Automation Engineer - Making the Leap

Longhorn

Member
Join Date
Jul 2008
Location
Scotland
Posts
250
I am struggling to make a decision whether or not to make the leap into Automation Engineering. I am a maintenance technician just now who does most of the site instrumentation, PLC & SCADA modifications and have wrote several applications from scratch.
An opportunity has came up with another company in a similar industry for an Automation Engineer, more money, less travel, no more nightshifts and more family time.....I am just a bit nervous in making the leap to that field.
I came out with a 1st in B.Eng Systems Eng degree and have had 5 yrs experience but just hope i wont be biting off more than i can chew?!?!?!?!?

📚 👨🏻‍🏫

LH
 
more money, less travel, no more nightshifts and more family time
I'd take that claim with a grain of salt if I were you...

That being said, what have you got to lose by applying? If the other company doesn't think you're capable, they won't hire you. If you get the job, just don't be afraid to ask questions when you're not sure of something.

Too many people are reluctant to admit when they don't completely understand the task they've been assigned to do. They're afraid that admitting to incomplete knowledge is akin to an admission of incompetence. Don't make that mistake. When you're automating machinery, the consequences of guessing wrong can range from embarrassing yourself all the way to killing someone.
 
Also see if the company will foot some training (and ongoing training)

ie.they use S7's, ask if they will send you on some step 7 and winCC courses. Machinery safety and controls if you have to do it, ask if they will send you on some BS EN 13849-1 and BS EN 62061 courses...
 
Do you want to stay at the bottom like milk or rise to the top like cream ? :)

Haha L D, if it's homogenized then I'm stuffed!. Thanks all for the comments. After a few glasses of red wine I have made my decision to go for it. I'm just one of those cautious people so like to be absolutely sure!!!!

Thanks all

LH
 
Geeezzzz! I hope it was not that watery California stuff! Or most of the watery, fungisy french wines for that matter.
Get on a good Ozzie shiraz, or cab sauv, or malbec, or durif for that matter.
Have had some good stuff from South America and South Africa too lately.
Just enjoying a really good marsanne tonight from the Hunter Valley - pretty warm in Sydney today. Humidity is up way high as well as there is a lot of cloud and showers and storms predicted with rain for the next week.
You can only grow from taking on jobs that appear, perhaps, beyond your capabilities. I took on an automated 11kV power station and did not know where to start. I had decided I could not do it. At the end of the day, the client (very experienced with automated HV power stations) reckoned it was the best one he had ever seen.
Yeah, homogenised sucks! I do not even like pasturised but love it straight from the cow quite frankly. Cannot buy it that way here any more.
Go for it - if you do not have a go you will never know.
 
No more night shifts ,what else do u want . Just Kidding. I just hate night shifts .Anyways go for it. All the best
 
I'm glad you've decided to go for it. Life's too short to be full of "what if's". I wish you the very best with it and I hope you'll post back and let us all know how you get on...
;-)

No more night shifts ,what else do u want . Just Kidding. I just hate night shifts .Anyways go for it. All the best

Cheers Guys!

I'm glad too see i aint the only Red Wine lover....🍺

LH
 
Congratulationds, Longhorn;
Do tell us how the transition goes, and whether the job lives up to your expectations.
Regards,
Daniel Chartier
 

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