Where does one find the motivation to do engineering?

TecHNooB

Diamond Member
Sep 10, 2005
7,458
1
76
People say you shouldn't go into engineering because you like computers.
People say you shouldn't go into engineering for the money.

So why do people do engineering?! What makes little kids say, "I wanna design a VLSI circuit when I grow up!" I can understand the mechanical and aerospace engineers.. they wanna design cars and airplanes and such. But the electrical engineers.. them I just do not understand. If you can't already tell, I just effed up on an exam. I feel sick.
 

beer

Lifer
Jun 27, 2000
11,169
1
0
Because I like mentally engaging work. Entry-level marketing roles and most entry level jobs are relatively dull. I get to write device drivers for an extremely complex piece of silicon.

Yes, I'm getting my MBA and going back to school like most people, but at least the first few years out of school I don't hate my life. And I make a decent salary too. And I work with smart people.
 

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
72,342
32,889
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You get to work with imaginary numbers. If you try that w/o an engineering degree people accuse you of being a Republican.
 

TecHNooB

Diamond Member
Sep 10, 2005
7,458
1
76
Originally posted by: beer
Because I like mentally engaging work. Entry-level marketing roles and most entry level jobs are relatively dull. I get to write device drivers for an extremely complex piece of silicon.

Yes, I'm getting my MBA and going back to school like most people, but at least the first few years out of school I don't hate my life. And I make a decent salary too. And I work with smart people.

Yea.. I agree with the working with smart people part. But the well-rounded college life thing.. that may never happen. I realized after freshman year that it may be necessary for me to shack up in the library for the rest of my undergraduate life. I always pay when I dont.
 

TecHNooB

Diamond Member
Sep 10, 2005
7,458
1
76
Originally posted by: ironwing
You get to work with imaginary numbers. If you try that w/o an engineering degree people accuse you of being a Republican.

haha thats good
 

dud

Diamond Member
Feb 18, 2001
7,635
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91
Speaking from almost 25 years of experience (I have degrees in Industrial and Electrical Eng) I went to class, passed my tests, got my grades ... and graduated (twice) ...

... then I entered the real world, a place where what you learned in school is only a foundation that you build upon at work. I hardly ever do anything that I was taught in school (at work).

I went into engineering because my uncle was an engineer (he was my role model) and it seemed to fit me.

You can make a lot of money as an engineer but it's not for those who want to get rich (define rich). I can remember breaking down a few times (after a test) thinking that I had screwed it up badly. Technoob, if it makes you feel any better I can look back in retrospect and laugh at myself for making myself so sick over a stupid test. You will survive ...
 

TecHNooB

Diamond Member
Sep 10, 2005
7,458
1
76
Originally posted by: dud
Speaking from almost 25 years of experience (I have degrees in Industrial and Electrical Eng) I went to class, passed my tests, got my grades ... and graduated (twice) ...

... then I entered the real world, a place where what you learned in school is only a foundation that you build upon at work. I hardly ever do anything that I was taught in school (at work).

I went into engineering because my uncle was an engineer (he was my role model) and it seemed to fit me.

You can make a lot of money as an engineer but it's not for those who want to get rich (define rich). I can remember breaking down a few times (after a test) thinking that I had screwed it up badly. Technoob, if it makes you feel any better I can look back in retrospect and laugh at myself for making myself so sick over a stupid test. You will survive ...

Thanks man, i needed that. I thought id be used to studying around the clock after freshman year; but i've missed out on so much stuff.. fun stuff. I just wanted a break and decided to take it during the wrong semester. Ugh. Gotta keep on chuggin I guess :/
 

Martin

Lifer
Jan 15, 2000
29,178
1
81
Originally posted by: TecHNooB
People say you shouldn't go into engineering because you like computers.
People say you shouldn't go into engineering for the money.

So why do people do engineering?! What makes little kids say, "I wanna design a VLSI circuit when I grow up!" I can understand the mechanical and aerospace engineers.. they wanna design cars and airplanes and such. But the electrical engineers.. them I just do not understand. If you can't already tell, I just effed up on an exam. I feel sick.

There's a few misconceptions:
When people (myself included) say you shouldn't go into eng if you like computers, what we mean is that just because you like upgrading your video card, doesn't necessarily mean you'll enjoy engineering. This may sound a bit too broad, but the primary motivations should be things like REALLY understanding how things work, building new things, solving problems etc. But if you have these things, liking tinkering with computers, or fixing cars etc are all very nice bonuses, as it means you'll eventually find work you really enjoy.

For example, I did computer engineering, and went into it by way of tinkering with computers. But the truth is, I would have enjoyed mechanical or industrial engineering just as much, because the primary motivations are the same.

