W.O.T. Any Autocad designers here? Need degree help!

[glassjaw7]

A while back I posted a "what degree should I get" thread and got some good feedback from some of you. Well, I've been back in school for a bit now, and have some general classes under my belt: Psychology, Sociology, Human Biology and some basic and Intermidiate Algebra.
So, what the hell should I do for a career? I honestly am having the hardest time figuring this out. I went to McNally Smith College of Music right out of high school and it was a great experience, but now I'm 29 and have a family. I need to make some money and provide for the fam!

AutoCAD (computer aided drafting/design) is my latest idea. I'm not sure if I'd like it much, but I really don't like anything except music and this seems a little fun and creative.

Other options I'm looking into: Lab technician/scientist/ computer specialist/ ??? I'm in a VERY small town and the only school nearby has limited offerings as far as degrees/programs.

At least with a decent career, I'd be making decent pay and I could still play on nights/weekends and maybe be able to afford some new gear now and then. Thanks guys. -Jordan

 

[~Abstract~]

A while back I posted a "what degree should I get" thread and got some good feedback from some of you. Well, I've been back in school for a bit now, and have some general classes under my belt: Psychology, Sociology, Human Biology and some basic and Intermidiate Algebra.
So, what the hell should I do for a career? I honestly am having the hardest time figuring this out. I went to McNally Smith College of Music right out of high school and it was a great experience, but now I'm 29 and have a family. I need to make some money and provide for the fam!

AutoCAD (computer aided drafting/design) is my latest idea. I'm not sure if I'd like it much, but I really don't like anything except music and this seems a little fun and creative.

Other options I'm looking into: Lab technician/scientist/ computer specialist/ ??? I'm in a VERY small town and the only school nearby has limited offerings as far as degrees/programs.

At least with a decent career, I'd be making decent pay and I could still play on nights/weekends and maybe be able to afford some new gear now and then. Thanks guys. -Jordan

....marketing...supply chain...that shit's never going away.


Then save up...get a big router and make guitars!

 

[Motorpud]

A while back I posted a "what degree should I get" thread and got some good feedback from some of you. Well, I've been back in school for a bit now, and have some general classes under my belt: Psychology, Sociology, Human Biology and some basic and Intermidiate Algebra.
So, what the hell should I do for a career? I honestly am having the hardest time figuring this out. I went to McNally Smith College of Music right out of high school and it was a great experience, but now I'm 29 and have a family. I need to make some money and provide for the fam!

AutoCAD (computer aided drafting/design) is my latest idea. I'm not sure if I'd like it much, but I really don't like anything except music and this seems a little fun and creative.

Other options I'm looking into: Lab technician/scientist/ computer specialist/ ??? I'm in a VERY small town and the only school nearby has limited offerings as far as degrees/programs.

At least with a decent career, I'd be making decent pay and I could still play on nights/weekends and maybe be able to afford some new gear now and then. Thanks guys. -Jordan

I'm having this same problem man, the schooling I've done is just not what I want to do anymore. I was a stationary Engineer for the last 5 years but lost my job in September (place went bankrupt) I just went back and I'm taking prerequisites but I'm having an extremely hard time figuring out what to do. Something tells me after I do the same thing every day for a while I enjoy it anyway, I should just go for the money

 

[glassjaw7]

A while back I posted a "what degree should I get" thread and got some good feedback from some of you. Well, I've been back in school for a bit now, and have some general classes under my belt: Psychology, Sociology, Human Biology and some basic and Intermidiate Algebra.
So, what the hell should I do for a career? I honestly am having the hardest time figuring this out. I went to McNally Smith College of Music right out of high school and it was a great experience, but now I'm 29 and have a family. I need to make some money and provide for the fam!

AutoCAD (computer aided drafting/design) is my latest idea. I'm not sure if I'd like it much, but I really don't like anything except music and this seems a little fun and creative.

Other options I'm looking into: Lab technician/scientist/ computer specialist/ ??? I'm in a VERY small town and the only school nearby has limited offerings as far as degrees/programs.

At least with a decent career, I'd be making decent pay and I could still play on nights/weekends and maybe be able to afford some new gear now and then. Thanks guys. -Jordan

....marketing...supply chain...that shit's never going away.


Then save up...get a big router and make guitars!

I'll look into it, thanks.

BTW, nice avatar!!!

