isonthejazz -
Do what is the quickest is not usually the easiest. I was lucky and knew what field I was interested in (Civil Engineering) and went into a 5 year program as a commuter (convenient) at a large university which was cheaper.
In college, I immediately was exposed to the many varied areas of CE and worked 4 summers getting qualified experience as a technician under an engineer (DOT). The one snag was a 3 week summer surveying camp. During the learning/exposure years, I decided to get 2 years each of civil and structural/design experience, 2 years of construction and 2 years of public/utilities experience and then wait and decide on a long term direction. Because the job market was good then during the early years, I was able to relocate and come close to my plan. Four or five years after graduation I was a registered CE in 2 states and qualified to take the CA SE structural exam because of qualifying experience before and after my degree.
You never know what will follow once you get a degree and find out the options for the future.
I ended up working very long days (12 hours) 4 or five days a week as a senior concrete engineering technician (DOT) and ended up getting comp time (for over 40 hours per week)checks through part of the fall every year.
First, in the aerospace industry, I climbed around rocket test stands to measure and make designs/modifications for dynamic loading on a very short term basis (day or two), and then surveyed for roads and designed water retention ponds and analyzed test stands (all major loads go up(not down) and analyzed for dynamic loads based on 7 minute peak vibration analysis with accelerometer instrumentation on all joints for comparison the the current AISC standards to pint out weak areas. I even supervised a CA SE for a few months, since registration/signature was not required for the work and my supervisor was both a CA and an IL CE and SE.
As field construction engineer. I worked long and crazy hours on a 24/7 major plant and facilities project (2500 people per day). Nothing theoretical, but all practical and down to earth - just a lot of 0' to 70' rock excavation, 2,000,000 cy sand clay projects (down to -30F), utilities, dams, roads, bridges and railroads. It was like a kid in a candy store.
Later, I worked for a public utility designing power transmission line, supervising construction quality on nuclear plants, plant site selection and even worked with an engineer from the aerospace program on the dynamic soil properties of a proposed nuclear plant site they (D&M) were hired to perform the actual site analysis. The work was boring for the most part, except for the real world.
After my 6 years experience, I went into the concrete block industry and was required to be involved in every possible technical production committee for 20 years. It took 10 years waiting to become a voting member on the ASTM committees and I fortunately was involved in the ACI 530 writing and participated in many disaster analysis after a last minute flight overnight to see the real world.
Bottom line - Do NOT put your self into a "box" too quickly if at all possible! You could miss a lot personally, professionally, exposure (41 countries and counting) profession and many friends and acquaintances that last forever. I appreciate a call at 3:00 AM (U.S. time) from an engineering friend from Ufa, Russia (8 hours different) because he happened to have a free phone connection.
Engineer and international traveler interested in construction techniques, problems and proper design.
