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It didn't work for me. I have BS Civil Engineering(2009), MS Civil Engineering(2014), and 3 years of experience. Now i'm both overqualified and underqualified for 90% of positions. If you choose it because you think it will give you options and job security, you may be delusional. From my observations of senior level employees, most civil engineers cannot escape being pigeonholed and/or having their job threatened multiple times throughout their careers.
If you are passionate about mechanical or electrical systems, from my point of view, the mechanical engineering and electrical engineering majors have fared slightly better than civil engineers in the recent recession. (since civil is so closely linked to public/private construction and infrastructure spending)
Last edited by FieldDay96; 08-07-2014 at 12:05 PM..
It didn't work for me. I have BS Civil Engineering(2009), MS Civil Engineering(2014), and 3 years of experience. Now i'm both overqualified and underqualified for 90% of positions. If you choose it because you think it will give you options and job security, you may be delusional. From my observations of senior level employees, most civil engineers cannot escape being pigeonholed and/or having their job threatened multiple times throughout their careers.
If you are passionate about mechanical or electrical systems, from my point of view, the mechanical engineering and electrical engineering majors have fared slightly better than civil engineers in the recent recession. (since civil is so closely linked to public/private construction and infrastructure spending)
I'm a civil/env too and I would agree with all this.
The only thing I would say is that if you get into certain pockets of civil, the work can be more laidback. Also, civil might be more enjoyable to some people because it is less dry than EE. What you say about losing or having your job threatened multiple times is true though.
However, I am not sure this isn't true of all other industries too. I have friends that work in law, finance, and marketing and they have similar troubles finding and keeping jobs and getting laid off.
My mother works in computers and all she ever talked about was layoffs. Not only layoffs, but mass layoffs.
The only field that is fairly immune in my experience is healthcare.
From my experience (BSCE w/20 years of experience) - don't waste your time on an advanced degree in Civil Engineering. You are much better off getting the experience and getting your license. While some engineering disciplines are not as "license-driven", Civil Engineering is not one of them.
Civil Engineering is diverse enough to give you options of which field to pursue. Structural, Environmental, Water/Sewer, Land Development, Highway, Stormwater and Floodplain Management just to name a few. The natural gas field is exploding.
In my experience, jobs are available but it does depend a bit on what field you choose. Once you choose a field, it's unlikely you would move out of it. Stability can be rocky, especially as an inexperienced engineer or a new graduate. But once you've hit a certain point (and have your license) you shouldn't have too many problems keeping a job.
What you earn is completely dependent on where you are and in which field you chose to work.
However, I am not sure this isn't true of all other industries too. I have friends that work in law, finance, and marketing and they have similar troubles finding and keeping jobs and getting laid off.
My mother works in computers and all she ever talked about was layoffs. Not only layoffs, but mass layoffs.
The only field that is fairly immune in my experience is healthcare.
Well, on that note, I know a few unemployed, desperate attorneys. One of them is about to move in with his parents.
And yes, most people I know who are unconcerned about the future work in some facet of healthcare. The US might not always need engineers or even attorneys, but we are always getting older.
As an engineer, I'm not really sure where people are saying that the job market is poor. I do work in the energy industry so we are in the "boom" now. The guys sucking it out in LA at 60k/year is terrible and they need to get out of there. Engineers, other than civil, can make 60k in just about any major city without the high COL of LA.
My company has interviewed EE's with 5 years of energy industry experience making 100k already. It was readily apparent our top-line number of 85k wasn't going to work out. That's not everyone and we can usually hire good engineers with no energy experience at our lower pay rates. I will say that you should focus on a few professional licenses rather than an MS in engineering. One is the Professional Engineer license. They are required in Texas for all projects, not just public ones, and some states are considering doing the same. The other can be a host of letters like PMP, CHMM, AGILE, ect. PMP, for civils, is probably the best one as it is directly related to project work which is what they do.
There are plenty of places willing to pay for relocation but they aren't in the "pretty" areas of the US like Colorado or California. The Dakotas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Louisiana are all struggling to get engineers so relocation packages and high pay are pretty standard. Those states, except for ND, are all cheap places to live to with low cost of living. You do the math. Earn 60k or even get that management job in LA paying 130k and able to afford that 2 bd shack with burglar bars in beautiful Watts or Compton. Or, take an entry level job in OKC or Bismarck paying 70k and live in a 3 bd home in the 'burbs. I won't consider Houston but that's me. I can't stand the traffic and humidity.
BTW, I've been through two engineering busts in my career. The .com bust was the worst because it really did impact STEM positions. The Great Recession had sectors like energy or heavy manufacturing (exports to China) that rebounded quickly or never really took a hit. The engineering economy, outside of civil, is pretty decent. You just have to be willing to relocate for your job.
I have a Computer Engineering degree (heavy emphasis on EE and digital design and test, but I do a lot of programming since you typically need to in order to interact with hardware these days), and in this current gadget-driven climate - that has been a very good background to have. I keep a small LinkedIn profile, consisting almost exclusively of former and current co-workers, and I cannot believe how many recruiters find me. Not only do they find me, but have actual legitimate jobs that match my qualifications.
