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Need help finding an interesting career

7
Feb 15, 2008
186
9
18
I'm a senior in high school and can't find a career that interests me. I want a career that offers both field and office work. I love the outdoors and don't want to spend all my time behind a desk. I plan on attending a 4 year college. I want a career that offers a strong a strong future and in the northwest.

Any suggestions? What is your career that you really enjoy doing?
 
E

Ex-Member

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What are you looking at getting into? There's a ton of programs out there. I can't say much about the others, but engineering is a huge field. Any engineering degree will almost guarantee you a good job in the future.

I went to school for electrical engineering. Currently working in test engineering; never really realized it till recently but it's what I've been doing most of my career and I'm damn good at it. I'd love to get back into the field and work outside again, maybe doing field testing & inspection, but with my current school/work/sledding schedule that won't work out too well.

Most of my work is desk/laboratory environment... I take pre-production prototypes and design tests for the manufacturing process as well as product reliability and longevity testing. Just recently I found myself digging through my high school and college chemistry books for some molarity and concentration formulas.... all that stuff that you're forced to learn yet never think you'll use comes back to haunt you. Every project I get turns out to be real interesting in the end; I usually end up learning something new in the process whether it's an electrical circuit I put together to do something, an idea on how to mechanically assemble a test fixture, some nuance of the USB system or driver that comes in real handy but I never realized I had access to, etc. Some of the cool stuff I get to play with includes RF generators, spectrum analyzers, power meters, atomic clocks (Not those hang-on-the-wall ones, but a real rubidium-source GPS-disciplined atomic clock), data acquisition modules, telephone simulators, smart cameras, temperature/humidity controlled environmental chambers (-80 to +400°C, 2-100%RH), and almost all of it has the ability to be controlled and automated from a computer.

Key is to finding a job or career path you enjoy, but not something you enjoy recreationally. Take video game testers, for example. Gamers love playing games, and the idea of getting paid to do that really sounds nice. But when you sit down and play games all day, you'd probably get bored going home and playing games. Have to draw that line between work and play and stick with it.
 
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XC700116

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Oct 2, 2007
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I'd have to agree with Mule. If I had it to do over agian that's what I'd have done.

A 4 yr engineering degree opens so many doors to just about any field and discipline you could ask for. Get a general electrical or mechanical engineering degree and it will allow you to bounce around to many different fields until you find the one that you really enjoy, pays well, and motivates you to continually improve in it, and allows you to live where you want to be, then specialize in it as long as it's not a dieing field.

Do it right off the bat too. I know personally how tempting it is to do a 2 yr technical degree and get out there and make some $$. However it is severely limiting in the long term or when changing to a different field. I also know first hand how difficult it is to go back to school while working full time and supporting yourself and your play time habits.
 
D
Nov 26, 2007
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Marquette, Michigan
If you like people........... Do something in sales. It's where the money, the girls, and the booze is. But choose a industry that's on a upswing. I'm in wood products now and it's not looking too good.

:beer;:D:beer;
 
B
Apr 3, 2008
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Billings Mt.
Forestry. Get involved and become a forest ranger. Out doors, desk, pickup seat, and a ranger rick hat. Serious!!!!!! Question, A Senior in high school with a m7, How? I know people that own their own business that are proud of their used m7. I like your attitude with school so keep it up. You will go far, so remember when burndown1 cuts the wrong tree down someday be nice to him.
 
7
Feb 15, 2008
186
9
18
Thanks for the opinions every one.
I have been considering a BS in civil or mechanical or electrical engineering just not sure what direction i want to go.

Burndown - I considerd forestry but the job outlook for the future isn't looking so great with state/ federal agencies having budget shortages and the timber industry slowing down.
 
B
Apr 3, 2008
926
112
43
64
Billings Mt.
Thanks for the opinions every one.
I have been considering a BS in civil or mechanical or electrical engineering just not sure what direction i want to go.

