Chemical engineering jobs in metro Detroit Area (unemployed, degree, find a job)
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I'm a chemistry teacher with a masters degree in chemical engineering and I'm looking to get back into engineering. Does anyone have any advice for getting started on a job search in the Metro Detroit area? I know it's not what you know it's who you know and I've been out of the loop for a while. I'm finding that websites are just full of people like me. Anyone had any luck finding an engineering job in this job market? If so, what did you do to find it? Any recommendations on starting to network?
Also I need recommendations on how to explain my two years in teaching. It was intended to be a career change back when I believed the state school board when they said we had a, severe, shortage of math and chemistry teachers. Turns out we have a glut. I'm finding that being NEEDED to teach was a big part of my wanting to teach. Also with there being a glut, it makes little sense to take the several years it would take to turn someone like me into a good teacher when you can simply hire one off the street who is already seasoned. I know if I were making the hiring decisions, that's what I'd do.
So, I'm at a crossroads and trying to make a u turn. I was in automotive engineering until November of 2007 when I was downsized out. I student taught winter term 2008 and then took a job in a charter school teaching chemistry and physics. I want to get closer to my roots. One thing I have found with this job change is that what I really want is to get into chemical engineering. I was, definitely, bored with where I was in automotive engineering but I wasn't doing what I trained for.
So, what advice do you have for starting a job search and making my u turn not look like I made a mistake in choosing to go into teaching. If we had a shortage of teachers, I'd consider it well worth putting in the effort to turn me into a good teacher over the next few years and I would have been happy knowing I was doing a job that needed to be done and there was no one else to do it but we don't have a shortage.
Thanks
I appreciate your input.
Last edited by Ivorytickler; 05-19-2010 at 04:25 AM..
Are you willing to move out of Detroit and/or Michigan? If so, you (obviously) would have a lot more options. (You also may want to post this on the Detroit forum.)
Recommend you find a job requiring a security clearance. More difficult for your job to be offshored. A clearance is probably more valuable than a masters degree. More doors will open.
What about gas/oil/petroleum industries? Texas?
Aerospace/DOD/NASA? Huntsville, Alabama has lots of jobs.
Are you willing to move out of Detroit and/or Michigan? If so, you (obviously) would have a lot more options. (You also may want to post this on the Detroit forum.)
Recommend you find a job requiring a security clearance. More difficult for your job to be offshored. A clearance is probably more valuable than a masters degree. More doors will open.
What about gas/oil/petroleum industries? Texas?
Aerospace/DOD/NASA? Huntsville, Alabama has lots of jobs.
Unfortunately, I'm tied to the Metro Detroit area until my husband retires in about 4-5 years. We can't trade his job for mine unless it was a really great deal. However, Huntsville is where his company is headquartered. That might be doable. Thanks. I'll check out jobs in the area and ask my husband to see if there's any possibility of transferring to Alabama.
I'd be willing to go out of state on a rotational basis. I've heard of jobs where you alternate working 12 hour days for several weeks and then have several weeks off when you can go home. If I could find something like that, I'd do it.
I've never had a security clearance but I've been bonded and, as a teacher, I had to pass a screaning. I wonder how I go about getting a clearance?
You should honestly look at either moving south to somewhere like Houston (petroleum) or somewhere heavy with biomed (either the west coast or the north east). Otherwise you're going to have problems.
You should honestly look at either moving south to somewhere like Houston (petroleum) or somewhere heavy with biomed (either the west coast or the north east). Otherwise you're going to have problems.
Yeah. I'm close to splitting the family up so we both have decent jobs. My mother in law says it's time to face that we will have to work in different states and just visit. I keep putting that off because I'd really miss my kids.
As soon as you find out, let me know where the jobs are at
-A laid off, unemployed Chemical Engineer
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