I also designed the process for making the rear shelf cargo floors for Subaru.

Along the way I developed a lot of contacts in the industry, and was hired on my last couple of jobs sight unseen (no interview) based on my years of experience and the reputation I've built. #1 rule of contracting: never burn any bridges, ever. It will come back to haunt you. If, however, you leave on good terms, that may come back to give you the edge. As a contractor, your reputation determines whether or not you get the better jobs, and also your salary.

Once you find a place you like, and that's a good fit, you'll probably be asked to go direct. I'm now at an employee owned company that makes lenses for the solar industry. Decent pay, great place to work, and small (so your contributions are apparent to everyone, not just a face in the crowd) plus a really cool boss and work that is interesting. Took me 20+ years to get here, but it was worth it.

I'm digging this thread from the grave. Mostly because I just started week one for my degree last week. It's been 12 years since high school and other than that lets just say the military didn't really give me transferable skills. Spine and ankle are to F-----d to be a cop still. Was a machinist/car mech before military.

Anyways, I'm going in for the MechEngineering degree and just curious what to watch for. I'm just about starting over in math so I have to go from intro math all the way up. Yeah for 5 years of math class every day. Vol State for 2yrs and then to Tenn Tech for the finish is the plan. Any info or "for the love of god don't do XXXX" would be helpful.

You'll have fun. I had to put school on hold due to money issues, but I'm going to start working on it again after some time in the military.

If you really need help in the math classes, just PM me. I've been tutoring for a few years now.

Good luck and enjoy it.

I'm an ME but I'm guessing my experience is quite a bit different than most. I did ROTC in college and commissioned into the Air Force. I did flight test for the first three year s(flying and things that go *boom* are awesome) and now do something different. My job is much more management than engineering but the background is critical to having intelligent discussions with the contractors I manage. The sad thing is, after you've gone four years without doing any design work the skills really atrophy. That being said ME is by far the most versatile degree although I do occasionally wish I had gone to med school so I can live in a tiny town somewhere in the mountains rather than big cities where engineering jobs tend to be located.

I'm in school to be a "Mechanical Systems Engineer" apparently my program has a greater focus on electricity and hands on manufacturing than comparable ME programs. As such I do 8-9 courses / semester vs 5 courses / semester when I was in business school. I love what I'm doing, I'm pulling a 3.75 GPA because it's engaging and interesting work at school.

I'm also doing FSAE, it is kinda trying where many drop their responsibilities there because of course work and leave it for others that have the same course load. I'm told it's a great thing to have done when applying for jobs early on especially if you maintained high averages while participating.

I don't know about now, but in the old days, they used the statics and dynamics courses to thin out the class. It may be that there are so many fewer people going into engineering that they don't do this anymore. It is hard to find new engineers these days . . . even harder to find new engineers that were born here. All of our interns this year are from India. We only had one applicant that was born here.

That's because we are now in the middle of generation "me", who's greatest aspiration is to appear on an MTV reality show "fist pumping" and demands instant gratification. I judged a middle school science fair a month or so ago and I now have serious concerns for the future of the human, or at least American, race.

Yep, they're all happy to spend uber-bucks on completely useless degrees that require no work. Then, when they discover they are unemployable because they are ignorant, they join an occupy movement to bitch and moan.

Sigh.

Well, it's nice to see one young person willing to put in the effort required for an engineering degree.

I just feel behind the curve being 30 and essentially starting over school/career wise. Math help wise I might hit ya up Viper. My dads an electrical engineer and helped my mom through accounting so I'll bug him first. I'm in a mil program called Vocational Rehab and am required to maintain a 2.5gpa. I laughed when she told me cause without a 3.5 I'll be hard pressed for a job in the upper levels. I've got about 5yrs to go due to my lack of math the last 12yrs and not exactly doing a lot before that

Do you learn ladder logic and a decent amount of PLC programing with this major? I work as an ME in a company that makes automated packaging systems. I am finding myself doing a lot of electrical work too which I love (I started out studying EE), but It is mostly system design rather than the stuff EE's at UCONN learn. Just wondering what majors teach that stuff.

The profs tell us it's very similar to Mechatronics so yeah we will do plc / and what not. We built robot arms this past semester and will build PLC's for them in the fall.

Voc Rehab put me through law school. Decent program. I've paid it back many times over with income tax -- so a big net positive for the country. Glad to see it's still around for you guys.

Don't worry about being 30. Still plenty young. Make sure you take a few classes out of major to meet some hot young things. IIRC, hot chick pickings in engineering class are pretty non-existent. The hottest girl in my engineering classes was the diaper astronaut -- I ---- you not. She was really cute back then -- quiet and shy.

30 years old here wanting to go into ME, terrible student in HS, never took any upper level math classes. I've been in retail managment for about 8 years making decent money but, working lots of hours and all holidays and just had a kid so that craps geting old fast. Just waiting for my house to sell to get in a cheaper living situation to get started. Scared as hell of the math and starting over.

Anyway, can't wait to join you guys soon.

