Engineers, National Guardsmen take a look please

2008-10-21 03:19:00

#1

Brasso: member; +1,549|7081

Engineers
I am going to major in Engineering. I am a junior right now. I don't really prefer one field or another since I like all of them, and am not extremely good at just one. So I want to base my major off of job opportunity and potential job growth.
1) What field of Engineering did you major in?
2) Do you think you made the right choice? Are you happy with your decision?
3) Is there room for you to grow in that field (or have you reached the top)?
4) Annual salary (feel free to shoot me a PM or don't answer if you don't feel comfortable)
5) Are there many internships available?

National Guardsmen
What's the deal? I want to serve with all my heart but I don't know what the hell's going on.
1) Do I join after or before college?
2) Where?
3) Will they offer financial aid for college?
4) Many colleges offer a ROTC program or something...Is that what I would join?

Thanks to all, I really am clueless when it comes to this stuff, sorry if I sound like an idiot.

Last edited by haffeysucks (2008-10-21 03:19:28)

"people in ny have a general idea of how to drive. one of the pedals goes forward the other one prevents you from dying"

2008-10-21 03:26:41

#2

TC.Troy: Let the rough side drag; +111|7024

Tbh, not much of that I can respond to save this:
ROTC.
Do it. If you have ANY inclination to join a branch of the military in the future, ROTC will aid and boost your military career significantly. Hell, back in 86' when I graduated highschool, I had 3 years of JROTC...that Guaranteed me 1 or 2 more stripes after basic. Thats simply the highschool program.
My uncle did 4 years ROTC in college and join the Army as a 2nd LT....day 1. He went armor, spent 12 years in europe staring down large numbers of soviet tanks. After that 12 year period he was a major and retired nicely.

In short, if you can get hold of an ROTC program...do it.

2008-10-21 03:27:38

#3

TimmmmaaaaH: Damn, I... had something for this; +725|6891|Brisbane, Australia

Just started engineering this year. Obviously slightly different education system here. All I can say is that I asked the same questions (and still am) about it when I was in your position.

Actually, I made a thread I think.

I am almost done my first year of "general" engineering and have to specialise next year - still not sure what yet...civil or mech perhaps.

I will look for the thread.

https://bf3s.com/sigs/5e6a35c97adb20771c7b713312c0307c23a7a36a.png

2008-10-21 03:29:18

#4

Brasso: member; +1,549|7081

TimmmmaaaaH wrote:
I am almost done my first year of "general" engineering and have to specialise next year - still not sure what yet...civil or mech perhaps.

that's what i've heard. i still have a couple or so years to decide i guess.

"people in ny have a general idea of how to drive. one of the pedals goes forward the other one prevents you from dying"

2008-10-21 03:30:16

#5

TimmmmaaaaH: Damn, I... had something for this; +725|6891|Brisbane, Australia

http://forums.bf2s.com/viewtopic.php?id=91161

rawr.

2008-10-21 03:37:29

#6

Varegg: Support fanatic :-); +2,206|7261|Nårvei

Education first ...

Wait behind the line ..............................................................

2008-10-21 04:23:53

#7

CameronPoe: Member; +2,925|7006

haffeysucks wrote:
Engineers
I am going to major in Engineering. I am a junior right now. I don't really prefer one field or another since I like all of them, and am not extremely good at just one. So I want to base my major off of job opportunity and potential job growth.
1) What field of Engineering did you major in?
2) Do you think you made the right choice? Are you happy with your decision?
3) Is there room for you to grow in that field (or have you reached the top)?
4) Annual salary (feel free to shoot me a PM or don't answer if you don't feel comfortable)
5) Are there many internships available?

1. Mechanical.
2. Relatively happy as it is very broad-ranging - so broad-ranging that I now work as an Electrical Engineer!
3. I have progressed through to band 6 out of 8 since I joined my company 7 years ago. Beyond the bands there are also middle management and senior management roles. Opportunities in the field I work in are ample and growing. Many companies compete for experienced individuals, which are scarce on the ground.
4. I won't say but I will say that I am doing extremely well in comparison to my peers. Job security is also something that one can't put a price on.
5. Every summer several internships crop up.

2008-10-21 04:28:02

#8

FEOS: Bellicose Yankee Air Pirate; +1,182|6862|'Murka

1) What field of Engineering did you major in?
Electrical

2) Do you think you made the right choice? Are you happy with your decision?
Would rather have gone Aerospace, but the AF would only pay for Electrical. Overall, I'm happy with it, as it is pretty broadly applicable to many fields...much more so than aerospace.

