Technical Career Survival Handbook

100 Things You Need To Know

Peter Y. Burke

• Publisher: Academic Press
• Year: 2016
• Print ISBN: 9780128093726
• eBook ISBN: 9780128096116
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Engineering General
• Index: Technology & Engineering

Technical Career Survival Handbook: 100 Things You Need To Know provides the information needed to survive a technical career, enabling prospective technical career candidates and those currently in technical careers to explore all technical education possibilities, industries, disciplines, and specialties. This handbook better equips the reader to deal with the tough situations and decisions they have to make throughout their career. Topics include preparing for the workforce, employment challenges, and dealing with on the job situations. This book is a practical guidebook for scientists, engineers, and technicians who apply the principles of science and mathematics to develop practical solutions to technical problems. - Offers insights on how to pursue and navigate a technical career - Discusses job searches, interviews, offers, and counteroffers - Includes day-to-day, in the trenches, job situations that may arise and best practices on how to address them

Part I

Preparing for the Work Force

Outline

1. Technical Careers

2. The Big Four Engineering Degrees

3. Other Engineering Degrees

4. Technology Degrees

5. Career Choice

6. College Selection

7. Engineering Technology

8. Graduate School

9. Day Versus Night School

10. Co-Op Programs

11. Internships

12. Alternative College Funding

13. Finding That First Job

14. Geographic Factors

15. Interviews

16. Opportunities for Women

1

Technical Careers

Abstract

“Technical” tends to be a broad term that is generally related to principles of some science. So let us clarify the term “technical careers.” Does it specifically mean engineers, scientists, or teachers? For the purpose of this book, I am referring mainly to engineers and graduates with technical degrees that typically work in an organizational team toward a common objective. I do not include teachers or professors in this definition even though some may be considered a part of the scientific community. Their primary focus is obviously teaching and research within the field of education.

Keywords

Designers; Engineers; Scientists; Technical; Technical careers; Technicians

“Technical” tends to be a broad term that is generally related to principles of some science. So let us clarify the term “technical careers.” Does it specifically mean engineers, scientists, or teachers? For the purpose of this book, I am referring mainly to engineers and graduates with technical degrees that typically work in an organizational team toward a common objective. I do not include teachers or professors in this definition even though some may be considered a part of the scientific community. Their primary focus is obviously teaching and research within the field of education.

I do include certain scientists in the scope of this book, particularly those that are entrepreneurial and make innovation happen. They blend their scientific knowledge and credibility with people skills, entrepreneurial ship, and business knowledge. They most always have a PhD and spend more time for analyzing things in broad strokes than engineers who spend time in building things. I have experience working with them as part of an engineering team albeit limited. Computer scientists often work in an innovative organizations, many high tech industries. They are like many other disciplines that the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) categorizes such as biochemists, biophysicists, chemists, material scientists, environment scientists, and physicists.

Regarding computer support personnel, they are often positioned as staff personnel and cover the needs of several “teams,” for that reason, they may not be within the scope of this book. They typically do not participate in a product or process development team but provide IT help when called upon.

I also refer to technicians who may have some academic background, possible job training and profess a knowledge of certain machinery, electronics, structures, materials, test equipment, processes, and instrumentation. Many work alongside engineers and assist with prototype construction, performance testing, and design modifications. Often they obtain advanced degrees to become engineers. Many gained experience while serving in the military with equipment and systems (Table 1.1).

While I was director of engineering at Sundstrand Fluid Handling (SFH), Howard Ammons was the lead technician who reported to me and supervised our test lab. He could make a rough sketch of a precision part on the back of an envelope, machine it and test it in a pump in practically the same amount of time it would take a designer to produce a computer-aided design production drawing.

Technical personnel discussed in this book, apply the principles of science and mathematics to develop practical solutions to technical problems. Often their work involves translating scientific discoveries into commercial applications thereby meeting societal and consumer needs also known as “the market.”

Table 1.1

Major Technician Occupations

Description	2012 US Employment Actual	2022 US Employment Projected
Aerospace technicians	9900	9900
Civil technicians	73,100	73,600
Electrical/electronic technicians	146,500	146,500
Electromechanical technicians	17,300	18,000
Environmental technicians	19,000	22,500
Industrial technicians	68,000	65,800
Mechanical technicians	47,500	49,700

BLS 2014 data.

Their work may involve developing totally new products, product derivatives, correcting product deficiencies, or installing equipment. They often evaluate performance, cost, size, efficiency, safety, reliability, and manufacturability. Generally, technical personnel are dedicated to a specific product or service so that their knowledge is focused and specialized. Areas of specialization may include chemical production, computers, power plants, aircraft, pumps, compressors, solar panels, and even toys.

In years past, engineers, assisted by designer/drafters, typically laid out designs on paper before prototypes were built, but with the advancement of central processing unit chips, including Intel’s latest I7 quad core processor, today’s computers are used to analyze and produce designs; to simulate and test how a machine, structure, or process operates; to generate specifications for parts; to monitor the quality of products; and to control the efficiency of processes.

Song: “Analog Man”

As popularized by: Joe Walsh

2012

2

The Big Four Engineering Degrees

Abstract

Let us look at some of the various disciplines of engineering study and briefly explain their functions starting with the big four. These curriculums the largest segment of the engineering world and represent 60% of all engineering disciplines. There are more positions occupied by graduates with these degrees than any others. Logically, there are more graduates obtaining degrees in these curriculum than the others. Also, some might claim that these four degrees are the most versatile and therefore one would be more likely to survive in the job market. These might be the factors that influence the decision as to which engineering degree to obtain but it is also important that you pursue a degree in the field you are mainly interested. Also bear in mind that other curriculums such as biomedical and petrochemical engineering may offer higher starting salaries. But ironically at this moment, oil companies are laying off thousands of petroleum engineers due to the plentiful supply of oil.

Keywords

Civil engineers; Curriculums; Electrical engineers; Engineering; Engineering degrees; Engineering disciplines; Industrial engineers; Mechanical engineers

Chapter Outline

Civil Engineering

Electrical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

Industrial Engineering

Let us look at some of the various disciplines of engineering study and briefly explain their functions starting with the big four. These curriculums the largest segment of the engineering world and represent 60% of all engineering disciplines. There are more positions occupied by graduates with these degrees than any others. Logically, there are more graduates obtaining degrees in these curriculum than the others. Also, some might claim that these four degrees are the most versatile and therefore one would be more likely to survive in the job market. These might be the factors that influence the decision as to which engineering degree to obtain but it is also important that you pursue a degree in the field you are mainly interested. Also bear in mind that other curriculums such as biomedical and petrochemical engineering may offer higher starting salaries. But ironically at this moment, oil companies are laying off thousands of petroleum engineers due to the plentiful supply of oil.

Civil Engineering

Civil engineers design and supervise projects like the construction of roads, buildings, airports, tunnels, dams, bridges, and water supply and sewage systems. They consider many factors in the design process such as construction costs, expected lifetime of a project to government regu...

Table of contents

• Cover image
• Title page
• Table of Contents
• Copyright
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Part I. Preparing for the Work Force
• Part II. Employment Challenges
• Part III. The Job Search
• Part IV. On the Job
• Part V. The Career
• Further Reading
• Index