Are you serious?! Where, Texas?

I need to go to Texas.

The DFW area in particular. There just seems to be an overall shortage of engineers from talking to others looking to hire.

With oil and gas up, I'm sure there's a lot of action in Houston too.

Headhunters are out in Houston. Tons of jobs.


Funny to check in on this thread almost 3 yrs later....OP...if you have any doubts or still haven't started working towards your goals then DO IT NOW!

I can't even begin to describe how much I've had the opportunity to do or be a part of since my last post here. Currently designing directional drilling equipment, doing mostly analysis with Algor, but a project here or there I'm involved in from brainstorming to prototype.

I come into work everyday with a big smile on my face because I love my work, love that I'm using my education, love the company I work for, like my office. I also love going home feeling like I actually earned my salary, and knowing it's more than sufficient to keep my family comfortable.

To be an automotive engineer the degree you need is ME. Automotive engineering is not typically recognized as its own degree plan most FSAE students are ME's

But I think to get into FSAE at most schools all you have to be is a student though. On my UTA team one of our prominent team members was an art student. He went on to work for BMW design studio and later joined BMW's F1team. We had recruted him because he had formula 3 driving experiance.

Bob

When I worked at an auto manufacturing plant (supplier, not actual car builder) I was required to be a "degreed ME or equivalent" Since I had so many years experience in design engineering, it was acceptable. But they can't let just any schmuck work on the design stuff because of liability issues.

Trust me, working in automotive design is not a good field. It will make you learn to hate cars, and the bureaucracy that produces them. Most don't get to work on the cool stuff like Corvettes, but are stuck trying to squeeze an extra 3-4 bucks out of the cost of a minivan.

Yeah, it was the same at UF. Most of the FSAE team were MEs with a couple of EEs, but participation was open to all students regardless of major.

In retrospect, we probably could have used a couple of art students to do the bodywork. :D

Study:
I'm a ME too.
I have to say that I'm slightly different from US MEs: I did BS&MS in Italy + additional MS in US (...not really... it was a double degree program, so I just did last year of MS in US and I got both degrees :D).

Here in EU (but in particular in Italy), MS are less specialized then US ones. We have more multi-discipline subjects, and we are much much more theoretical than what you can find in your country.
At the end, you know less of many different subjects (from pure structural mechanic to logistics), instead of being very much involved in a topic. My US diploma is "numerical computation and computer aided engineering" [FEM, Multibody analysis, CFD, vibration analysis, nonlinead dynamics, etc], while the EU one is a "general purpose ME" [structural, thermo/machines, dynamics, logistics, management, industrial engineering, economics, etc].

I've never been interested in PhD as here is completely useless (EU companies don't like hyper-specialized people: they prefer to invest in the trainings focused on their core business).

Work:
I worked for a while (Jul-Dec 2010) at University of Illinois at Chicago as a non-linear dynamics researcher, then I returned back in Europe.
After returning, I had a few months for finishing Italian university and finding job (in March I've been hired definitely). I started searching for a position completely on the opposite side respect to design/simulation/R&D.
Among the proposals, I chose to accept the offer of a very very big automotive international company (supplier of car makers -- more than 40000 people): I spent 8 months abroad (in Germany) for learning and improving my skills as Program Engineer (coordinate the team of engineers + industrial engineers + purchase +... etc).
Now I'm back in Italy, still in the same company, and I work as a Program Manager (that is a "middle management" position). I'm responsible for driving the programs by discussing with our customer, by directing him and agreeing on his needs and wishes. In other words, I mainly discuss about economical and timing aspects. For the technical and productive stuff my task is to create a link between customer and technical platforms.
I really LOVE my actual job, is exactly what I was searching for.



Keep in mind that university is needed for shaping your way of thinking. Then you are free to choose whatever you wish. I think both of your possible choices are great!

Good luck :)

I agree. Italians are much more theoretical. I think it is because their wine and food is so much better. :rofl:

Just poking at you. I work with Agusta on the A109. It is wonderful to work with Italians. I work all over the EU and Italy is, by far, my favorite.

I agree that the main thing to get out of a college education is how to learn. Learning then becomes a lifelong activity. You probably won't use a heck of a lot of the things you learn in college beyond the basics.

I'm a BSAE, MSAE and JD. Also a registered PE in Mechanical and Control Systems. Very senior in my company and learn something new everyday.

I am late here, but this is my opinion.


I am in my 4th year of ME at the university of pittsburgh, currently working an internship with MoTeC this semester. I will be in school for 5 full years.


In terms of school, EE and ME is fairly different. Do you really like calc and diff eq or calculating how circuits work and how to design them? if so EE may be more up your ally. If you like learning about mechanical systems and dabbling in a bit of everything, ME is for you. I know I could not pass all the EE classes.


In terms of work, well, I think a ME degree really wins out. you can literally do anything. Wanna be a programmer? Design cooking pans? Be a aerospace engineer? Automotive engineer? Hell, my friend just graduated and is basically in a management position with BMW USA, he is doing almost no real engineering.