3) Is there room for you to grow in that field (or have you reached the top)?
More room for growth in Electrical/Computer Engr than with Aero, that's for sure.

4) Annual salary (feel free to shoot me a PM or don't answer if you don't feel comfortable)
I'm military, so N/A.

5) Are there many internships available?
Depends on location and major.

National Guardsmen
What's the deal? I want to serve with all my heart but I don't know what the hell's going on.
1) Do I join after or before college?
If you join before college, you get money for college

2) Where?
Doesn't really matter, but likely your current state

3) Will they offer financial aid for college?
Yes

4) Many colleges offer a ROTC program or something...Is that what I would join?
If you want to go active duty military after college, then go ROTC. Apply for a scholarship and you'll get most/all of your undergrad paid for. However, see my answers to the first section: what they pay for may not match up with what you want to major in.

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
― Albert Einstein
Doing the popular thing is not always right. Doing the right thing is not always popular

2008-10-21 06:30:26

#9

heggs: Spamalamadingdong; +581|6839|New York

1) What field of Engineering did you major in?
2) Do you think you made the right choice? Are you happy with your decision?
3) Is there room for you to grow in that field (or have you reached the top)?
4) Annual salary (feel free to shoot me a PM or don't answer if you don't feel comfortable)
5) Are there many internships available?

1)Mechanical. Working as a Sales/Application Engineer.
2) Yes, I couldn't stand working with electrical shit, so I went mechanical. Very happy with my decision because it allows me to be very versatile in what I can do.
3) There is so much room to grow it's sick. You can work your way up to a managerial engineer position; you can branch off into different fields. The sky really is the limit. For example, as I mentioned above, I'm working as a Sales/Application Engineer now, but I'm looking to get into a design position.
4) I'm currently underpaid, but I hope to rectify that soon because I'm moving and am currently looking for a new job (one that will pay me what I deserve).
5) Lots of internships, but it can be a bit difficult getting them when you have your friends applying for them too. I personally never got one, but a lot of my friends were able to.

Remember Me As A Time Of Day

2008-10-21 07:56:26

#10

RAIMIUS: You with the face!; +244|7166|US

ROTC vs. National Guard

ROTC:
a college program, with possible scholarships, designed to qualify a person to commission as an officer in the military. Upon graduation, there is a 4-5 year committment to serve in an active duty role (some specialized jobs require more i.e. USAF pilots incur a 10yr committment).

Enlisting in the NG
Usually a part-time assignment. Usually, people go enlisted vs officer from ROTC. The NG will usually pay for some or all of your college education, if you understand the system. I don't know the average enlistment term.

2008-10-21 07:58:09

#11

God Save the Queen: Banned; +628|6794|tropical regions of london

do ROTC, fuck the national guard. trust me.

2008-10-21 10:30:59

#12

mtb0minime: minimember; +2,418|7106

haffeysucks wrote:
Engineers
I am going to major in Engineering. I am a junior right now. I don't really prefer one field or another since I like all of them, and am not extremely good at just one. So I want to base my major off of job opportunity and potential job growth.
1) What field of Engineering did you major in?
2) Do you think you made the right choice? Are you happy with your decision?
3) Is there room for you to grow in that field (or have you reached the top)?
4) Annual salary (feel free to shoot me a PM or don't answer if you don't feel comfortable)
5) Are there many internships available?

1) Civil Engineering (very broad major, you should research it; varies from structures to sewage to cars to soil). I'm looking to get into the Transportation Engineering sector.

2) Absolutely. I had no idea what I wanted to major in (though I did know I wanted some sort of engineering). It was career day at my high school and the room for the magician filled up fast, so I got moved to the room next door. It was a Civil Engineer who dealt more specifically with transportation. I knew from that instant that it was what I wanted to do. I took a transpo. class last year and loved it and easily aced it. I'm in another transpo. class right now and I'm still loving it. It all comes naturally to me and I think it's the easiest class ever. Meanwhile people are asking stupid questions that just seem like common sense to me.

3) There is definitely room to grow. You can start off working at someone else's firm, and work your way up to management level stuff or even start your own firm and make it big.

4) I've been reading that most CE's make $55k to $60k right out of college. It's one of the highest as far as right out of college with a B.S. goes. And the guy at the career day said that about the max you can get without getting to management is around $100k. Once you hit management level and start taking charge of things, you can get up to $200k.

