Question for any working in engineering field?

[davidsa]

It really depends on what your kid enjoys doing. I started engineering school, realized I hated the electrical side of it and switched to civil engineering. Now I work for a contractor doing deep foundation work. The engineering field is very broad, and you kid will learn a lot of information in the gen-eds that he will never need to use in real life.

Lets face it. 90% of what you learn in college is not used in the next phase. Just a foundation leading hopefully to something that pays well you like doing.

[davidsa]

by the way, many a fisherman is an engineer!

[CatFan]

Lets face it. 90% of what you learn in college is not used in the next phase. Just a foundation leading hopefully to something that pays well you like doing.

What you learn in engineering school is to be fluent in math and good at figuring things out. The rest is just familiarization so you know what to learn when you need it for your job.

[BlaineFred]

Sometimes college is the place where a young person finds him or herself. I once worked for a Congressman who changed his major four times in college.

There are exceptions, but I believe that we should not ask an 18 year-old what he or she wants to be in life. It could put too much pressure on them.

[BigDaddyBassNJ]

Sometimes college is the place where a young person finds him or herself. I once worked for a Congressman who changed his major four times in college.

There are exceptions, but I believe that we should not ask an 18 year-old what he or she wants to be in life. It could put too much pressure on them.

I'm 54 and still don't know what I want to do, lol

[kailor]

I have a Math/Computer Science/MBA degree. I work with systems engineers everyday as a defense contractor. I personally feel that most any type of engineering degree will serve your son incredibly well.

1. Does he like indoor or outdoor work? If outdoor, then Civil or Environmental...if indoor, the electrical, mechanical, systems
2. Where would he like to live? If he knows this then his ultimate location may limit the type...may limit...
3. Does he like programming? I know a ton of EEs that are programmers
4. I think chemical and aeronautical pay the most on average
5. The specific discipline of the engineering degree does not mean you have to do that particular type of work for the rest of your life or at all
6. Computer Science degree(s) specializing in Cyber Security and he writes his own ticket

I wish I was aware of #5 before changing degree fields. Good luck to your son. He will not go wrong with an engineering degree.

[davidsa]

What you learn in engineering school is to be fluent in math and good at figuring things out. The rest is just familiarization so you know what to learn when you need it for your job.

right on! the only thing I learned in engineering that went on in my life is how to figure out stuff when in the beginning I did not have a clue. Sometimes it was math related. Most of the time system related; and in this world humans are part of many systems.

The engineer who can communicate will often make 2x the amount the guy who knows only math and physics over the long haul

[davidsa]

I have a Math/Computer Science/MBA degree. I work with systems engineers everyday as a defense contractor. I personally feel that most any type of engineering degree will serve your son incredibly well.

1. Does he like indoor or outdoor work? If outdoor, then Civil or Environmental...if indoor, the electrical, mechanical, systems
2. Where would he like to live? If he knows this then his ultimate location may limit the type...may limit...
3. Does he like programming? I know a ton of EEs that are programmers
4. I think chemical and aeronautical pay the most on average
5. The specific discipline of the engineering degree does not mean you have to do that particular type of work for the rest of your life or at all
6. Computer Science degree(s) specializing in Cyber Security and he writes his own ticket

I wish I was aware of #5 before changing degree fields. Good luck to your son. He will not go wrong with an engineering degree.

#6 is very hot right now!