 

[glassjaw7]

A while back I posted a "what degree should I get" thread and got some good feedback from some of you. Well, I've been back in school for a bit now, and have some general classes under my belt: Psychology, Sociology, Human Biology and some basic and Intermidiate Algebra.
So, what the hell should I do for a career? I honestly am having the hardest time figuring this out. I went to McNally Smith College of Music right out of high school and it was a great experience, but now I'm 29 and have a family. I need to make some money and provide for the fam!

AutoCAD (computer aided drafting/design) is my latest idea. I'm not sure if I'd like it much, but I really don't like anything except music and this seems a little fun and creative.

Other options I'm looking into: Lab technician/scientist/ computer specialist/ ??? I'm in a VERY small town and the only school nearby has limited offerings as far as degrees/programs.

At least with a decent career, I'd be making decent pay and I could still play on nights/weekends and maybe be able to afford some new gear now and then. Thanks guys. -Jordan

I'm having this same problem man, the schooling I've done is just not what I want to do anymore. I was a stationary Engineer for the last 5 years but lost my job in September (place went bankrupt) I just went back and I'm taking prerequisites but I'm having an extremely hard time figuring out what to do. Something tells me after I do the same thing every day for a while I enjoy it anyway, I should just go for the money

Sorry that you lost your job man. Tough times right now for many people, myself included. I know what you mean regarding the school situation. Do you go for what people say you should because it's an in-demand job even though you may hate it? Or do you try to pursue something you might enjoy, even if the job outlook isn't so hot and it's a competitive field? I'm at a loss man...

 

[Motorpud]

That's exactly what my problem is, most of the things I'd probably enjoy either there are no jobs available or not the greatest of wages. My mom was trying to talk me into becoming a male nurse because she said they're starting out at like $30 an hour where she works with sign on bonuses. I guess for some reason they make a good percentage more tha female nurses because they can do the more physical stuff. I would have to swallow a LOT of pride to do that since I would get ripped on daily by all my buddies and judged by anyone else who knew what I did for a living

 

[glassjaw7]

That's exactly what my problem is, most of the things I'd probably enjoy either there are no jobs available or not the greatest of wages. My mom was trying to talk me into becoming a male nurse because she said they're starting out at like $30 an hour where she works with sign on bonuses. I guess for some reason they make a good percentage more tha female nurses because they can do the more physical stuff. I would have to swallow a LOT of pride to do that since I would get ripped on daily by all my buddies and judged by anyone else who knew what I did for a living

Funny, I was considering the same thing which is why I took Human Biology, but I just don't think I could do it. And not because of the verbal pounding I would take from my buddies, but because I don't think I could clean people's shit up or give an old man a sponge bath.

I'm still considering the lab technician thing. Two year degree, make about $18-$20/hr, then after 5 years of working in the field you can take the laboratory scientist test (equivalent to 4-year lab scientist degree) and get significant pay increase. But that might be a pretty boring job. I aced human bio and enjoyed it, but I'm not sure I can see myself looking in microscopes at tissue/piss/shit/jizz/blood for a lifetime.

 

[Motorpud]

That's exactly what my problem is, most of the things I'd probably enjoy either there are no jobs available or not the greatest of wages. My mom was trying to talk me into becoming a male nurse because she said they're starting out at like $30 an hour where she works with sign on bonuses. I guess for some reason they make a good percentage more tha female nurses because they can do the more physical stuff. I would have to swallow a LOT of pride to do that since I would get ripped on daily by all my buddies and judged by anyone else who knew what I did for a living

Funny, I was considering the same thing which is why I took Human Biology, but I just don't think I could do it. And not because of the verbal pounding I would take from my buddies, but because I don't think I could clean people's shit up or give an old man a sponge bath.

I'm still considering the lab technician thing. Two year degree, make about $18-$20/hr, then after 5 years of working in the field you can take the laboratory scientist test (equivalent to 4-year lab scientist degree) and get significant pay increase. But that might be a pretty boring job. I aced human bio and enjoyed it, but I'm not sure I can see myself looking in microscopes at tissue/piss/shit/jizz/blood for a lifetime.

