Advice for an Engineering Technician Student
Advice for an Engineering Technician Student
(OP)
Hello, I was lurking on this forum and I decided to join because I'm seeking real world advice, not skewed numbers from BLS.
I am currently a student in a civil engineering technology program at a tech school in Wisconsin, and I want to know more about what Ill be getting into after graduation, so here is what I want to know:
1- What is a realistic starting pay for somebody graduating from my program and getting their first job?
2- What would be the most tactful position to seek as far as potentially working my way up in the company? (Cadd tech, surveyor, materials testing? etc)
3- What kind of things should I do to make myself more employable while I still have time before graduating? I have 1.5 years left.
I am currently a student in a civil engineering technology program at a tech school in Wisconsin, and I want to know more about what Ill be getting into after graduation, so here is what I want to know:
1- What is a realistic starting pay for somebody graduating from my program and getting their first job?
2- What would be the most tactful position to seek as far as potentially working my way up in the company? (Cadd tech, surveyor, materials testing? etc)
3- What kind of things should I do to make myself more employable while I still have time before graduating? I have 1.5 years left.





RE: Advice for an Engineering Technician Student
2) choose a job (of those available) that interests you, but if you want to work your way 'up' then you need one with contact with senior management, not hanging out in the labs with the
cool guysnerds3) Internships. Good projects with both theoretical and practical testing. All the 'non engineering' soft skills.
Cheers
Greg Locock
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RE: Advice for an Engineering Technician Student
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RE: Advice for an Engineering Technician Student
RE: Advice for an Engineering Technician Student
2) Working as a drafter. A surveying company may be the easiest route as most that I have seen don't require any specialized degree to enter a company. I hear anything to do with piping is in huge demand in certain states. Is there a big field in Civil material testing? I get many calls for selling manufacturer products. An example, catch basins and filtration products.
3) Get an internship or some type of job shadowing. Getting situated into an office environment and how that goes is useful early on.
Why not go into a BS before graduating? How broad of scope of Civil are you looking at? After I started at a surveying company making tract and parcel maps, I interviewed for a structural position that designed pools for celebrities. Instead I ended up taking on a job for a land development company that worked on 500+ house subdivisions. My partner started monitoring soils on site and went to work on buildings for the power industry. The profession is broad but you can take a lot from doing even the most basic job.
B+W Engineering and Design | Los Angeles Civil Engineer and Structural Engineer http://bwengr.com
RE: Advice for an Engineering Technician Student
I'd bet if you turned up uninvited at any engineering firm in Australia you'd just have a very short chat with the front desk/security guy.
Cheers
Greg Locock
New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?
RE: Advice for an Engineering Technician Student
RE: Advice for an Engineering Technician Student
TTFN

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Need help writing a question or understanding a reply? forum1529: Translation Assistance for Engineers
Of course I can. I can do anything. I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!
RE: Advice for an Engineering Technician Student
1) The Wisconsin Technical College system has plenty of information regarding employment and starting salaries. Currently about $40,000 per year with about 90% employed at 6 months past graduation. Their placement service must conduct follow-up inquiries.
2) Depending on which campus you have chosen, your discipline will already be determined (i.e. Highway, Structural, Architectural & Construction) and that will pretty much define what kind of jobs are available. Highway would probably have all 3 you mention. Structural and Architectural would most likely only be CAD. Construction may have some surveying and material testing.
3) Get good grades. Get a summer job with some relevance. Graduate with some humility. Having worked in WI for over 25 years, I know that the WI Tech Schools instill a over-abundance of confidence.
It has been my experience that too many of WI Tech School grad's think they know everything. Yes, they had introductory classes in many different subjects, but they are rarely told what they don't know, or the limitations of what they are being taught.
Once you get a job, you will learn far more than you ever learned during your two years in school. Just be open to that.
gjc
RE: Advice for an Engineering Technician Student
Back on subject though, Would a construction job be somewhat relevant? Are there any lower skill jobs that might be at actual engineering companies that I should try to get into this summer?
RE: Advice for an Engineering Technician Student
B+W Engineering and Design | Los Angeles Civil Engineer and Structural Engineer http://bwengr.com
RE: Advice for an Engineering Technician Student
Dan - Owner
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RE: Advice for an Engineering Technician Student