Burndown - I considerd forestry but the job outlook for the future isn't looking so great with state/ federal agencies having budget shortages and the timber industry slowing down.

I hope you are registered to vote. Think,, Obama Biden, or McCain Palin as far as your future. Not what anyone else says but what you say. How are you going to vote. Dont tell me tell yourself. Future, Their is no such thing as a free lunch.
 
B
Nov 26, 2007
224
5
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Sedro-Woolley, WA
Thanks for the opinions every one.
I have been considering a BS in civil or mechanical or electrical engineering just not sure what direction i want to go.

Burndown - I considerd forestry but the job outlook for the future isn't looking so great with state/ federal agencies having budget shortages and the timber industry slowing down.

Go to school, get a degree, get a stable job...good advice a generation a go, but I am not so sure now.

My best advice would be to read Rich Dad, Poor Dad before you get too far. Schooling, continual learning is always good, but there are lots of ways to make money for someone who is smart and willing to think and work.

I am an accountant and also highly recommend some accounting classes...it is the language of business and money. Not saying you have to be wealthy, just smart about your money.

One thing's for sure...your working years are not going to be anything like the last 30. I wish you the best! :face-icon-small-coo

BroT
 

Mafesto

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Nov 26, 2007
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Wind energy will slow down when the Tax breaks go away

I disagree.
It's all about carbon credits.
That's where the money is in wind energy,
and with the green movement not showing any signs of going away,
I gotta believe the carbon credits will remain the backbone of wind energy.
 

Dogmeat

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Feb 1, 2006
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Castle Rock, CO
I'm a senior in high school and can't find a career that interests me. I want a career that offers both field and office work. I love the outdoors and don't want to spend all my time behind a desk. I plan on attending a 4 year college. I want a career that offers a strong a strong future and in the northwest.

Any suggestions? What is your career that you really enjoy doing?

Normally I'd suggest looking at the oil and gas industry, however, there won't be one in another 6 months, so do everything you can to win the lottery ...soon.
 

Dogmeat

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But, if you go for getting an engineering degree...

Plan on getting as remarkably high GPA as you possibly can if you want to get offered a real engineering job.

A lot of companies hire people with engineering degrees and you will never be an engineer, you'll be a manager. They like to hire people with a more technical background for management positions ..

If you wanna ever be a real engineer, do whatever you can to get as high of GPA as you can _AND_ do as much engineering-related extra-cirricular activity as you possibly can ..

I would still recommend going to grad school too though ..

But, if management is your goal, a 4-year engineering degree and going to work for a "technical" company will probably be the best start.
 

Dam Dave

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If you have the money, Get a 4 year Degree in Nuclear Engineering or some thing with the environment, the world will always need clean Energy and ways to deal with the other energy sources. Even Wind power has environmental issues. yes it does.

If money is tight, get a 2 year degree, Join the Navy as an Officer, get in the Nuke program and they will train you for a very good career. you will need to give them 4 years, but you can see the world:D

NO Money:face-icon-small-sad Enlist in the Navy, get in the Nuke program and they will train you for a very good career. you will need to give them 4 years, but you can see the world:D You can choose the Electrical or Mechanical side.

Navy has the best schools:D
 
E

Ex-Member

ACCOUNT CLOSED
Mar 14, 2007
45,084
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Thanks for the opinions every one.
I have been considering a BS in civil or mechanical or electrical engineering just not sure what direction i want to go.

Burndown - I considerd forestry but the job outlook for the future isn't looking so great with state/ federal agencies having budget shortages and the timber industry slowing down.
Good news is you can usually go in Engineering:Undecided before you nail down a path. The first few semesters you're in the same classes getting all the gen-ed courses out of the way anyways. Your advisor can help you figure out which way you want to go. I know a few people that did that before they chose their major.

OK people. Everybody stop what you are doing. Stand up and cheer Way to go burndown1 this is your 500th post. Yea. Confetty Baloons, you know.
EMERGENCY PARTY MODE!!!!

(if you have no idea what i'm talking about, click )
 
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