Advice on new Career $30+/hr

[HiTempguy1]

Originally posted by RickDaTuner


I am definitely more technically minded, but would not mind an outdoor related job so long as it has some technical merit behind it, drilling holes, and running wire would definitely not be my ideal work environment

As for Electrical Engineering Tech, that does sound promising. But if I recall, was there not a way to start your Mechanical engineering at SAIT and finish it in the USA in order to get an accredited Mech Engineering diploma? or will you have to do 4 years of university to achieve this?

If you want to go to university, go to university. University is an experience... it has its merits, and obviously your ability to move up the totem pole is increased with a degree behind you. But it will cost you. The returns diminish greatly the older you are.

Electrical Engineering Technologist will more than likely get you a more office-orientated position. But that is a generalization.

I would not try to transfer from Technologist diploma to Eng degree. You will get boned, it usually only shaves a year off when all is said and done.

[msommers]

High voltage line worker!

As oddball as this is to throw out there, have you considered anything in the medical field?

[RickDaTuner]

Originally posted by msommers
High voltage line worker!

As oddball as this is to throw out there, have you considered anything in the medical field?

I'm open to anything, but its the transition from my current $40/hr job to start all over again in the $20/hr range is what's going to kill me the most.

I'm willing to do 2 years of school to jump into $80k/yr or take a trade that will get me there as well.

Is there any type of medical job that can meet my goals?

[ercchry]

millwright? 1st year would be low $20s... but im sure you could challenge a couple, plus if you get in with a busy shop the OT should bump you up to that range pretty easy

[leftwing]

Originally posted by msommers
High voltage line worker!

Surprised someone mentioned this! As I was reading the thread this was going to be my suggestion.

If you wanted to get your EET diploma at SAIT you could become a Power Systems Electrician. Where I work Jman make 51+/hr and 1st year apprentices make 30+/hr. With virtually unlimited OT guys easily are taking home 100k+ and you get to sleep in your own bed every night (if you work for Enmax). That career could be a nice option for you.

Also pursuing a Lineman apprenticeship would yield similar results (they have the same pay scale as Power System Electrician where I work). Different type of work, but same type of idea.

Not to mention both these trades are seemingly in constant demand. At Enmax they are always hiring journeyman and often import guys from other provinces.

[Darell_n]

Maybe look into commercial / industrial refrigeration? Our 2nd year apprentices make $60k+ a year and even journeyman that are lazy f*cks make 6 figures pretty easily. I would describe the work as a combination of instrumentation (mechanical and programming), electrical / electronics, pipe fitting, and mechanics and I guarantee you it is immune to whatever the oil and gas industry is doing.

[zieg]

Heh, you want my job by the sounds of it. I'm an MET in the manufacturing industry and I get a good balance of office/field work. Lots of variety, which is critical to my sanity. My company just laid a bunch of people off, but there are plenty of other manufacturing companies out there, and from what I've seen a lot of them do offer what you're looking for. Might need to get the MET before you see 30/hr but you'd start damn close regardless, and even our junior techs see 44+/hr.

[DeleriousZ]

Originally posted by ZiG-87
Heh, you want my job by the sounds of it. I'm an MET in the manufacturing industry and I get a good balance of office/field work. Lots of variety, which is critical to my sanity. My company just laid a bunch of people off, but there are plenty of other manufacturing companies out there, and from what I've seen a lot of them do offer what you're looking for. Might need to get the MET before you see 30/hr but you'd start damn close regardless, and even our junior techs see 44+/hr.

Well shit I missed the boat on that career. I took MET and got pigeon holed into drafting.

[TomcoPDR]

Hvac ducting tech? Not actual gas fitter but the guys that install the tin work for big building vents. Hear there's money in that

[rx7_turbo2]

Originally posted by leftwing


Surprised someone mentioned this! As I was reading the thread this was going to be my suggestion.

If you wanted to get your EET diploma at SAIT you could become a Power Systems Electrician.

I was talking with someone at Enmax during a SAIT career fair, if you're an EET who wants to get their PSE ticket they'll pay your tuition, salary and living expenses when you're at school. Pretty good gig, but the PSE program isn't offered at SAIT, in this province I think it's NAIT only.

[Matty_10]

+1 for EET/PSE/Lineman, there's definitely no ceiling with those a large portion of our directors/managers are line men and techs. EET will give you a better option at getting a office/field job, tho lineman can more easily schmooze there way into niche jobs such as flying quad copters and such and its virtually impossible to lose your job to an extent. Our techs start from $41-45 an hour and tons of overtime if your a field guy.

[Rat Fink]

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[Rat Fink]

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[Darell_n]

On a side note, I graduated with a BSc in EET back in '97 and chose to keep mechanical duties in my day with supermarket refrigeration. It's a win/win for me.

[G-ZUS]

Biomedical Engineering Technologist?

[8baller8]

Get an Eng technology degree. thats a ticket to an entry level job once you graduate that pays ~60K. You can get an actual engineering degree later on if you so choose as well, and than become a P.Eng. Going this route isn't particularly challenging but also offers you the chance to make some decent money and improve your long term prospects as well.

[leftwing]

Originally posted by rx7_turbo2


I was talking with someone at Enmax during a SAIT career fair, if you're an EET who wants to get their PSE ticket they'll pay your tuition, salary and living expenses when you're at school. Pretty good gig, but the PSE program isn't offered at SAIT, in this province I think it's NAIT only.

