Engineers?

[m4gery]

Do they give you any crap about driving a Toyota? I remember "back in the day" if you didn't drive company you'd get screwed on parking spots.

Source: When I interned at the Chrysler Transmission Plant (Plant II) in Kokomo, IN. We were told to either get a Chrysler, or to carpool with someone who had one, otherwise we'd either have to park in the boonies OR it would get towed to Indianapolis. Fortunately, I drove an Eagle Talon. Unfortunately, there were 6 of us. In an Eagle Talon. Driving from West Lafayette to Kokomo. And back.

Good question, I work at the Chelsea Proving Grounds, and luckily I get to drive calibration vehicles most of the time and live with a couple other guys who work there so the Yota stays home unless I need it. If you park in the back rows there's generally no issues, but my roommate had several thousand dollars worth of damage done to his Subaru for leaving it parked in the front row by the badge gates. The union folks don't particularly take kindly to imports taking their spots it would seem... it's really unfortunate.

 

[mckennar]

The union folks don't particularly take kindly to imports taking their spots it would seem... it's really unfortunate.

Chrysler actually had (has?) a policy at the Kokomo transmission plants that said all blue-outline spaces were for Chrysler vehicles and the white spaces were for "other". Chrysler security would call a tow truck and stick you with a $200 tow to Indianapolis if you parked your non-Chrysler in the blue spots, which as I recall were close to 80% of the spots in all of the lots.

Anyway, sucks to hear about your friend's Subaru, awesome you're working the proving ground though! Congrats!

 

[Engineer]

that is the only downside to the MET (or MMET) degree. And i think its total bunk. but that's my opinion, and I have found, the opinion of the hiring managers and supervisors who have given METs a shot.

But yes, it is something to consider when applying for jobs. Also it helps on who you know, which is why college should be as much about networking as it is about schooling. Because many times if you have shown yourself as an asset and stacked up well against the MEs, then you will likely have no issue getting a job in an "ME" role. If they dont know you or what your major is about, then likely you wont get a call back. Routine is hard to shake. But you can do it. I currently have a job in an "ME" role and many think I have an ME degree, prove yourself and I think it proves your degree.

:hippie:

It is total bunk....I hope that in time we move away from worshiping degrees, they are important in certain cases and they can mean a lot and hold a lot of weight but it by no means is a sure bet.

 

[sam24th]

I actually just graduated last May with a BSMET degree from UNC Charlotte. I am planning on going back and finishing up my masters and take the FE exam this coming month. I am probably one of the lucky ones that got a mechanical engineering job as an MET. Currently I work for a medical equipment company as an R&D mechanical engineer.

My only advice is that try to network as much as possible. I wouldn't sweat on grades too much. I got a couple Cs throughout my time at the University and they tore me up at first especially after having a perfect GPA at community college and high school. Thermodynamics absolutely kicked my ass. Definitely don't be afraid to ask for help from the professors and attend their study sessions. Also try to get some internships during the summer breaks for experience. I think that ultimately was the deciding factor to hire me for my current job.

 

[LookAtThatDog]

Iowa City is mini Chicago read: a cluster F%# all hours of the day. As for the women I wouldn't know my wife didn't go to either?

EDIT:
And now seeing where you are from, it makes sense as to why you like Iowa City. Personally just not my type of thing. Glad you enjoyed it and all the women it had to offer though!

A mini Chicago? Because there's nowhere to park? I can't think of two more dissimilar cities. Iowa city is full of small shops, local cuisine, art, music, and a ton of bars - all within walking distance of each other. Chicago is.. so different I can't even put it into words. Have you been to Chicago?

 

[1engineer]

It is total bunk....I hope that in time we move away from worshiping degrees, they are important in certain cases and they can mean a lot and hold a lot of weight but it by no means is a sure bet.

[MENTION=96008]Engineer[/MENTION] [MENTION=115953]HerT4R[/MENTION] I would agree that in large companies you are correct. In smaller organizations though your assumptions are not correct. In a smaller company, a degree gets you in the door. From then on it is all about your performance.