Second, the money part. As an engineer on average you will make make more than an average grad and way more than the average person. What people mean when they say "money isn't in engineering" is that you won't be making the 500k or whatever a successful trader or banker makes.

However, what you have to consider two things: First, its very easy to move from doing engineering to management if that is what you want. At my last job (the company that makes the blackberry) I was in the program management department and there were a huge number of senior people (including the VP) who had engineering degrees. Indeed, in any tech company you'll find engineers disproportionately (in a good way) represented in management, and if you're a director or VP in a successful company, you will be making a lot of money.

The other thing to consider is that starting your own tech company is much easier for you to do than a non-tech person. Do a quick survey of tech companies and you'll see what a huge percentage of their founders and senior people are either from CE, EE or CS.


So your motivation should be that engineering will give you a very good (IMO the best) foundation so that afterwards you can easy do whatever best suits your interests - from doing circuit design to software dev, project management, getting and MBA and doing banking (yes, I have friends form eng that are doing this right now) etc.



Also, don't worry about fucking up an exam - I did that many times. Several times in first year I did so badly I thought about dropping out and become a firefighter or chef ;)
 

Fenixgoon

Lifer
Jun 30, 2003
33,063
12,464
136
Originally posted by: orakle
If you have The Knack, that's all the motivation you need.

qft.

i enjoy engineering because of the challenge and the ability to manipulate things around you to suit a need. i find the whole engineering thing quite interesting :D
 

theeedude

Lifer
Feb 5, 2006
35,787
6,197
126
I like doing it because you don't get bogged down in the actual fabrication work (unless you like that) plus it uses multi-discipline breadth, from computer science down to logic design, on to transistor physics, but you don't need to get bogged down in the mathematics too much, since we have computers for that. You can focus on more intuitive back of the envelope design and innovative new topologies, and then let software simulate and verify your design.
 

Descartes

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
13,968
2
0
IMO, some people like solving problems and others like finding them. For me, that's the general dichotomy which places people in engineering and others in business (which might encompass marketing, sales, etc.).
 

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
72,342
32,889
136
Originally posted by: Descartes
IMO, some people like solving problems and others like finding them. For me, that's the general dichotomy which places people in engineering and others in business (which might encompass marketing, sales, etc.).

My field was relatively new when I started. The line between engineering and science was blurred and the subject of much debate (read: who gets the jobs/money). Turns out there is plenty of work for all so the debate became moot. One line I read I thought summed it up quite well. "Scientists define, engineers design". The scientists determined the type/scope of the problem to be addressed and the engineers designed the solutions.
 

mrSHEiK124

Lifer
Mar 6, 2004
11,488
2
0
ATOT Engineering talk is always about computer engineers or electrical engineers, what about chemical engineers?
 

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
72,342
32,889
136
Originally posted by: mrSHEiK124
ATOT Engineering talk is always about computer engineers or electrical engineers, what about chemical engineers?

Chemical engineers have jobs, hence no time for ATOT.
 

Special K

Diamond Member
Jun 18, 2000
7,098
0
76
Originally posted by: mrSHEiK124
ATOT Engineering talk is always about computer engineers or electrical engineers, what about chemical engineers?

Well this is a computer hardware website, so maybe it just naturally attracts more EE and CPEG than any other type of engineer.
 

mrSHEiK124

Lifer
Mar 6, 2004
11,488
2
0
Originally posted by: Special K
Originally posted by: mrSHEiK124
ATOT Engineering talk is always about computer engineers or electrical engineers, what about chemical engineers?

Well this is a computer hardware website, so maybe it just naturally attracts more EE and CPEG than any other type of engineer.

But, but, what if I want to be a chemical engineer and ATOT's vast knowledge is thus unaccessible to me, what do I do?
 

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
72,342
32,889
136
Originally posted by: mrSHEiK124

But, but, what if I want to be a chemical engineer and ATOT's vast knowledge is thus unaccessible to me, what do I do?

Suck it up, change majors, and spend a miserable life in a field you hate.
 

MetalMat

Diamond Member
Jun 14, 2004
9,687
36
91
Depends on the type of engineer, but in most cases if you like designing things and doing projects seems like a good path. I graduated in EECE, and am not an engineer.
 

RossGr

Diamond Member
Jan 11, 2000
3,383
1
0
I thought you went into engineering because you couldn't handle the rigor of pure science.
 

dighn

Lifer
Aug 12, 2001
22,820
4
81
Because some people actually like it. Even though EE isn't my first choice, I do have a fondness of electronic circuits and programming. I used to think VLSI was like really cool when I was a kid. I would collect chips just for the heck of it.
 

FleshLight

Diamond Member
Mar 18, 2004
6,883
0
71
We love having 9 unknown variables and deriving 9 equations to go along with those unknowns.