That's not to say you can't do a lot with a EE degree, but as a ME you have a more diverse class load.

So far I have worked 2 semesters with US Airways in aircraft maintenance, and this semester with MoTeC systems east. They have been very different. One was for a large company, really relaxed atmosphere, no design engineering, mostly just some paperwork and looking at the planes telling the maintenance guys it is ok to blend out that scratch on the wing.

MoTeC is with a small company (only 2 people with ME degrees, about 11 people total). I am working all day, not quite as relaxed but everyone is just as fun. Today I started wiring a CDL for a legends car, I have done dyno tuning for a plug in ZX-14 kit, and I went to daytona to help the RCR and TRD NASCAR teams with their motec stuff (as best as a noob could).

In conclusion, you can't go wrong with either degree. Both are well respected, needed positions that pay well right out of school. I am just biased toward ME =)

Plus you get to make fun of arts/sciences degrees with your engineering friends, heh.

Don't forget to make fun of the business students too. Those guys are the biggest dummies around and take the easiest courses you can imagine (assuming you have even a modicum of common sense). A FEW of them get hired at companies and then do spreadsheets for a living (i.e., learn how to lie with numbers). These then become your boss and infuriate you to no end because they are so blantantly stupid.

And I highly recommend small company over big. Yes, life is more uncertain and you'll work much harder. But, it is much more fun.

:brain:

^^^

Yep. Wrote it that way on purpose. It is the way of the world. No sense deluding these poor kids.

Perfect picture of FIAT management... I really hope that Chrysler one is better...

Here's a word of advice for those going into engineering: get experience prior to graduation. When you graduate, one of the top questions you will get asked is whether or not you had an internship or co-op. I can't tell you how many of my engr. amigos in college came back from career fairs griping about how "no one is hiring unless you have experience. How do I get experience if you won't hire me??" Answer: get an internship or co-op prior to graduation.

You'll learn to do whatever it is in whatever industry you plan to work in. I know engineers that get deeply involved in 3D design and analysis. Then I know engineers that have designers do that dirty work while the engineer prepares and maintains all technical documentation and communication. The engineer pay scale has much to do with being responsible and liable for the design. The design and craft personnel can walk if the device implodes on the first day after turning it over to the client. It's usually not the case for the engineers.

Yeah, Voc Rehab is going on solid. I'm really impressed on the system. For me it's way better than the GI bill. Except you have to be broken to get into it. Paying it back in taxes is how I see it too kinda, like a less painful student loan. I plan on thinking that later when I get a decent job and have to pay them a disturbing amount every year cause I make baller cash. ;) Met a guy today thats 47 and almost done with his Comp Science degree on Voc. Kinda gives me the motivation to not ----- about being 30. As far as starting over in math goes- I'm doing it. I've forgotten how to to do fractions on paper or long division. Who the hell doesn't have a calculator on them 99% of the time (cell phone for one). As for the girls they're eye candy now, married last year. Can still :drool: tho. She's using the 9/11bill for a private culinary school, so I'm well fed to say the least. Might have her cook if the site ever has a meet. She enjoys hosting. Speaking of which need to find that recipe thread.

As for the work experience- I'm at Vol State now then in 2yrs I transfer to Tenn Tech to finish off. Tenn Tech requires a year of internship as part of the degree. They provide a lot of internship options, you pick one or many, do it, and the head hunters come. They have a pretty good job placement program and several job fairs a year. I'd hope to go more toward aerospace and use some of my old TS clearance skills. But that's years from now and not trying to funnel into a corner yet. I'm just looking forward to a job that doesn't destroy my spine more or require me to be on my ankle too much. But a bigger motivator is to have a job I don't despise.

I'm of the opinion that the education is just your very first building blocks. What you do with it is down to you and only you. The degree only dictates where you start, but your carrier can go anywhere from that, given that you have some drive and ambition. It is not at all given that you keep working within the same area as you started in. My Bachelors degree in ME gave me a world tour: I worked one year at home in Sweden before I got the chance to move to Italy within the same company. I spent 18months there, 1 year in Germany (I still miss Nurnberg every now and then), 2 years in North Carolina and another year in Nurnberg before the fiancee said we needed to move home and become "normal" (still trying. At least mommy says I am "special").

I nowdays work as a senior project manager and team manager at a larger Swedish consultansy firm and I can honestly say that I love my job. Of course, very little of what I learned in university (graduated 2002) is used in my daily work, which is just my point. Many of the guys in the team are more skilled designers they I am and many have special skills I can't even come close to, but I am the master if running projects, making clients happy and getting the team to work as a well tuned machine. I learned none of that at the University.

BTW. I am totally drunk while typing this. Just so you know...

I hear this fairly often, I myself did a business degree prior to starting engineering and am putting myself through school with it (helping engineers sell their products when they can't). I'm not offended but business students say the same about everyone else "Those idiots are working so hard to know so much will end up making less money working for us".

That said I am studying to be an engineer because I enjoy engineering more, being a consultant is pretty great as well.