Engineers & Electricians & Machinist Look Here Please

[rifleman]

Hi!


This is my senior year and I'm in a bit of struggle to decide what my major is going to be. So if there's any of the three listed, please just give me a little job description about what you do, work enviroment, wages (only if you want), etc...

Thanks!

[Shaft]

Electrical/RF Engineer:
I design car parts.
Schematic and printed circuit board layout for RF receivers and transmitters. Must design for customer's specifications, FCC rules and regulations, as well as manufacturability, durability, low cost and EMC.
Fun factor: It's all right. Interesting.
Fund factor: The cost of an emag is not that oppresive anymore.
Comments: I know how things work that probably should just be considered magic. Oh well. It's all in part of my quest to rule the world.

Hope this helps
r

[ShinyGuy]

Machinist/mech engineer

I make small quantities of parts. Mostly prototype stuff for the tel-com and biotech industries. Its pretty fun as long as we're making interesting stuff. I like it because there's alot of thinking and some real work with my hands. There's definately a thrill of seeing a finished part that you don't get looking at the computer simulation. I'd never be able to do production machining though. Can't stand just making hundreds of the same part.

If you're going to go for either machining or engineering get some education in both. The best engineers are the ones that understand how a part is going to be made. I've seen plenty of designs that cost twice as much as they need to just because the designer didn't really understand the basics of machining. Its a big plus to understand how the things you're building work. It gives you a much better idea of what's importand and what isn't.

[steveg]

Mechanical Engineering Technologist

its a diploma rather than a degree. less theory more
practical training than an Engineering degree

I worked for a cnc machine tool dealer in toronto
installing and maintaining cnc milling machines and lathes.
also training people how to fix and operate them.
Our customers used these machines to make aircraft parts,
auto parts, trains, optics, parts for the space station
molds for plastics, in fact one of our customers in toronto
make the machines that make the pipe used in hyperball fields.
the job required a lot of travel and could be stressfull
but the opportunity to see so many factories and the way
stuff is make was well worth it

and the salary was REAL good

[rifleman]

Thanks guys!

How hard is it to come accross a job for any of your jobs? Would I have any trouble fresh out of college?


Thanks again,
Adam

[Shaft]

I was hired before graduation. Very easy.

Make sure you get internships to build up experience.

If you were to go into Electrical Engineering, consider taking as much analog, RF and EMC classes you can. Schools are turning out digital and computer engineers like mad. It seems many EE's find themselves out of school knowing how to program a microcontroller in three languages, but are completely dumbfounded how to use a transistor or op-amp.

[Gambit1106]

Telecommunications Technical support/ Engineering:

Mainley I am diagnosing fiber optic equipment on ring networks. Its a good job and pays well but the telecom industry is scarey right now. I know that what I do dosen't go to deep into the electrical level of the circuit boards. I do know our development and test and repaing group does go that far. Look on www.Telecomcareers.net for some information. Its a T-comm site but might help out.

Darren