Need school advice for engineering

[petep1980]

I am 31, and I went back to school 2 years ago to get a Mechanical Engineering degree. In the fall I will be a junior and I am doing well. This summer I wrapped up Mechanics of Solids and Dynamics, and I am beginning to think I really like the motion side of this field rather than energy transfer stuff.

I work alongside MEs and when I have to get a job I should have no problem, but I think I'm really leaning towards Aerospace Engineering now. Is Aerospace Engineering as easy to find a job as ME?

I have 2 kids so the getting a job thing is more important than what I love at this point in my life. Maybe I should fill me electives with Aerospace stuff and maybe keep that as a grad school option and stick in ME?

 

[GVH_Dan]

Is relocation possible? If not, check want ads, websites or other postings in your area. If there isn't a large aerospace industry in the area, don't bother. Not to mention NASA just dumped thousands of aerospace engineers.

ME is a bit broader, but if you want to be a nuts and bolts kind of guy, look what's in your area. In Detroit? Go automotive. In WI or il? Agricultural equipment. You get the idea.

Dint rule out energy track. The other route is more manufacturing and those jobs are tighter. I do mostly refrigeration, food processing, HVAC....mostly energy efficiency and process improvement work and there are a lot of jobs. Energy conservation for the commercial building market is booming in certain regions.

Basically, figure out where you want to live, see what jobs are there...what employers are there and focus on studies that will get you a job.

Then 5 years down the road, your career will take a sharp turn into something else and you'll wonder why you spent all that rime learning about the first stuff.

 

[gsector]

I don't know much about AERO, I'm an IE major right now finishing up my masters/bs, but I'm thinking that unless the private space sector takes off or they start pumpin money into NASA for whatever replaces the space shuttle program, the number of jobs that say aero in the job description will be smaller than what it used to be.

On the other hand, I've had teachers say most aero engineers these days are either at or nearly at retirement age.

 

[GVH_Dan]

On the other hand, I've had teachers say most aero engineers these days are either at or nearly at retirement age.

Correction, most senior engineers are at retirement age.

Many engineers quickly realize that the risk (of being sued) vs. reward (pay) ain't worth it. You make more in sales or management but if something goes wrong, there's always an engineer to blame.

Dilbert is funny because it's all true.

 

[petep1980]

Relocation is not an option. My wife has a good job. I get energy; HEX's, coils, etc. Nuts and bolts I am learning. My math, esp calculus and diff eq are outstanding. Like I said I took dynamics and mech of solids, and I blew the doors off dynamics and solids was tough.

I am good at looking at a problem, and spending time thinking whats the quickest and easiest way to answer it, then applying. Many times I just apply calculus rather than the given equations and I get the answer. In extremely organized problem solving like statics and mechanics of solids I am a B student. In creativity I am a A minus student.

My core GPA is solid (a 3.2), and I like to think I'm pretty sharp.

I don't want to be stuck in academia since I have a wife and two kids.