New Grad Engineer - Salary Expectations

[Disoblige]

Originally posted by pheoxs
What are your thoughts on this:

EE 1 yr at this company (first job out of university)

Working as a process control engineer for a chemical plant in which I have been designing all the control logic for, setting up the control system, programming it, commissioning it, and producing the as builts. And i have to train operators on the system and teach them how the plant runs and I have to operate the plant since they won't hire more than 2 operators. Oh and I'm doing the instrumentation for the plant. (I'm the only process control engineer here ... I have no mentor either which is fucked up)

I get 63k/yr salary and 'up to' 8% bonus if I meet all my personal performance target, none of which are achievable because they are set unrealistically (had to have the entire plant commissioned and running before it was even finished being built...) Salaried / no OT / I get 'banked time off' but they won't even give me a day off ever it seems...

Working at a small company, you obviously are very busy from what you have stated (which is great), but I'm surprised you have no mentor. Pay is below-average in my opinion based on all the tasks you stated you have to do.

If it's giving you great experience, then keep at it a bit more. If you feel that company is giving you decent opportunities for higher positions in the short term future, another reason to maybe stay too. Otherwise I probably would be working there for a year or so for the experience and look for employment elsewhere.

Even in the consulting side, you will see ~75 starting for process or instrumentation/control in the market -today- and you wouldn't even have the same workload that you have now (which is a good or bad thing).

[pheoxs]

Originally posted by Disoblige

Working at a small company, you obviously are very busy from what you have stated (which is great), but I'm surprised you have no mentor. Pay is below-average in my opinion based on all the tasks you stated you have to do.

If it's giving you great experience, then keep at it a bit more. If you feel that company is giving you decent opportunities for higher positions in the short term future, another reason to maybe stay too. Otherwise I probably would be working there for a year or so for the experience and look for employment elsewhere.

Even in the consulting side, you will see ~75 starting for process or instrumentation/control in the market -today- and you wouldn't even have the same workload that you have now (which is a good or bad thing).

Good experience, kind of the only reason I'm still here is the experience / learning. As for the mentor, I had one in Quebec that was working on a different plant and acting as a mentor / someone to ask questions, then they got rid of her and don't seem to care about replacing her... As for other opportunities, possibly. Same responsibilities on a new plant / larger plant / my boss seems to think im overpaid so I'll likely have more dumped on me without any salary change (Company is from Quebec and doesn't seem to understand things aren't the same here as they are in Quebec...)

Oh .. and as of yesterday they just laid off 20% of the companies staff ... O.o In the near future I'll be looking to likely change companies and try to find somewhere I can continue working with automation systems as it does interest me / but what I have now is no longer a learning environment

[Disoblige]

Start looking now in my opinion, especially if your boss thinks you're overpaid. That's a pretty shitty feeling already.

Also, you can use the job you have now to bargain with offers from other companies. Lot of companies hiring these days for EE (not sure about Edmonton particularly), and they for the most part have no problem giving you an offer you cannot refuse if you have some experience to back it up (which you do). It feels nice negotiating a salary with a safety net.

[Feruk]

Originally posted by pheoxs
EE 1 yr at this company (first job out of university)

Working as a process control engineer for a chemical plant in which I have been designing all the control logic for, setting up the control system, programming it, commissioning it, and producing the as builts. And i have to train operators on the system and teach them how the plant runs and I have to operate the plant since they won't hire more than 2 operators. Oh and I'm doing the instrumentation for the plant. (I'm the only process control engineer here ... I have no mentor either which is fucked up)

Um, whose stamping your drawings?

Originally posted by Disoblige
Working as an engineer, I've seen it time and time again. Lots of new grads coming out with very respectable offers but act like they are entitled to more. It's quite sad.

Agreed, but you gotta understand we live in Alberta. If the money was bad, who would possibly wanna live here (of all the places in the world)? While this is especially true for up north, I think it applies for Calgary as well. If people could get an oil patch job in say Kelowna, they would've said "fuck you Alberta" a long time ago. People stay because that oil money is just too good.

[Nufy]

Originally posted by Feruk

Um, whose stamping your drawings?

I would assume he has an approved shut down key and control narrative form the Client. Or some version of said docs...

Anything that goes IFC has to have a stamp...

I've had that much responsibility on some compressors I've done over the years.

I'm only a technologist.

Although as a first year EE it seems you're being hung out to dry IMO...

[kaput]

.

[googe]

People overvalue themselves

[pheoxs]

@ Everyone providing responses, thanks for the info.

There's a chemical engineer in Quebec where our company is based out of that stamps things for final approval. I've discussed this before (APEGGA Eligibility and not getting burned) and they keep assuring me its fine because he would count as my supervisor

Doesn't the supervisor have to be competent in that field though? Like a MecE can't vouch for a ChemE's work? It was all morally grey when they explained parts of Apegga in school.

Also ... can he be considered a supervisor when I've met him once in 12 months for ~5 days and email/speak on the phone on average once every month for <1 hour ...

[04Terminator]

Originally posted by Hallowed_point


That has got to be (one of) the most ignorant statements I've read on this forum Some of the engineers I've had the 'pleasure' of working with are not people you would want to be stuck on an island with &amp; expect survival

how so? in terms of education and intellect, dedication, cost, my statement is 100% accurate in every way.

your deserted island comparison has no relevance.

[v2kai]

Originally posted by 04Terminator
how so? in terms of education and.intellect, dedicationy, cost, my statement is 100% accurate in every way.

yuor deserted island comparison has no relevance.

[msommers]

I figured Eng's and geoscience got paid pretty closely. For a guy coming out of Uni with zero experience working downtown Calgary, 60-70K is pretty darn fair. Everybody basically starts the same no matter which company you're at. The caveat being if you're at a very small company where your salary is subject to large share holdings which could be great, or shit. But typically those type of positions are for those with a lot of experience and don't require training.

Take the position and learn as much as you can. Don't fret about your salary, fret about how well they're going to train you, provide you with courses, move around divisions/projects areas etc. The greatest career advice my mentor ever gave me was that if I'm going to work downtown, don't give a shit about your salary for your first few years, worry about your training and how the company treats you.

Bottom line: forget the numbers, enjoy the experience. It's still quite competitive out there, don't fuck it up.

[me_dennis]

Doesnt your supervisor/mentor have to be a P.Eng in Alberta? Don't quote me on it, but I would think that your supervisor has to be practising in the province that you are working in.

Originally posted by pheoxs
@ Everyone providing responses, thanks for the info.

There's a chemical engineer in Quebec where our company is based out of that stamps things for final approval. I've discussed this before (APEGGA Eligibility and not getting burned) and they keep assuring me its fine because he would count as my supervisor

Doesn't the supervisor have to be competent in that field though? Like a MecE can't vouch for a ChemE's work? It was all morally grey when they explained parts of Apegga in school.

Also ... can he be considered a supervisor when I've met him once in 12 months for ~5 days and email/speak on the phone on average once every month for &lt;1 hour ...

[cloud7]

Every time I look at threads like this one makes me depressed. It makes me think that the last 11 years working at an engineering consulting company a complete waste of my time. I should have gone to O&G instead of being a non-O&G related civil engineer... maybe it is not too late? What is the prospect for someone like myself jumping ship?

[Disoblige]

Originally posted by cloud7
Every time I look at threads like this one makes me depressed. It makes me think that the last 11 years working at an engineering consulting company a complete waste of my time. I should have gone to O&amp;G instead of being a non-O&amp;G related civil engineer... maybe it is not too late? What is the prospect for someone like myself jumping ship?

You have the experience. Start looking for new opportunities and you just might be pleasantly surprised with a nice offer on the phone one day. Never too late.

[kberjian]

Originally posted by 04Terminator
how so? in terms of education and intellect, dedication, cost, my statement is 100% accurate in every way.

your deserted island comparison has no relevance.

You sir are retarded. I am a mechanical engineer who has worked in the oil sands construction industry for almost 10 years and i have seen some amazing tradesmen that can weld,shape steel, trouble shoot electrical systems 100x better than you or i ever could. Dont over value your mental abilities over physical abilities because without them, your pretty drawings will never become reality. I would argue that more people could become engineers if you gave them equal opportunities growing up. We have a saying that you just proved "the two things they teach engineers is math and arrogance".

[Disoblige]

04Terminator isn't an engineer though.

04Terminator
Occupation: Tile Setter

[pheoxs]

Originally posted by me_dennis
Doesnt your supervisor/mentor have to be a P.Eng in Alberta? Don't quote me on it, but I would think that your supervisor has to be practising in the province that you are working in.

Dunno, He has an APEGGA stamp though despite being in Quebec / only coming here for a week. I never really understood how that worked.

Either way I got an interesting email today from one of our contractors which might mean a change of workplace environment in the near future. Just gotta decide if I want to leave Edmonton (and Alberta for that matter)

[403 MKIV]

this thread is part of the reason I choose not to wear my engineering ring except for important meetings or interviews...perfect example of asshole engineers thinking they run the world when they're actually conceded idiots. The most important people I work with are my field staff (half of which are only HS educated). In O&G experience is king, not what fucking degree hangs on your wall. That being said...if you're and engineer you have way more oppertunity to climb the ladder and make tons of cash if you're half motivated.

to answer the original poster...you should expect 70-75k IMO and bonus depends on the shop you're at (producer vs. EPC...or how good of a producer...lots of sinking ships these days). As someone mentioned...you don't make your early retirement $$ in your first ten years, you get the experience to position yourself for that when you're 35...your base salary will be enough to go to 17th ave on the weekend and throw cash around.

btw I'm a 5 yr chem eng working for a producer...I make enough to keep me happy that is for sure...but I'm there for the exceptional experience I'm getting, not to try and buy a lambo when I'm 28.

[Disoblige]

Originally posted by 403 MKIV
this thread is part of the reason I choose not to wear my engineering ring except for important meetings or interviews...perfect example of asshole engineers thinking they run the world when they're actually conceded idiots.

Not that I don't agree with you on some parts, but where in this thread was any engineer being an asshole?

It's weird because both you and kberjian are both engineers but both did not read the thread and are the ones who look pretty foolish.

[kberjian]

I think that the comments by 04Terminator and Type_S1 are very ignorant by saying/implying that anyone can do a trades job and that educated people deserve more money.

Why don't teachers and engineers get the same money?

ERTW