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Old 07-24-2009, 07:50 AM
 
Location: SW Michigan
3 posts, read 9,387 times
Reputation: 10

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Hey there! My husband is deeply depressed with the state and life and everything. He wants to get away NOW! He has a plan and it can happen in California. I am reluctant to move because my parents are not in good shape and we have always kind of taken care of them. Plus $$$ and more $$$. Ok so hubby wants to move out there but not sure where. He has a cousin in San Diego and she can help us out a little bit in knowing what's out there. I am afraid to just pick up our 2 kids and move to the other side of the country and fail and end up living in a box or car! So I really need your help in telling me a bit about California, please! I am 36 and have worked as a Quality Engineer for 7 years. My previous experience was a Process Engineer for 4 years. I have a Bachelor's of Science in Engineering Graphics and Design Technology and a minor in Plastic Engineering. I have worked in the plastic injection field my entire career. I have dealt with automotive process and some building products but all have been plastic injection. I see most of the things out there are medical and I don't have the FDA experience. I am wondering how likely I would be to find a job. I don't want to go from living in a decent home to living in an apartment with no outlook to find a home with 2 kids. Our kids are 1 and 3 right now. I mean what is really the risk of just packing up the truck and coming out there and trying to make it? I am sure it can be done I am just the worrier (accountant) of the marriage and he is the free spirit that thinks we can up root and be fine. I am scared poopless!!

BTW, hubby is a maintenence technician so I am sure he could find something...

Can anyone give me some insight? Advice? Encouragement?

I feel like I am being negative and I hope I haven't come off that way.
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Old 07-24-2009, 08:34 AM
 
Location: Las Flores, Orange County, CA
26,329 posts, read 93,779,981 times
Reputation: 17831
Quote:
Originally Posted by MCinMICH View Post
I am 36 and have worked as a Quality Engineer for 7 years. My previous experience was a Process Engineer for 4 years. I have a Bachelor's of Science in Engineering Graphics and Design Technology and a minor in Plastic Engineering.

I am wondering how likely I would be to find a job.
You are an engineer.

Do you have a process to solve this problem? (If you can't describe what you are doing as a process, then you don't know what you are doing.)

Did you look into China Lake?

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-f...,4452982.story

Did you apply to companies in California like Northrop, Boeing, and Lockheed?

https://raytheon.rayjobs.com/joblist...c=matchingjobs

lockheedmartinjobs.com | search all jobs (http://www.lockheedmartinjobs.com/jobsearch_all.asp - broken link)

Careers at Northrop Grumman | Defense and Aerospace Jobs (http://careers.northropgrumman.com/ExternalHorizonsWeb/getCareerHome.do - broken link) (There are 196 engineering reqs in California.)

Boeing Careers



You might like my thread on the LA forum:

//www.city-data.com/forum/los-a...tal-world.html
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Old 07-24-2009, 09:47 AM
 
Location: SW Michigan
3 posts, read 9,387 times
Reputation: 10
Default Thanks....

Please don't come off as criticizing me. I am trying to find out how things are out there.

No, I have not applied for anything yet. We are still in the planning stages on the move. So I am just browsing about. Trying to get a feel for what is out there. Hubby is not really sure where he wants to be so I am looking for the best place for us. Plus putting the family into the mix also.

Thanks for your information on the big companies out there. I also looked at Alticor because they are a customer of mine right now. REALLY not hip on the LA scene. But thanks I will look into all of your links
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Old 07-24-2009, 11:01 AM
 
Location: RSM
5,113 posts, read 19,768,787 times
Reputation: 1927
As an engineer with an engineering degree and years of experience, you'd be a good candidate for an aerospace job like Charles said. Well, as long as you are a US citizen and can secure a security clearance.

Just make sure you secure a job before coming out
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Old 07-24-2009, 12:27 PM
 
Location: Cottonwood CA
363 posts, read 1,120,828 times
Reputation: 381
Default Poor California Economy

In spite of your qualifications I would not advise coming to CA without an assured job at this point. I can't imagine worse economic prospects than we're witnessing right now-oh wait-you're in Michigan-that may indeed be worse. But you're there now, with a home and some stability. Why "roll the dice" right now?

I expect California's troubled economy to last beyond that experienced in other states due to state and local budget woes and the generally negative business climate that exists here.

My recommendation-stay where you are unless you've a guaranteed job here-one that's outside of state or local government. None of those have much stability right now.
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Old 07-24-2009, 03:09 PM
 
Location: Eureka CA
9,519 posts, read 14,750,953 times
Reputation: 15068
Yes, please keep in mind that the unemployment rate here is now officially 12%. It sounds like you're in a lot better shape than hubby is for finding employment. You may want to look at Utah ,Nebraska and other stats and states on this forum. Better chances for jobs and closer to home. Best wishes to you.
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Old 07-24-2009, 03:38 PM
 
25 posts, read 92,798 times
Reputation: 18
Why don't you test the waters, and send out, say 100+- resumes. If you are getting the feedback and interviews, then schedule one or two interviews to coincide with a exploratory trip out here. Research housing costs, and see if you can cover you expenses. Good luck.
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Old 07-24-2009, 08:13 PM
 
Location: Vancouver, WA
8,214 posts, read 16,705,829 times
Reputation: 9463
You will most likely need to reinvent yourself. You can draw a correlation between your current Quality Engineering background with plastics to other types of Quality Assurance (QA) work with things like software. There are openings in QA with DoD contractors out here for this type of position. But if you have no computer software experience you may have to start a bit lower on the totem pole. However it would be worth it IMO to diversify your skillset. Having a very narrow area of expertise can be limiting. If you have the opportunity to do this where you are it might be easier to skill build first before moving out. And taking a software engineering class wouldn't hurt either. Our group just hired a software QA person who was working at JPL before his space project got cut.

Derek
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Old 07-25-2009, 12:36 AM
 
Location: Santa Barbara County
97 posts, read 579,098 times
Reputation: 140
I love California but can't imagine leaving one of the worst economies to come to the second worst economies in the country. Heck, even McDonald's jobs are hard to come by at the moment.

California's a great state. I just came home from a 10 day trip from one end of my state to the other and can't imagine being anywhere else. If you can figure out how to pay the bills, you won't find a better place to live.
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Old 07-25-2009, 11:21 AM
 
Location: Baywood Park
1,634 posts, read 6,720,072 times
Reputation: 715
I usually say go for it, but not anymore. Unless you have something lined up, I would recommend against moving to CA. It's bad out here right now. The Dakota's, Nebraska, Texas...I'd look there. The weather in Omaha isn't that bad and the economy is still going pretty strong. Sioux City, SD..maybe? Texas.. Not CA, not right now. We're hurting.
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