Early Engineering Career Wobbles - Advice Sought
Discussion
Right where to start -
About me - Late 20’s engineering graduate. Working my first career job at a well regarded employer for 6 years inc a graduate scheme. Currently having a wobble what to do career-wise and am talking myself in circles.
Ultimately the company designs / manufactures a range of products which despite being very clever and industry leading I just can’t relate to, or get excited about as it’s all so specialist and I’m so far removed from them. I find myself just going through the motions, a small cog in a big machine.
So, say I’m designing a bracket, how much difference does it make to your day-to-day motivation if that identical bracket is going to end up in a fridge, vs say a McLaren Senna?
Situation made slightly more complicated is that I work a shift-pattern which grants a fairly significant (25%) pay multiplier which turns an average wage into something much more interesting (mid 40’s). It’s easy money, I don’t mind the irregular working routine and almost unheard of in this line of work. Plus would no doubt help massively with childcare one day as I’d always be about one half of the day...
Moving company (or even jobs internally) for a potentially more interesting & invigorating workload would certainly mean losing this multiplier, and would require being a couple of rungs more ‘senior’ to match elsewhere. Stress & workload I’m not desperate to take on currently.
Do I need this extra money, no - but it is nice. Part of me thinks to make hay while the sun shines until I actively dislike it, but the other half thinks life is too short to be dissatisfied at work.
Looking for someone to either call me a moron who doesn’t realise how good he has it, or to confirm that working on something you enjoy makes all the difference when you’re lagging on a Monday morning.
About me - Late 20’s engineering graduate. Working my first career job at a well regarded employer for 6 years inc a graduate scheme. Currently having a wobble what to do career-wise and am talking myself in circles.
Ultimately the company designs / manufactures a range of products which despite being very clever and industry leading I just can’t relate to, or get excited about as it’s all so specialist and I’m so far removed from them. I find myself just going through the motions, a small cog in a big machine.
So, say I’m designing a bracket, how much difference does it make to your day-to-day motivation if that identical bracket is going to end up in a fridge, vs say a McLaren Senna?
Situation made slightly more complicated is that I work a shift-pattern which grants a fairly significant (25%) pay multiplier which turns an average wage into something much more interesting (mid 40’s). It’s easy money, I don’t mind the irregular working routine and almost unheard of in this line of work. Plus would no doubt help massively with childcare one day as I’d always be about one half of the day...
Moving company (or even jobs internally) for a potentially more interesting & invigorating workload would certainly mean losing this multiplier, and would require being a couple of rungs more ‘senior’ to match elsewhere. Stress & workload I’m not desperate to take on currently.
Do I need this extra money, no - but it is nice. Part of me thinks to make hay while the sun shines until I actively dislike it, but the other half thinks life is too short to be dissatisfied at work.
Looking for someone to either call me a moron who doesn’t realise how good he has it, or to confirm that working on something you enjoy makes all the difference when you’re lagging on a Monday morning.
Europa1 said:
OP, out of interest, what is your field? Engineering is a broad church.
Currently in a manufacturing/DFM/process development environment. (Sorry to be vague, good chance some colleagues are on here). A move out of production may also be welcome as it can feel like a race to the bottom at times.
I’m assuming product design/development is the topic here. I must admit, working in a large organisation doing minor things would do my head in. A uni mate called this “pencil sharpener engineering”…! A little harsh maybe…
Mass production is going to the Far East and always will be until their salaries are as high as ours. As you say, the race to the bottom.
If you want greater depth of knowledge and experience, then IMHO, you need to move to a smaller company. Less committees, less KPIs, less politics, less HR influence, just people getting on with their work – and even then. I worked in a company of 125, I was engineering manager. I ran a team of 4 engineers, went all over the world fixing ships, accompanied sales to see clients (a real eye opener) and discussing designs with suppliers all over Europe. When the MD talks to you directly nearly every day, it makes a difference. I’ve worked in a 3000 person company with a 250 person engineering function where the technical director and the chief engineer didn’t know my name. Maybe that says more about me.
Sadly engineering is becoming far more form filling/box ticking cover-your-arse based paperwork than ever before, and I don’t see this changing any day soon.
Don’t go into rotating equipment like I did, one of the worst paid sectors going, unless its oil and gas related.
As for where to go if not there…. Who knows? Where will the work be in 10-15 years?
I think decommissioning will be where it’s at, and large remote handling equipment to do it. Think big robotic arms… although if anything the paperwork will be even worse…
Just google “nuclear decommissioning” and “North Sea oil rig decommissioning” costs. The numbers are eye watering…
If you want to know more just PM me
Mass production is going to the Far East and always will be until their salaries are as high as ours. As you say, the race to the bottom.
If you want greater depth of knowledge and experience, then IMHO, you need to move to a smaller company. Less committees, less KPIs, less politics, less HR influence, just people getting on with their work – and even then. I worked in a company of 125, I was engineering manager. I ran a team of 4 engineers, went all over the world fixing ships, accompanied sales to see clients (a real eye opener) and discussing designs with suppliers all over Europe. When the MD talks to you directly nearly every day, it makes a difference. I’ve worked in a 3000 person company with a 250 person engineering function where the technical director and the chief engineer didn’t know my name. Maybe that says more about me.
Sadly engineering is becoming far more form filling/box ticking cover-your-arse based paperwork than ever before, and I don’t see this changing any day soon.
Don’t go into rotating equipment like I did, one of the worst paid sectors going, unless its oil and gas related.
As for where to go if not there…. Who knows? Where will the work be in 10-15 years?
I think decommissioning will be where it’s at, and large remote handling equipment to do it. Think big robotic arms… although if anything the paperwork will be even worse…
Just google “nuclear decommissioning” and “North Sea oil rig decommissioning” costs. The numbers are eye watering…
If you want to know more just PM me
Hi mate,
Similar to you. Late 20's, been in an automotive OEM for 5 years via graduate scheme. At the point where I'm bored and want a change. The role I do is very appealing and quite unique to automotive, but realistically the work is very similar to a lot of less 'interesting' types of engineering areas. Spreadsheets, CAD of fixings etc, meetings. So I don't think you'd be more excited doing a similar role elsewhere. Perhaps time for a complete change of role?
I'm also at the point where life is starting to get serious with children, houses, other things on the way. Would that kind of stuff be weighing on your mind?
Similar to you. Late 20's, been in an automotive OEM for 5 years via graduate scheme. At the point where I'm bored and want a change. The role I do is very appealing and quite unique to automotive, but realistically the work is very similar to a lot of less 'interesting' types of engineering areas. Spreadsheets, CAD of fixings etc, meetings. So I don't think you'd be more excited doing a similar role elsewhere. Perhaps time for a complete change of role?
I'm also at the point where life is starting to get serious with children, houses, other things on the way. Would that kind of stuff be weighing on your mind?
rog007 said:
What would your dream job be?
I’d look at it slightly differently, what would your day need to look like to derive greater satisfaction from your work? What kinds of interactions and responsibilities do you want? I used to be in your position, now I am in the same boat just further along the career trajectory. I am more development/applications based in that I do concept work, let others do the detail and then pick it up again as the product is ready to go in the field. Here I will do concept validation, work out how to install and support it, then create training profiles and work instructions to transfer the product line across to business as usual. I still do the odd bit of design if I need to, but my satisfaction is derived from having through-life responsibility, seeing the end-use of a product we’ve developed, and the associated travel and customer interaction that comes with it.
Boiled down, I develop and introduce new products and solve all the many problems related to that along the way - be it during design and manufacturing issues, logistics, client/supplier related and then field deployment. It’s the problem solving I enjoy most.
Unfortunately to get to a position where you can have this kind of input means stepping sideways for a bit. A project engineer role, or perhaps product/field support. You definitely need to get closer to the customer.
Slightly different industry, civil/enviro eng, but I've come across similar views from grads. I've always encouraged grads to get as wide an experience as possible - client, consulting, production/construction, operations, maintenance, decommissioning, whatever. This didn't necessarily go down well in one of my previous roles, but when you meet some of the grads later in their careers, and see how getting client-side on a major project helped them, or how being in a design office gave them the experience they wanted, its heartening.
With five or so years experience, you should be useful rather than just enthusiastic, and so it might be about showing how useful you can be.
As an aside, I've just finished a 3-year stint, client side, as part of the design development for the world's biggest underground motorway interchange - despite what some might say, its really not all about filling out forms, and sometimes only the bigger companies have the reach to get the experience you need on a project like that.
Perhaps find out what some of the bigger projects or developments are, and then apply to work for the companies doing that.
With five or so years experience, you should be useful rather than just enthusiastic, and so it might be about showing how useful you can be.
As an aside, I've just finished a 3-year stint, client side, as part of the design development for the world's biggest underground motorway interchange - despite what some might say, its really not all about filling out forms, and sometimes only the bigger companies have the reach to get the experience you need on a project like that.
Perhaps find out what some of the bigger projects or developments are, and then apply to work for the companies doing that.
Pretty much every grad I've ever met has had similar feelings at some point. Many leave uni thinking they are off to change the world then get a shock when the reality of work is different.
As someone above has said. Try to get the broadest range of experience you can. You have to be driven. Otherwise in 3 years you'll be doing the same thing as you are now with the same complaints.
Maybe consider a move in to construction or civil engineering?
As someone above has said. Try to get the broadest range of experience you can. You have to be driven. Otherwise in 3 years you'll be doing the same thing as you are now with the same complaints.
Maybe consider a move in to construction or civil engineering?
CustardOnChips said:
Pretty much every grad I've ever met has had similar feelings at some point. Many leave uni thinking they are off to change the world then get a shock when the reality of work is different.
As someone above has said. Try to get the broadest range of experience you can. You have to be driven. Otherwise in 3 years you'll be doing the same thing as you are now with the same complaints.
Maybe consider a move in to construction or civil engineering?
My nephew was a civil engineering graduate, found it the most tedious job in the world, so moved to accounting (so it must have been bad).As someone above has said. Try to get the broadest range of experience you can. You have to be driven. Otherwise in 3 years you'll be doing the same thing as you are now with the same complaints.
Maybe consider a move in to construction or civil engineering?
His twin brother loves it though and is still in it. (Don't ask why they both did the same degree - too much fatherly pressure in my view)
keirik said:
My nephew was a civil engineering graduate, found it the most tedious job in the world, so moved to accounting (so it must have been bad).
His twin brother loves it though and is still in it. (Don't ask why they both did the same degree - too much fatherly pressure in my view)
Something like Civil Engineering opens up such a wide variety of jobs and employers, much as I guess Accounting might do, that I can only presume the boredom came from not looking too widely, or from being more suited to the demands/challenges of an accounting role. I would expect Mech Eng to have a similar breadth of opportunities, though I'm not familiar enough to know if this is true.His twin brother loves it though and is still in it. (Don't ask why they both did the same degree - too much fatherly pressure in my view)
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