I just got through speaking on this subject to a group of graduating engineers from many disciplines. I was asked to speak because I was a guest lecturer on fluid systems last semester and the professor was also one of the engineering counselors. Anyway in class I spoke to the students about different jobs in the engineering field, from draftsman to chief engineer to sales engineer. I told them about all the opportunities out there that they are not taught in university. The one that blew their minds (my son was in the class and reported back to me the discussions that happened after I left) was when I told them I know four year BSME's that are basically draftsman and two year MET's that were chief engineers. They couldn't understand that, but then again they think they know everything but have been exposed to nothing yet. Now, in a large group that would be uncommon but in a small firm it happens a lot.

The degree gets you there. Where you go after that solely depends on you.


Post Note:
The absolute smartest guy I have ever worked with (and I have worked with some brilliant guys) has over 100 patents. He has designed incredible tunneling machines and has revolutionized the way they remove the much from long (12-15 mile) tunnels. Absolutely brilliant. His degree? A Vo-Tech certificate on brick laying and stone masonry. I used to laugh when we went to meetings and PhD's were hanging on to his every word lol. Even in a smaller company that's unusual. MET's at a higher position than BSME's is not.

So [MENTION=96008]Engineer[/MENTION], you are still a young-ery guy, how different is the real world from what you thought it would be in college?

 

[1engineer]

My only advice is that try to network as much as possible. I wouldn't sweat on grades too much. I got a couple Cs throughout my time at the University and they tore me up at first especially after having a perfect GPA at community college and high school. Thermodynamics absolutely kicked my ass. Definitely don't be afraid to ask for help from the professors and attend their study sessions. Also try to get some internships during the summer breaks for experience. I think that ultimately was the deciding factor to hire me for my current job.

This. Internships can help, but they can also hurt. Yeah, I know I am speaking blasphemy here, but listen: If you intern at a specific company for a few years and they teach you THEIR way, that might not be THE way the other company does it. Now you have to un-learn the habits you picked up if you go with the other company. Different companies do things a lot different when it comes to their engineering department. My advice is to intern at different places or even get a summer job that is not in engineering. Smaller companies like a guy who is well rounded.

As far as grades? Once upon a time I was chief engineer for a medium sized company. We had around 90 engineers and techs. When I interviewed guys right out of school I like the ones that had a GPA between 3.0 and 3.5. We weren't NASA and our engineers, even senior engineers, spent a lot of time out in the field. I also liked guys who had hobbies like wood work or working on old cars. I never asked them about that but they volunteered the information freely. That showed me they had a mechanical aptitude and they enjoyed working with their hands. I avoided the guy with a 3.9 GPA who studied all the time and their hobby was video games. While that could be good for a comp sci guy for a mech eng guy that was not what I was looking for. Nothing wrong with those guys at all. But the 3.0 guy who knew how to set the backlash in his rear differential on his '70 Chevelle he was building would fit in just fine with the other engineers. Different companies want different things.

 

[BrianSD_42]

My only advice is that try to network as much as possible. I wouldn't sweat on grades too much. I got a couple Cs throughout my time at the University and they tore me up at first especially after having a perfect GPA at community college and high school. Thermodynamics absolutely kicked my ass

I agree with what you are saying about grades. It definitely depends on the classes. In the harder engineering classes it is quite common for students who were not necessarily top of their class to go on and have successful engineering careers.

I have always been a bit off put by those who get C's in the easy electives / general classes. It come across as lazy. I can understand the struggle of math and engineering classes but there is no reason get a C in an easy general Ed undergrad class.

Networking .... Do It! Join clubs in college. Business club, tech clubs, whatever. Those relationships will carry on. I would also stress don't live at home, get out and be your own person, even if it means getting a part time job in school.

 

[Engineer]

[MENTION=96008]
So [MENTION=96008]Engineer[/MENTION], you are still a young-ery guy, how different is the real world from what you thought it would be in college?

To think I THOUGHT I had any idea what life/careers were about when in college is the joke, and I am sure in 20 years I will think the same about my 30 year old self but such is life.