I went back to school after 10 years, got an MBA, and decided to stay in engineering.
My specialty is technical maketing of special alloys. I am good at explaining to people how to select alloys to meet their needs.
I have found (changed) six good jobs over the last 30 years. Considering the number of MatEng's out there, there are a fair number of openings. Just don't expect to find a job that doesn't require you learning a new industry or moving a long ways. There aren't that many MatEng jobs in the entire US.
As companies managment becomes more and more short sighted and screwed up, the long term potential of engineers like us that work based on accumulated knowlage and not computer programs is becoming worse.
The future in this biz is strictly contract consulting. If my kids were older I would jump now. Nobody wants you on the payrole, just bring you in when they have a problem.
My suggestion for a first job is to go someplace where you can get experience. Take the job in nothern Canada or the Middle East or where ever. Any more no company is going to want to keep you longer than 7-10 years anyway. Get you hands dirty, learn, meet people, and go to every conf. that they will send you to. All the while looking for your next job.
And when it comes time to leave don't worry. They would not pause 2 sec. in droping you. When you find an opportunity take it and move on.
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Corrosion never sleeps, but it can be managed.