5) There are tons. I haven't done any myself yet, but apparently there are a shitload out there. In fact, in one of my classes today the CE group at our school made a little announcement to everyone that a couple companies were coming this week to talk to everyone, and that they're serious about hiring, hence them paying a lot of money to come speak to us. And this kind of stuff goes on just about every week.

2008-10-21 10:46:48

#13

Snake: Missing, Presumed Dead; +1,046|7017|England

haffeysucks wrote:
Engineers
I am going to major in Engineering. I am a junior right now. I don't really prefer one field or another since I like all of them, and am not extremely good at just one. So I want to base my major off of job opportunity and potential job growth.
1) What field of Engineering did you major in?
2) Do you think you made the right choice? Are you happy with your decision?
3) Is there room for you to grow in that field (or have you reached the top)?
4) Annual salary (feel free to shoot me a PM or don't answer if you don't feel comfortable)
5) Are there many internships available?

1) Structural, working as a steelwork detailer, hoping to make the progession up to engineer.

2) Yes and yes. Civils, although wide-ranged, is boring as hell. Although with the current world climate and economic constriants, steelwork costs are on the rise and more projects are becoming concrete orientated (if it goes ahead!).

3) Lots of room, Im only a detailer for steel frames. Depends if I want to take it to the next level, but then 3D modelling is quite fun and interesting 2D CAD blows.

4) More than enough for what I want, I did a 4 year apprenticeship and when that ended my salary got more than doubled, and it will rise for the next 4 years until I hit senior status (3 after christmas ).

5) I started on an apprenticeship...I assume thats similar?

If you want to go into engineering, get a job in the industry and then get paid to go to college and University on day-release: even graduate engineers who come out with all the qualificiations they need will spend a good year or so training up, because they have a basic and broad knowledge: you will be (mainly) focused on a specialised area (i.e. me: steelwork). Not only that, but all your education is fully paid for, you get on-the-job training and you will end up with a very small difference in salaries, if at all, from a graduate.
On the job training at the same time counts for a HELL of a lot in my experience for this industry.

Although Im not an actual engineer, Im on the University course for it and have a HND already. Its my next goal in my line of work, because I will have the ability to detail and design at the same time, which would be brilliant.

2008-10-21 10:50:16

#14

jord: Member; +2,382|7129|The North, beyond the wall.

God Save the Queen wrote:
do ROTC, fuck the national guard. trust me.

Is national guard like the TA?

Cause TA are laughable.

Weekend soldiers.

2008-10-21 10:51:22

#15

M.O.A.B: 'Light 'em up!'; +1,220|6674|Escea

jord wrote:
God Save the Queen wrote:
do ROTC, fuck the national guard. trust me.
Is national guard like the TA?

Cause TA are laughable.

Weekend soldiers.

I think so

2008-10-21 10:58:03

#16

SgtHeihn: Should have ducked; +394|6938|Ham Lake, MN (Fucking Cold)

jord wrote:
God Save the Queen wrote:
do ROTC, fuck the national guard. trust me.
Is national guard like the TA?

Cause TA are laughable.

Weekend soldiers.

Not anymore here, they are getting deployed to Iraq/Afghanistan for 13mo tours. When I was in Iraq we ran into guys from the PA National Guard and they had been their almost 18mo. NG units kinda get whored around.

2008-10-21 11:15:15

#17

jord: Member; +2,382|7129|The North, beyond the wall.

SgtHeihn wrote:
jord wrote:
God Save the Queen wrote:
do ROTC, fuck the national guard. trust me.
Is national guard like the TA?

Cause TA are laughable.

Weekend soldiers.
Not anymore here, they are getting deployed to Iraq/Afghanistan for 13mo tours. When I was in Iraq we ran into guys from the PA National Guard and they had been their almost 18mo. NG units kinda get whored around.

It's what they signed up for. Wish I'd get sent on 18month tours

Damn 6 month tour laws...

2008-10-21 13:03:42

#18

molotov<bf2>: Member; +15|6895|uk

1) What field of Engineering did you major in?
Refrigeration & air conditioning. At the moment I design systems for supermarkets. Energy efficiency type disciplines will be very important in future years.

2) Do you think you made the right choice? Are you happy with your decision?
I really enjoyed it for the first few years, there was so much to learn it was interesting.

3) Is there room for you to grow in that field (or have you reached the top)?
I've reached the top of my discipline as a design engineer & I'm bored, so looking for a change, if that's a new industry it will undoubtedly cost me.

4) Annual salary (feel free to shoot me a PM or don't answer if you don't feel comfortable)
I earn over 50% more than the national average because there are few people with my knowledge/qualifications. A relatively unknown field of engineering.

5) Are there many internships available?
No, you get a job with a generic degree or get an apprenticeship whilst doing vocational qualifications.

I also have electrical qualifications, if you have any questions you can PM me about either.

Last edited by molotov<bf2> (2008-10-21 13:19:45)

2008-10-21 13:13:11

#19

.Sup: be nice; +2,646|6904|The Twilight Zone

Both my mum and dad are construction engineers. My dad is involved in the biggest projects such as the biggest Supermarkets in Slovenia and Europe and also supervises them. I never asked him what his salary is but its pretty high. He works in the most profitable company in Slovenia. My mum works for a smaller construction firm. Its very well payed too. I would say if thats the profession you would like to work in, then definitely sign for it.

https://www.shrani.si/f/3H/7h/45GTw71U/untitled-1.png

2008-10-21 13:30:27

#20

cowami: OY, BITCHTITS!; +1,106|6741|Noo Yawk, Noo Yawk

aerospace engineering, woo

come to florida with me and pissydons yo

2008-10-21 16:23:48

#21

teek22: Add "teek22" on your PS3 fools!; +133|6832|Bromley, London

I just started doing mechanical engineering. The great thing it has the basics for most of the engineering degrees. Like it has a bit of electrical, civil etc. etc. And anything that has moving parts would be beneficial to have a mechanical engineer behind it.

2008-10-21 17:30:26

#22

Brasso: member; +1,549|7081

Thanks to everyone who replied, you were all extremely helpful. I was already looking into civil and mechanical engineering to begin with, and with room to grow, they seem to be perfect.

Also, hearing that enlisting in the NG before college will help greatly with tuition is a big boon. I am very likely to go that route. ROTC just doesn't sound right for me.

"people in ny have a general idea of how to drive. one of the pedals goes forward the other one prevents you from dying"

2008-10-21 18:13:19

#23

FEOS: Bellicose Yankee Air Pirate; +1,182|6862|'Murka

haffeysucks wrote:
Thanks to everyone who replied, you were all extremely helpful. I was already looking into civil and mechanical engineering to begin with, and with room to grow, they seem to be perfect.

Also, hearing that enlisting in the NG before college will help greatly with tuition is a big boon. I am very likely to go that route. ROTC just doesn't sound right for me.

I would recommend looking very closely at ROTC before making a decision. Not sure what your long-term goals are, but there are pros and cons to each one, and they are not insignificant.

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
― Albert Einstein
Doing the popular thing is not always right. Doing the right thing is not always popular

2008-10-21 18:16:54

#24

God Save the Queen: Banned; +628|6794|tropical regions of london

FEOS wrote:
haffeysucks wrote:
Thanks to everyone who replied, you were all extremely helpful. I was already looking into civil and mechanical engineering to begin with, and with room to grow, they seem to be perfect.

Also, hearing that enlisting in the NG before college will help greatly with tuition is a big boon. I am very likely to go that route. ROTC just doesn't sound right for me.
I would recommend looking very closely at ROTC before making a decision. Not sure what your long-term goals are, but there are pros and cons to each one, and they are not insignificant.

listen to the major, haffy. if you think the NG and college are compatible at the moment, youre mistaken. Im thinking of doing ROTC myself when I transfer

Last edited by God Save the Queen (2008-10-21 18:17:16)

2008-10-21 18:17:06

#25

Brasso: member; +1,549|7081

FEOS wrote:
haffeysucks wrote:
Thanks to everyone who replied, you were all extremely helpful. I was already looking into civil and mechanical engineering to begin with, and with room to grow, they seem to be perfect.

Also, hearing that enlisting in the NG before college will help greatly with tuition is a big boon. I am very likely to go that route. ROTC just doesn't sound right for me.
I would recommend looking very closely at ROTC before making a decision. Not sure what your long-term goals are, but there are pros and cons to each one, and they are not insignificant.

Forget about it. My parents just told me I can't do either.

"people in ny have a general idea of how to drive. one of the pedals goes forward the other one prevents you from dying"

BF2S Forums Engineers, National Guardsmen take a look please

TimmmmaaaaH wrote:

haffeysucks wrote:

haffeysucks wrote:

haffeysucks wrote:

God Save the Queen wrote:

jord wrote:

God Save the Queen wrote:

jord wrote:

God Save the Queen wrote:

SgtHeihn wrote:

jord wrote:

God Save the Queen wrote:

haffeysucks wrote:

FEOS wrote:

haffeysucks wrote:

FEOS wrote:

haffeysucks wrote:

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