Quote:
Originally Posted by turf3
"Technology" is not just computers.
High integrity die casting is technology. High strength low alloy steels are technology. CNC machining is technology. Drugs development is technology. Laser interferometry is technology.
Basically, anyone who is an engineer (I mean a real engineer), technician, industrial sales person, and most scientists, are working day to day in the field of technology.
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I am an engineering technician that works in construction.
I am certified by the
National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technology, or NICET, which is an Division of the Society of Professional Engineers.
The available NICET Technician Certification Programs are:
Civil Engineering Technology
Construction Materials Testing
Asphalt / Concrete / Soils
Transportation Construction Inspection
Highway Construction Inspection
Electrical and Mechanical Systems Engineering Technology
Electrical Power
Electrical Power Testing
Fire Protection
Fire Alarm Systems
Inspection and Testing of Fire Alarm Systems
Inspection and Testing of Water-Based Systems
Special Hazards Systems
Water-Based Systems Layout
Security Systems
Video Security Systems Designer / Video Security Systems Technician
I hold Level IV certification in Water-Based Systems Layout and I design fire sprinkler systems you find in hospitals, schools, mercantile stores, warehouses, nursing homes and practically anything large.
80% of my time is spent in front of computer screen designing a system using an AutoCad based system with add-on's for the work I do. I estimate job costs and write letters of proposals.
In most states companies are required to have Certificate of Competency Holders or Responsible Managing Employees or RME's hired on a full time basis with a minimum of one Competency Holder for each place of business.
To be an RME the applicant must have a NICET III or IV Certification and this might sound strange but the company licenses to do business has my name on them as the Responsible Managing Employee.
In the United States as of last October there are 1,823 Level III certificate holders and 1,202 Level IV's for a total of 3,025 Certificate Holders.
We get hired because we are required to hold the company licenses and most project specifications, like this one at
Wright Patterson Air Force Base, will require a NICET IV.
The ability to hold the company license has always been the reason I am the first one hired and last one fired at any company I have worked for in the past. The license leaves when I leave and the company has 30 days to find a replacement but when you have 1,202 Level IV's nationwide the pickings are slim.
College is not required, high school will do it but I would tell anyone to attend at least one year at a technical school learning AutoCad. Purchase a copy of the NFPA #13 handbook, NFPA #20 (Fire Pumps) and NFPA #24 (Underground) and read them every night like you are reading a novel. Search the internet and you can find all kinds of stuff about the job and fire sprinkler design. Read up on NICET and the path to certification.
Get this under your belt and go to any company around telling them you want to be a designer and tell them what you know. You will blow their socks off and they will hire you on the spot for at least $12 plus benefits.
Pay goes up as you learn and that is all tied to the certification level. Level I (six months) will get you $2 while Level II (24 months) will get you to $20. Level III is five years and will get you $25 to $35 while Level IV is 10 years and will get you $30 to $40/hour.
From Payscale
Salary for Certification: National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET) - Level IV $78k
But like anything worth having it isn't easy. You will have four to five full days written testing to get to Level IV and much of the math is college level and for Level IV certification you will have to solve flows through a multiple loop (grid) system using the
Hardy Cross Method. This was not easy for me and I barely passed but that was after a lot of study and practice on my part.
Another good tech job is materials testing such as concrete. You would be amazed at what some experienced technicians in this field earn. Six figures is pretty well the standard in many parts of the country but the job doesn't look glamorous but $55/hour is a lot better than sitting at a help desk somewhere.
From my experience what I have noticed is most of the under 25 set has no idea of the number of roads to success there are in this country. What I do is a good example.... before you read this who did you think was responsible for doing the engineering and hydraulic calculations for a fire sprinkler system?
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