Yepp, they pay everything. Lots of guys 'make money', if you will, by going to school because Enmax pays for everything so generously.

Awesome gig if you ask me. I think the fact that school is in Edmonton is pretty sweet. Living with a few buddies from work for a couple months in a new city with everything paid for? Sounds fun to me! Unless you got a wife and kids, which may be more tough to handle.

[88jbody]

My friend just did the switch from licenced auto tech into power engineer

He did a 6 month course and then work term to get his 4th class cert, went straight back into school did his schooling for his 3rd class, then got a paid work term @ 30/hr to finish his hours

he failed his 3rd class test at the end of the work term,but stayed on at the same palce with a small raise (2 or 3/hr) re wrote a few months later, and now went on to a position on a rotation fly in job. in the 150k+ 2 bonus a year range. took about 16months of school and unpaid. but worth it over all.

I was going to do it myself but my wifes income alone wouldn't suport our family for 16 months. But I am making near 100k as a flat rate auto tech so Im just going to stick it out unless I somehow can save up 80K to cover expensces wile in school for power engineer

[Darkane]

Originally posted by 88jbody
My friend just did the switch from licenced auto tech into power engineer

He did a 6 month course and then work term to get his 4th class cert, went straight back into school did his schooling for his 3rd class, then got a paid work term @ 30/hr to finish his hours

he failed his 3rd class test at the end of the work term,but stayed on at the same palce with a small raise (2 or 3/hr) re wrote a few months later, and now went on to a position on a rotation fly in job. in the 150k+ 2 bonus a year range. took about 16months of school and unpaid. but worth it over all.

I was going to do it myself but my wifes income alone wouldn't suport our family for 16 months. But I am making near 100k as a flat rate auto tech so Im just going to stick it out unless I somehow can save up 80K to cover expensces wile in school for power engineer

The market is quite dry right now for fresh grads. Wait until the next oil boom and land those high paying FIFO positions

[NoPulp]

Originally posted by Rat Fink


I have a diploma in aeronautical engineering technology from SAIT. It was basically the MET program plus additional aeronautical subjects. The course no longer exists. My advice to you is to avoid the MET pathway. Most of the time you end up as a draftsman (what happened to most of us, and at less pay than working with Ford). Some of my classmates switched to petroleum part way through and did OK, with the best paths tending to be the guys who pushed their way into project management but that was a very small percentage of the group. Through that whole time, your technologist diploma will be seen as toilet paper in comparison to a real degree (rightfully so, as the workload through a diploma vs. a degree route is night and day different).

I do NOT agree with this one bit.

The MET program has been revised 2 years ago, so unless you graduated last year I would not be offering this advice.




OP, my background is I started at UBC do get my degree in engineering. I completed my first year, did fine, but wasn't totally in love with it. University programs are interesting but have a TON of theory, its interesting but really hard to grasp a real life application of it. I wanted to be more hands on so I would be doing what I believe is my definition of engineering. Not all, but I see lot of degree engineers going to desk jobs and do more project management. I am going to graduate from the MET (mechancial engineering technologist) program in April and I would highly recommend it. The course does not set you up to be a drafts person, thats a different program. I believe NAIT sets up their METs more for drafting though. I haven't taken any drafting classes, a couple CAD programs though.

The MET program revised 2 years ago, it now combines 3 programs; Design & Analysis (Traditional MET), Design & Development and Design & Automation. The design and analysis is about the analysis, the major specific courses are; Thermodynamics, HVAC, Fluid dynamics, vibrations. The design and development has more design aspects behind it. Design and automation has more automation aspects behind it.

I am taking the Analysis major, it is by far the hardest of the 2 majors but I feel I am being way better prepared for industry than the other 3.

UofC just opened a transfer program for METs i believe its called Power Engineering (not to be confused with the other power engineering). It is a mixture of chemical and mechanical. You will receive you degree with an additional 2 years, I believe you do a catch up summer classes before jumping into the program.

I would personally not recommend that you go from a tech program to degree. It'll be a bit of a struggle. However going from a tech to a degree should really be how engineering should be setup. Lots of the degree engineers dont have a freaking clue how the world works.

Everyone thinks as a Tech you are a degree shit on. This depends on the job, a lot of places do NOT treat their tech like that. In the summer I worked for a sand casting company. The lead of the engineering department was actually a MET. I was treated exactly the same as the degree engineers while i was a student. I had 5 R&D projects of my own, loved it! Lots of places will treat you exactly like an engineer without a stamp; you do the real work and someone with a stamp double checks it. As a tech you can work yourself up being able to stamp you own work as long as its your place of expertise; Ptech and it requires 7years of work in a specialty.

I am graduating the MET program at the end of April. Shitty timing hey? There are still lots of jobs, but you have to work for them right now. Before the economy took a dump there were TONS of jobs! I actually just accepted a job in Lethbridge working for a small water management company. I'll be working as a mechanical engineer on their projects and equipment. Very excited and the pay is pretty damn decent for a grad at a shitty time and in a small city. The best thing is I can work towards my CET and then towards my P Tech.


I know that's a lot to read through.... I hope that helped? If you have anymore question I'd be happy to help.

A good place to do some research is ASET

http://www.aset.ab.ca/pages/home/default.aspx


You'll find the expect salary of a MET CET (2 years of experience) is $63,972 – $204,713