×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Continuing Education

Continuing Education

Continuing Education

(OP)
Hi,

I currently work in electric power/utilities and wish to stay and progress in the industry.  Since I've left school I've actually lost skills as I don't use those software analysis programs anymore.  I know this is expected but at least I also expected that I'd replace them with other skills that are actually useful.  I currently do design work but its more along the lines of drafting/design/modification of wiring diagrams/cable lists/etc. for facilities.  This is not enough for me.  During my last performance review, we talked and documented about the fact that I wasn't challenged during the yr and that I wanted more.  Nine months have passed and its pretty obvious they have no intention of giving me anything new/different.

I have no problem paying for my own courses if that's what it will take but of course to do that I have to know that it will be worth it in the end.  I've seen a few  courses offered in my city in the coming months but its hard to tell if  they're worth it.  In your opinion are those one/two day courses/seminars worth it?  If not these then is there anything else out there I can take on my own to progress on my own since my company has no desire to help me in this?  If I'll be paying for this myself I'd like to know that I can at least have something to take into a next job or something else.

Thanks.

RE: Continuing Education

A one, or two, day course, while concentrated and very specific will usually only barely begin to touch on any subject being taught.  However, in most cases, the course material is also limited to a few specific topics.

A good benchmark is to consider that a typical college course might contain a minimum of around 90 lecture hours and about the same amount (or more) of homework time.  So, even a week-long course will only get you part of the way there, particularly if there's little or no homework.

That's not to say that they're not useful and educational, but you have to be aware that when you're done with that course, you go back to an environment that doesn't exercise that gained knowledge.

Have you looked at what higher level technical jobs there are at your current workplace?  What are the requirements for those jobs?  That might provide a more targeted and directly applicable course of study.

Does your company allow for educational reimbursement?  Perhaps getting an advanced degree might be useful and fulfilling.

TTFN

FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources