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What did you do for a career and would you pick it again?

Xyphota

Xyphota

Ultra Member
I am 2 years out of school employed as a mechanical engineer-in-training and I am quite bored with my job. I think I could be much happier with just a different engineering role at a different company, but I am wondering if I would be happier doing something else.

I enjoy working with my hands and obviously like metal-working in my garage, so should I consider trying to do that for a living and become a machinist or a welder?
 
That's a loaded question. I think, if you were to ask me on a Monday, then Wednesday and again on Friday, I would have a difference response each day haha.

I would have started out with law, then head over to the big bank sector in the mint, a few years in, I'd pick out a nice new ( Few ) suit and tie taking over the TSX... then onto the WEF for early retirement haha...
 
Xyphota said:
I am 2 years out of school employed as a mechanical engineer-in-training and I am quite bored with my job. I think I could be much happier with just a different engineering role at a different company, but I am wondering if I would be happier doing something else.

I enjoy working with my hands and obviously like metal-working in my garage, so should I consider trying to do that for a living and become a machinist or a welder?
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I'd take a closer look here. Especially at starting salaries for Mech-Eng across Canada.
www.randstad.ca

2025 salary guide

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www.randstad.ca www.randstad.ca
The Design Engineering mag I get in the mail listed Starting Salaries for Mech-Eng in Surry, BC at $76K to $100K. The highest was Calgary at $108.1K with senior wages after 10 years experience up to $141.6K.
 
Making your hobby or passion into your business can cause you to hate that hobby and cause all sorts of problems on the home-front, ie money matters. In my opinion, it would be better to be a little bored with your job, with opportunity for advancement; making decent money; and doing what you're passionate about on the side, evenings, and or weekends.
 
I went into pure sciences, got a degree in physics and have pretty much regretted it ever since. Wish I had gone into something more practical like mechanical engineering or pharmacy.
 
One of my idol's and my model of a mechanical engineer is Dan Gelbart.

Dr. Daniel Gelbart | Graduation at UBC

DANIEL GELBART, DOCTOR OF LAWS, honoris causa MADAME CHANCELLOR, Daniel Gelbart is an extraordinary engineer and a born innovator, whose patented inventions and entrepreneurial spirit have had a profound impact upon the economy of this region. Born in Germany and raised in Israel, he obtained...
graduation.ubc.ca graduation.ubc.ca
 
Here's my story.

High School Electronics Diploma. A year at CJOI as a disk jockey and on the sly repaired their RTL IC based music automation machine. That led to a job for 3 years at IBM as an OPCE repairing Selectric Typewriters etc. while my fiance finished University. From there into counter sales at Cardinal Industrial Electronics and then Bowtek Electric selling ICs and micro-processors and parts. Left that when the writing was on the wall for the company to vanish.
A short stint in Hinton working for my Brother in law driving back hoe and repairing sewage lift pump and reservoir pump switching setup. Realized however that this was not for me.

Came back to Edmonton, a few Alberta College courses and then University for 4 years in Computing Science with a minor in Electrical Engineering. They now call it Computer Engineering run by the Engineering departments. I got the better end of the deal with more of an education in computer science.

During the summers and after for 10 years or so I had all sorts of interesting jobs. Moved to The Netherlands and lived in Arnhem for a few years working on Semiconductor manufacturing equipment. So you could say Automation software systems developer. The wide experience over the previous years helped me solve some electrical and mechanical problems that resulted in being sent to Hong Kong and Taipei for a month to update systems.

Back to Canada and this time Victoria. Stay at home Dad for the kids while starting a consulting business. Became an expert in Controller Area Network systems (CAN bus) and traveled a bit consulting for that. The biggest visible project I've done is this one:
Less visible but still CAN bus (MilCAN protocol) are headlights, signal lights, tail lights etc. for these types of vehicles.
And I designed and made over 10,000 of these for testing de-mining equipment:

So what I'm trying to say is finish the degree. Get the most out of each job going beyond what is asked and learn from the experienced people.

Someone told me once that: "The opportunities are all around you but have to be open to them to even see them! "

Who knows, you may meet someone at an event who will ask you a question. Depending on your answer the next thing is a job offer doing something really exciting. I'd say 99.9% of the great jobs were not ones I went looking for. They just showed up.
 
I would consider changing jobs, but weigh pros and cons carefully before you leap. I'm an electrical engineer and fresh out of school I worked for a couple of large utilities, I received great training at Manitoba Hydro and was not bored, later I worked for Ontario Hydro and was bored, I countered that by working on projects (moonlighting to my schedule, doing the type of engineering that I really enjoyed). After a while the contrast was too stark and I quit my job at Ontario Hydro to join a startup that I had been moonlighting for. In my case it worked out really well, the company took off, I loved my job, worked with some really great people and did some world class engineering it was just a ton of fun. That being said the engineering jobs environment in Canada has changed a lot in the last 20 years and not for the better.
 
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My background is Civil Engineering, I do more mechanical and RF engineering. My wife did Chemical and does more Civil.

Engineering in any field taught you the basics, open your eyes the formulas are the same no matter what field you apply it in. If you find the job that really makes your day, sometimes money that you may desire will not be the highest driving factor.

So open your eyes it is all the same and you can do it.
 
Dissenting opinion.

I never finished high school. Love doing electronic stuff. Went to work for Radio Shack, doing chump repairs and sort of selling. Ended up dropping hobby electronics after spending all day replacing burnt-out amplifier output transistors and cleaning battery terminals.

Friend of mine was working for a plumbing wholesaler. Talked to the manager at the plumbing job, he said:

it’s a 7:00 to 3:30 job, never any overtime. Never work weekends.
pay is union scale for warehouseman, Started at 3x minimum wage.
you won’t get rich, but you’ll never be out of work
nobody ever does plumbing as a hobby

He was right. 45 years later I’m retired, enjoyed my jobs but it never interfered with my life.

Took me ten years to segue selling plumbing into being a technical resource for industrial valve distributors, working with engineers to select valves for really ugly applications. Had to pick up a lot of chemistry, metallurgy, instrumentation, machinery design, learned to run a mill and lathe, and spent lots of time at job sites and process plants troubleshooting valve issues.

And walked away into retirement without any regrets.

FYI, industrial valve salespeople don’t deal with the general public, mostly interact with engineers, and make more money than the engineers. And don’t get laid off when a project is completed.
 
thestelster said:
In my opinion, it would be better to be a little bored with your job, with opportunity for advancement; making decent money; and doing what you're passionate about on the side, evenings, and or weekends.
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100% agree. I'd like to smack the chit of whoever started that whole "find a job you like and you'll never work a day in your life" crap.
Occasionally, if you are very lucky, you will have a job that you love, or, more often, like. It may be interesting work or not, but you may enjoy the salary and benefits or really like your coworkers.
Usually you find a job that you tolerate with coworkers you tolerate at a wage that you tolerate in a location you tolerate.
That's ok. Find other interests and activities and people to pursue your passions and interests.
Your life shouldn't revolve around your satisfaction at your job. By all means, if it makes you miserable, get out.
But don't get stuck trying to find the thing you love printed on the top of the paystub.
(says the retired guy who was self employed for 40 years and still thought the boss was a dick most days):)
 
I primed tobacco as a teenager, scholarship to study Chemical Engineering but only played ping pong, drank coffee and started martial arts until the money and my interest faded.. slung beer and broke up bar fights for a few years. Took a manpower course for machining did an apprenticeship at a good tool and die company. Quit when guys off the street with some education on Numerical Control Machining we’re paid nearly double with no value other than the Numerical Control classroom training, after my years of apprenticeship.
Worked the order desk of a major cutting tool distributor ship , eventually into sales. Went on to do sales management and a nd president of a Do-All division.Later became a technical rep for Dormer/Seco Tools, was glad to get out of there because of management. Went to ATI Metalworking Products and finished my career into retirement 10 years ago.
Those were great years with the latter company, I miss that job and the people, all the travel, the expense accounts and free gas and car.
I am too lazy now to get a job and just want to do what I want, when I want. I did a lot of consulting as a side gig when I retired, still get the occasional call regarding former projects and some trouble shooting.
I was not a good salesman, I could only seem to sell to my friends, good thing I made a lot of friends who bought cutting tools.
 
thestelster said:
Making your hobby or passion into your business can cause you to hate that hobby and cause all sorts of problems on the home-front, ie money matters. In my opinion, it would be better to be a little bored with your job, with opportunity for advancement; making decent money; and doing what you're passionate about on the side, evenings, and or weekends.
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I'm aware of the downfalls of pivoting a hobby into a career, but I wasnt thinking of monetizing my hobby, rather questioning going back to school to become employed with someone else as a machinist or a welder or maybe something else entirely.

Doggggboy said:
Find other interests and activities and people to pursue your passions and interests. Your life shouldn't revolve around your satisfaction at your job.
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I completely agree, but with how little time is left in the day after working, house work, etc., it is challenging to do those things. We can't afford long term to have a single income earner in my household, so we both work. A fulfilling/satisfying job would lessen the burden of having limited time to pursue other interests.
 
@Xyphota : I worked as a Marine Engineer for 33 years with the Canadian Coast Guard. Sailed all over Canada from Northern BC, all the Great Lakes, all over the East Coast and up into the Arctic. Lots of hands on and I did lots of machining, welding, heavy machinery repairs, large Diesel and small engine overhauls. Time was 28 on and 28 off. A Marine Electrician will be in high demand.

I retired last year at 53 years old and since the house was paid off I take home more than when I was working. The work can be as exciting as you want to make it- same with any work but sometimes it gets crazy on the water! I have hauled deceased folks out of wreckage, made some cool things to fix expensive stuff and spent some time throwing up when it got crazy.

I liked the work, it does take you away from the family though, so mixed feelings on that- but retired is cool now !!
 
Brent H said:
@Xyphota : I worked as a Marine Engineer for 33 years with the Canadian Coast Guard. Sailed all over Canada from Northern BC, all the Great Lakes, all over the East Coast and up into the Arctic. Lots of hands on and I did lots of machining, welding, heavy machinery repairs, large Diesel and small engine overhauls. Time was 28 on and 28 off. A Marine Electrician will be in high demand.

I retired last year at 53 years old and since the house was paid off I take home more than when I was working. The work can be as exciting as you want to make it- same with any work but sometimes it gets crazy on the water! I have hauled deceased folks out of wreckage, made some cool things to fix expensive stuff and spent some time throwing up when it got crazy.

I liked the work, it does take you away from the family though, so mixed feelings on that- but retired is cool now !!
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Oooooohhhh!,, a Cinci #2, I’m dropping of some endmills for regrind when I drive by on my way to the cottage. Would you care for a Clarkson #4, I have no use for it?
 
I apprenticed as a General Machinist.
Went to college to be a Mechanical Designer.
Was promoted to a project manager.
Completed a Business Diploma and became an Operations Mgr.
Went back into process design and became a sales manager.
Refocused to a Technical Manager for a pump company.
At 60, I decided to slow down a little and now work part-time for an automotive coating and industrial supply company.
As long as you are learning something, the positions have been gratifying.
 
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