However, once upon a time people with my skillset were not in such great demand. I ended up in the position I'm in because I had a passion for this area, and the timing just happened to be right. Everything is cyclical and you always want to be current with what's happening in your industry, and position yourself to take advantage of it. I figure I've got another 5-10 years of being in demand before the industry shifts. So I'm keeping my eye out for good areas to transition to in the future.
Nothing is 100% secure or safe, and no one is irreplaceable. The best thing you can do is always be prepared to go look for a new job tomorrow.
I can't help but notice this thread. I am also a holder of a civil engineering degree, and have yet to find work in this profession. The reality is, civil engineering, and most STEM degrees are overrated. If there is a shortage wages would rise, but they haven't.
I came to realize there is agenda by certain groups that need to promote such a myth (Not a surprise here folks).
Be skeptical of any proclaim current shortages or projected future shortages. They will not happen, and if they do - they do not last long and are specific to a small region.
There are some videos, such as : "Is the STEM Crisis a Myth?" "Bayer MSMS I Part Two: STEM Workface Shortage: Myth or Reality Salon" (Notice how pharmaceutical companies are playing the same game as the big tech companies use to do), etc.
And just recently Microsoft announce 18,000 layoffs, and we all know the founder is always lamenting shortages and difficulties in hiring employees. The CEO's of these corporations always complain of shortages, but they layoff thousands of employees. Also, this does not include the many staffing companies many of these companies use to hire contract labor.
I was wondering about the same thing. I'm under the impression that the engineering field is actually saturated with grads in some fields of study. Does anyone in those fields want to elaborate?
if you get a EE degree with a focus on CS or a CS degree from a real 4 year university and you work hard at it and you learn a lot in your classes, you'll be fine.
but if you think your background in audio will help with EE, you're a bit mistaken. the EE that i'm talking about is more around computer design, circuit design, programmable registers, and (most importantly) software engineering (writing code).
From my understanding, EE is the basis of all audio hardware and software design. Transducers, AD/DA converters, working with analog and digital signal, etc. I know it's not the biggest sub section of EE, but I believe it is one. Working on anything from hearing aids, audio speakers/monitors, audio DSP, etc. It would certainly be something I would be interested in working on, but I'm not 100% sure EE applies to it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cpmunk
I agree, location is actually very important in terms of the type of engineering you want to pursue. Also, whoever said you were still very young is wrong. Whoever said the entry level competition is very high is very right. Basically you are old. Think of it this way, by the time you finish and establish yourself with some experience and finish your courses, you will be in your early 30s. Depending on the engineering of your choice, if you really want to hold down a stable job, a graduate degree may be necessary. If i am a company looking for entry level engineers and i see a 22 year old kid vs a 30 year old dude, I can tell you right off the bat, the 22 year old has an advantage. Of course the economy is still pretty unstable now, so who knows what it'll look like in 3-4 years. My advice is to do something you like and truly have an interest in. Otherwise you are chasing brass rings and it probably wont be worth it.
Thank you for the post, I am EXTREMELY worried about the age thing. I will be 27 by the soonest I can start a new program. It will take me a MINIMUM of three years to finish a degree in Engineering. I will be 30 or 31 entering the job market. I don't feel great about that. I hear many entry level engineers make 60-70k which I would be more than happy with financially, but I worry about competing with the younger 20 year olds who are almost always inevitably more optimistic, less jaded, and basically willing to work ridiculous hours or follow other asinine processes without question. My worst nightmare would be going through with such an arduous program, finally completing it, and only finding out it's a struggle to find jobs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NoleFanHSV
Writing code though is the easy part, IMHO.
I am considering just studying Computer Science focusing on Software Engineering. I looked into web development as well, and while I might be able to learn it quickly (a year maybe), I don't think it will provide longevity without a BSCS to back it up.
Quote:
Originally Posted by FieldDay96
It didn't work for me. I have BS Civil Engineering(2009), MS Civil Engineering(2014), and 3 years of experience. Now i'm both overqualified and underqualified for 90% of positions. If you choose it because you think it will give you options and job security, you may be delusional. From my observations of senior level employees, most civil engineers cannot escape being pigeonholed and/or having their job threatened multiple times throughout their careers.
If you are passionate about mechanical or electrical systems, from my point of view, the mechanical engineering and electrical engineering majors have fared slightly better than civil engineers in the recent recession. (since civil is so closely linked to public/private construction and infrastructure spending)
I'm sorry it's been tough for you Civil Engineer folks to find work. One thing I've been finding in my research about Engineering is that Civil Engineering seems to be the most unstable of all the Engineering sects currently. I heard this is because it's based heavily on government funding and approvals. It's a job with lots of fluctuation and more project based contract work than full-time stable work. Electrical Engineering appeals to me because of it's fairly rock solid stability.
I wouldn't get yourself too worked up over the age thing. There are several engineering fields that are hurting for engineers, and as long as you're willing to relocate you'll be fine. Most young engineering graduates have specific places in mind where they want to live, and many are unwilling go relocate. Just be open-minded with job offers to less desirable locations and you'll be surprised how many jobs are out there. If I decide to go into petroleum engineering, I'll be older than you when I graduate, and I'm not the least bit concerned about it.
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