That's another thing I didn't even mention, all the bodily fluids, bloodborne pathogens, putting in catheters and ball washing. The lab technician thing would be awesome though to me, yeah it'd be boring more than likely but I'm extremely interested in that kind of thing. I was also looking into some kind of lab stuff. Surgical techician doesn't sound bad for 2 years ($18-20), for some reason I'd feel more comfortable about an incapacitated patient rather than a conscious one

 

[kanamvar32]

A while back I posted a "what degree should I get" thread and got some good feedback from some of you. Well, I've been back in school for a bit now, and have some general classes under my belt: Psychology, Sociology, Human Biology and some basic and Intermidiate Algebra.
So, what the hell should I do for a career? I honestly am having the hardest time figuring this out. I went to McNally Smith College of Music right out of high school and it was a great experience, but now I'm 29 and have a family. I need to make some money and provide for the fam!

AutoCAD (computer aided drafting/design) is my latest idea. I'm not sure if I'd like it much, but I really don't like anything except music and this seems a little fun and creative.

Other options I'm looking into: Lab technician/scientist/ computer specialist/ ??? I'm in a VERY small town and the only school nearby has limited offerings as far as degrees/programs.

At least with a decent career, I'd be making decent pay and I could still play on nights/weekends and maybe be able to afford some new gear now and then. Thanks guys. -Jordan

Do you intend on moving? Sounds like the small town limits your options, or perhaps to your benefit, narrows the list.

If you don't plan on moving research the major employers in the area. Make a list of company names, addresses, phone numbers, how long the company has been in the area, industry focus, position(s) of interest to you, salary/compensation for each position (if you know it), etc. Then comes the hard part where you evaluate whether the company will stay in business in your town, if the job is something that would interest you, if it'll support you and your family's life style, and so on.

A poster above mentioned male nursing. One of my cousins made that as a career change after being in customer service/sales/business related positions. Some people gave him crap for it but now he's one of the very few emergency/rescue helicopter nurses in CA. If you can't see yourself doing the work you shouldn't pursue the career path. I know I couldn't do it haha.

 

[Shask]

Ive done a lot of AutoCAD type stuff, although it was sort of a side thing in my Degree.

I would say if you do drafting type stuff, look at the civil side. I see WAY more jobs for that then Mechanical type stuff. But, many of them dont pay all that well.

Not to mention, I am sort of scared of computer based "engineering" jobs. Many of those are going to India.

I have a degree, and have been an Engineer for awhile, but my work recently went under, and I have been in school to become a teacher

 

[glassjaw7]

Thanks for the feedback guys.
Kanamvar: I'd like to have the option of moving. I don't want a job to tie me down to this town, so I should probably pursue something that's in demand everywhere.

Shask: Seems like a lot of engineers are out of work. Hope the teaching works out for you. I've considered teaching as well. Hmmm, summers off. Sounds nice!

 

[kanamvar32]

Thanks for the feedback guys.
Kanamvar: I'd like to have the option of moving. I don't want a job to tie me down to this town, so I should probably pursue something that's in demand everywhere.

Well, if you want to be flexible then it's probably better to look into industries that interest you. You could probably make a list here too with the various industries that appeal to you. Still, it seems like you'll probably start working in the town you are currently in so maybe make the list like I mentioned in the earlier post and add to it whether the company has branches/operations elsewhere, if you think you can move to a different city and get a comparable job, etc. Sounds like most of the suggestions and things you've looked into are prevalent in many cities so you're not really stuck having to go to a handful of cities for work (e.g., certain entertainment and media jobs, certain high level finance jobs, and the like).

 

[ShaneV]

My grandfather-in-law wrote this https://www.amazon.com/Autocad-Drafting- ... 0026771357 which I guess is kind of a big deal in the AutoCAD world.

That said, I have nothing useful to contribute here.

 

[craftm1]

Go in to "I.T." , I'm in healthcare and there is going to be a huge push for medical records to go electronic "EMR". There is huge shortage of people to do this integration. The Federal Gov. will be driving a lot of this so there is and going to be very good careers for the next 20 plus years.

If you want more specific info. e-mail and we can talk about details and potential opportunities.

