Career Advice

So basicly here is my current situation.
I am working for a large Contract machining company and am fully responsible for all electrical/electronic repair. I have a Associate degree in Electronics Engineering and Technology, followed by 7 years on the job experience. I am looking to go from technician to engineer and I am looking for some guidance in what skills would be best to have.That pretty much comes down to Software and obviously electrical fundamentals. I guess what I am saying is what software experience would any engineering firm look for in hiring someone like myself. My electrical experience is extremely refined, I can work on anything from main lines to component level repair and do it with no help from anyone. I currently have pretty much every kind of PLC software at my disposle and CAD software.( Gotta love newsgroups!) I am new here, but have been reading all the posts for awhile now. So this is my introduction to everyone here.

AutoCAD is a good thing to have experience with (Specially if you want to be engineering the machines). It's a very clean software to write up schematics with.

As for the PLC software. That depends on who and where you will be working for. Having a good grasp of logic will help with all of them though.

From the way it sounds, you're pretty much set in terms of knowledge and software experience. What more advice are you looking for?

I have autocad electrical and autocad 2000-2007, is there any difference for schematics? Basicly if I learn Electrical would it be identical to the standard autocad? I also have automaiton studio has anyone used it for schematics? And if so how is it comparable? What about Excel, VB, C, C++, VB.net etc...

If you want an Engineering position then I suggest obtaining an Engineering Degree.

In the past there were many that obtained engineering positions because they became excellent in technology that was new, that technology now is not new but they are the experts.

You have to beyond excellent now to get those positions. The technology now changes so fast there is no way to be excellent.

The question you have asked, technically the fact that you asked them, show you are not excellent.

I am sure those with the Engineering degrees may disagree but facts are facts.

I am up to date as far as tech goes, I just need to kind of have an idea as to what softwares to put more time into enhancing my skills. The word "Technology" in my degree only ment somehting too me 7 years ago when i first started in this field. I remember studying USB ports back when and that was really new Technology. I also have spent 3 years in school and was only short by a few months from obtaining that B.S degree,

IF you are shy a matter of months of getting a BS then you need to go get it. I would estimate you need to realize it is going to be more like a year. Did you get an in depth level of calculus to enable you to handle 4 yr school engineering courses?? Did you take 3 quarters of physics and were they physics with calculus? IF the answer to the last two questions is NO then get ready to take some extra time to get the BS.

Based on the want ads I would say what an engineering firm would want at minimum is a BS and at least an EIT preferably PE.

The best answer for you lies with the people who may hire you. Go ask them.

The last thing to consider is personal and only you have the answer or will learn it given a few years. Will you be happy with more of a desk job and less in field, less hands on with tools??

I went from electrician to a BS in Safety and a MS in safety and Industrial Hygiene. I am now back to electrician and life is better for me this way.

Dan Bentler

If you want an Engineering position then I suggest obtaining an Engineering Degree.

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That is definitely what matters the most.

The rest of what you ask(VB,C,PLC this and that) are just tools to get the job done.

Once you get outside of the very basic tools (Word, Excel, possibly AutoCAD, etc) don't bother worying about multiple software packages if you don't already know them. By and large all this piece of information tells a prospective employer is that you can learn. If you can demonstrate that you can learn in other ways that will be just as good. If you have an unlimited amount of time you can certainly learn as much as you can. however, it is oftem more time-economical to learn the software packages that will be required in the job you will get, since you won't be learing packages you will never use. Until you get that job you won't know what that software is.

As for the engineering degree I think it has alot to do with where you want to end up. An engineering degree will never hurt you and it will open up doors that wouldn't be open if you didn't have it. However, a large percentage of what you will do in developing control systems is more correctly captured under the 'design' heading. As Peter Nachtwey is so fond of saying it is EXTREMELY unlikely that you will ever be doing anything truly unique. You will be copying, refining, or integrating something that has been done before. As such, the development pattern already exists, if not the specific solution. All that information will be available to you. Unless you want your career to take you into systems analysis an engineering degree may not be an absolute necessity. It often depends on the employer.

And then, there are just those people who like to know. If you are one of those people then finish the degree whether you think you will need it or not.

Keith

I think some of the better Engineers started as technicians. These engineers are well rounded and can apply practical experiences into their designs.

I do agree with the other replies GET or FINISH that degree. You will never regret doing so. There was a time that an Associate degree might get you hired but those times are just about gone. Prove to the world you are better than that finish the degree and continue to learn about all the different systems (ACAD, Excel, PLCs, HMI, Pneumatics, Hydraulics, Electrical, etc) you can. These things will keep you well rounded but pick one you like and zero in on it and be the best you can at it.

BudW said:

I think some of the better Engineers started as technicians. These engineers are well rounded and can apply practical experiences into their designs.
I do agree with the other replies GET or FINISH that degree.

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Helpful^

RSDORAN said:

The question you have asked, technically the fact that you asked them, show you are not excellent.

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NOT Helpful!!!^

Finishing the degree will get you in the door but it doesnt mean
a) Youll cope with the increased skill requirements or
b) Youll enjoy programming/fixing/arguing with other engineers.

That you'll have to decide for yourself.
I was a tech for 15 years before I stepped up and I havn't looked back.

Zipperhead said:

I currently have pretty much every kind of PLC software at my disposle and CAD software.( Gotta love newsgroups!) .

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WOW..I cant believe you guys didn't comment on this one!!

its true. I kind of have a little downloading and cracking problem!!

Zipperhead:
The cats out of the bag, but thats something you should keep to yourself. Most here do not care for that sort of thing.( thats putting it kindly)

Thank you to everyone for all the insight. I think that I will just start sending out my resume. I agree with the quote about being a tech before jumping into engineering. I know I have a very solid electro-mechanical skills and learn at a very quick pace, so now I just have to put that on paper and sell myself. I do intend on finishing my degree I just have to wait until the wife is done with Nursing school.

Mickey said:

Zipperhead:
The cats out of the bag, but thats something you should keep to yourself. Most here do not care for that sort of thing.( thats putting it kindly)

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I assume you have something against my skills? To each their own I guess. I guess knowing Assembler code is useful for something.