should I take this job?
should I take this job?
(OP)
I haven't landed a job yet, a head hunter contacted me the other day about it and I wanted to ask for some opinions.
It's for HVAC technician position. It only pays 40K
I have BSME and EIT, but never worked for a consulting firm to do actual engineer type work. I thought that's eventually the path I would take because of my degree and become a P.E.
However, with the economy I don't know if opportunities will come by.
I think I would enjoy the hands on work. But I am also interested in the design aspects of hvac. However, from what I hear, load calculation and autocad can get boring pretty fast. And I don't know if I'm the office type being a yes man and all. So I really could use some advice.
What's the earning potential for hvac technician. And is this a career you can perform until the ripe old age of retirement?
It's for HVAC technician position. It only pays 40K
I have BSME and EIT, but never worked for a consulting firm to do actual engineer type work. I thought that's eventually the path I would take because of my degree and become a P.E.
However, with the economy I don't know if opportunities will come by.
I think I would enjoy the hands on work. But I am also interested in the design aspects of hvac. However, from what I hear, load calculation and autocad can get boring pretty fast. And I don't know if I'm the office type being a yes man and all. So I really could use some advice.
What's the earning potential for hvac technician. And is this a career you can perform until the ripe old age of retirement?





RE: should I take this job?
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RE: should I take this job?
This is a temporary, not long-term fix. Similar to getting stuck designing wings for Boeing for 30 years.
If I were you, I'd think really hard here and not sell yourself out for the short term. Hold out for the ME job. They are out there.
Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto: KISS
Motivation: Don't ask
RE: should I take this job?
RE: should I take this job?
That said if you can survive for now and be full time looking for a job maybe that will be a better road. It depends on circumstances I suppose.
RE: should I take this job?
There are a lot of engineers, even PE's, who can do the math, but are hopeless when it comes to making sure it works in the field.
Get the experience and take it from there.
If consulting is the direction you desire, you might want to check some HVAC contractors. Often they have PE on staff who help with the design build opportunities they have. It is a little more free style engineering since there is also installation/contracting going on, but it can be good experience.
My office has hired a lot of technicians who have went back to school to get their degree. We have also hired engineers from contractors at times, since they know how to make things fit.
Since you have an engineering degree and your EIT, I think you could find a job with technician or contractor experience.
RE: should I take this job?
What have you done work wise?
Is the tech job doing installations, or testing and balancing?
Yes, doing load calcs and drawing ducts in AutoCad is boring.
RE: should I take this job?
You might want to look at the NEBB, BCA, ASHRAE, TABB, PECI or similar web sites to get an ide of type of work.
A large number of PE's I've worked with don't know what a TAB report means, and wouldn't know how to reset a freezstat. Operating equipment and seeing what works would make you a better designer.
RE: should I take this job?
Not only will this get you out of the house, but working with your hands in real applications is ALWAYS good experience for an engineer- indeed I'd argue that some of this should be considered an essential part of every engineer's training.
To the right employer, this kind of work will be considered excellent engineering training. I know of more than one employer (my own company included) which really likes farmers' kids because they've usually needed to use tools. People who have operated and maintained equipment have valuable experience to put toward its design.
Don't give up on looking for an engineering job- internally if possible, externally if not. And whatever you do, put your heart into it- don't let a lack of enthusiasm for the work get you branded as a slacker. You want a good reference out of it at the end, regardless.
Best of luck to you!
RE: should I take this job?
"There are a lot of engineers, even PE's, who can do the math, but are hopeless when it comes to making sure it works in the field."
"A large number of PE's I've worked with don't know what a TAB report means, and wouldn't know how to reset a freezstat."
These comments prevail throughout the threads of EngTips and have been debated to death.
"The best engineer I ever knew wasn't a PE"....etc.
"I know many PE's that are useless"....etc.
If your goal is licensure, the tech job is not the way to go, plain and simple.
RE: should I take this job?
RE: should I take this job?
RE: should I take this job?
You can take the job for 1 year or so, and start searching for something else. Even maybe in this company there will be open engineer position in the future. Of course don't take this job for 10 years or you'll probably be stuck to that.
RE: should I take this job?
I would take the field job as it will help when it comes to designing in the office later on. At interviews afterwards I would make that a specific reason you took the job. I think it's backwards to design in an office and then see how they actually build things.
CDG, Los Angeles Civil Engineering specializing in Hillside Grading
http://cdg-ca.com
RE: should I take this job?
I've asked the same question at an HVAC technician forum and they did nothing but respond with sarcasm and insults...
I met with the head hunter last friday and scheduled an interview with the company for this friday. I checked out the company online and they seem to mostly work on residential. I was hoping they did commercial.
If they offered me a position, I would accept it. I've been out of work for 10 months and need to get out of the rents' house (I'm 27). Also, as someone mentioned field experience will be good for my career (however, would residential experience be of high value? in commercial you get to see more complicated and variety of systems).
Of course, my PE would have to take a backseat for now.
RE: should I take this job?
Have you designed wings before? If not, I wouldn't knock it.
Cedar Bluff Engineering
http://cedarbluffengineering.webs.com
RE: should I take this job?
Go for the field work. You will get experience that will pay off in the future bigtime, plus depending the state and the types of things that you do you make get experience to show it is part of "progressive quality and experience".
Depending on the firm, they may have a requirement to develop some more sophisticated tools. Things like commissioning procedures,do HAZOP studies creating a database based on the failures you see in the field, PLC code for refrig/hvac control/integration. This can be done on your own time. You can even have it reviewed by PE's you may know from professional societies, as long as you don't violate any proprietary issues.
When you go back to a PE track, 1) It may make the experience count 2) Will may you a WAY better engineer. I know someone who did this in controls as a technician and became an engineer later. A field tech an engineer does not make, but the experience really will develop an engineer with education very well. Its not forever though.
Good Luck,
PS in this economy take it!
RE: should I take this job?
RE: should I take this job?
RE: should I take this job?
RE: should I take this job?
Ignore that sort of advice, a limited period working as a technician will be good experience.
RE: should I take this job?