Mark

 

[glpg80]

5 years of autocad under two engineering degree's, waiting to get my third after i get out of the military.

autocad is a great experience and nice to have, but i wouldnt recommend a job around it. its definately an experience that hands itself to become useful if you know how to use it properly - iso drawings, exploded views, layered schematics

theres nothing you can do without experience after the education - it goes hand in hand now-days.

i would definately choose:

Computer Programming/Software Engineers
HVAC certifications/repair (with some sort of business degree to go along with it)
Civil Engineering/Building design
PMEL
IT/Networking/Informations Intel
Nursing/Medical field
Computer/Electrical Engineering Technology

engineering isnt expected to peak around the year of 2017 - which is a good ways away. those who can stick it out will definately benefit. i hope to get my BSEET by then along with military experience in the field.

i chose CET/EET and love it - its a mix of everything. IT, electrical, programming, the works. i only lack 1 class to qualifiy for the cisco CCNA exam in networking, i already qualify for an FCC stage 1 certifiation, and can also take the A+ if i wanted. but whatever you choose, you need to have a passion for it - a passion of love. because once you go studying and disecting it thats what it will come down to.

 

[GRK]

Learn Maya. There's always jobs around for Alias modelers. It's not necessarily the most creative job around. You might still be building other's designs (most likely) in 3d but I know it pays decent and beats the shit out of a regular cubical job.

If you wanna be really creative, major in some sort of design. Product design is pretty good and there's decent amount of jobs for the ones that are good and dedicated. You need drawing skills for that though. Then you learn solidworks etc to build your own models in 3d.

I dunno man. Design related schools are very tough if they are good. I'm in one right now and I work just as hard as lawyers and doctors. But I won't make nearly as much money as them. I really don't care though cause it's my passion. I do graphics design generally but more focused on motion graphics/animation which also uses some 3d animating/modeling/texturing skills. You need a lot of patience and might have to get shit loads of loans though to pay for tuition :/

Good luck in any case.

 

[titanamps]

i'd avoid drafting career paths right now. the job market for that stuff is SHIT. i've got a drafting certificate and 10+ years experience...i can't find a job.

do you want to have some freedom and job security while making good money?

2 year RN is where it's at. my brother in law works 2-3 days a week and makes $50G. if i had it to do over again, that's what i'd have done.

 

[Shask]

Thanks for the feedback guys.
Kanamvar: I'd like to have the option of moving. I don't want a job to tie me down to this town, so I should probably pursue something that's in demand everywhere.

Shask: Seems like a lot of engineers are out of work. Hope the teaching works out for you. I've considered teaching as well. Hmmm, summers off. Sounds nice!

Yeah, I also wanted a job I could do anywhere.

I am looking forward to it! I am so sick of factories and offices, I am ready to have a job where I feel like I have importance in being there

 

[Shask]

5 years of autocad under two engineering degree's, waiting to get my third after i get out of the military.

engineering isnt expected to peak around the year of 2017 - which is a good ways away. those who can stick it out will definately benefit. i hope to get my BSEET by then along with military experience in the field.

i chose CET/EET and love it - its a mix of everything. IT, electrical, programming, the works. i only lack 1 class to qualifiy for the cisco CCNA exam in networking, i already qualify for an FCC stage 1 certifiation, and can also take the A+ if i wanted. but whatever you choose, you need to have a passion for it - a passion of love. because once you go studying and disecting it thats what it will come down to.

I guess it depends on you and your location. I have had my BSEET for 8 years or so now, and I am back in school to do something else.

I enjoy it, but it seems like the only jobs that call easily are Electronic Tech and Assembly jobs. And that is with several years of Engineering Experience. I have a lot of IT skills, but I have no desire to fight IT people for jobs. That is an overcrowded field as well.

I would say this would be a good choice if he wants to do technical work in a manufacturing environment, but it could be a pain if he wants to get into electrical design.

 

[glpg80]

the technological side of it is more hands on than theory based like a regular BSEE or BSCE - both degrees equal to the same when it comes to job placement - just depends on your experience and where you want to apply it. the reason i say this is because you can tune the BS part to your needs or wants in schooling.

im applying it to the electrical side of construction equipment and aviation. as far as civilian jobs go - if you take the EE major - it can be applied to anything. communications, electronics design/engineering, panels/PLC/manufacturing plant installation, the works.

again though, these majors arent expected to peak for another 7-10 years. right now the job market sucks for them - but its a field i have spent alot of time in and enjoy it enough to stick it out.

if i had to do it all over, i would do high levels of HVAC certifications and commercial consumer concentrations. thats where the money is at - its what brad our admin does if i recall correctly.