I'm in my first year of EE at University and it's become abundantly clear that I won't be able to pass the higher level classes without some intense, highly-paid tutoring and/or graphing calculator haxing. I know they say engineers make a lot of money right out of school, but it seems like it's going to take me five or even six years just to get through the program. Also, I was looking in the classified ads and there was an ad for an engineer with starting pay ~40k. I know that's on the low end, but that's where I fear I'll end up as I'm not the brightest bulb in the metaphorical shed of math-loving virgins.

So I want to know, is there a demand for electricians these days? How long would I have to be an apprentice (read: bitch) until I could get my license? And last but not least, are y'all rich?

If I were you I wouldn't settle on becoming an idiot electrician. God knows we're not the brightest bulbs and just kinda fell into this "job". Ok that's a bit of sarcasm.However. If you have no interest in getting your hands dirty, and listening to some idiot who's been there and done that. I would keep my nose in my books. Also in the three states which I hold licenses its a four year school and work apprenticeship, then you have to take an exam to get your journeyman's license. As far as being rich I personally make a good living comparitively to people in my age group(27). Also count on starting at the bottom of the ladder (getting coffee, picking up stock etc.)If you are interested just pay attention and you learn alot more on the job that you never read in a book. Thats my 2 cents good luck.....

Bolt:

What do you like to do? What are you good at? If you suddenly got $10,000,000 what would you do with the rest of your life?

Work is where you are going to spend more time awake, than anywhere else in your life (for the forseeable future), hopefully it is somewhere you want to be, and doing something you like doing.

Figure out what you enjoy doing and then determine how to get there.

If you don't really know, consider the military. Not everybody who enlists goes to a battlefield. I spent 6 years in the Navy where I learned how to operate nuclear power plants. I learned alot in multiple technical fields, met some very good people, and some real a**holes. The military can be a good and bad thing. If you have the maturity, you can learn alot, earn some money, see some of the world, and get out with a better understanding of what you do and do not want to do with your life. The military is not for everybody but it usually only three to six years.

Another alternative to full time at the University is night classes at the local community college. The advantages are multiple. It is cheaper, some of the Instructors are real world working adults that can give you in sight to the working world, and usually some of your classmates are also working adults.

The best advice I can give you is to keep your ears open and listen to the other people out there. Most people are willing to help you.

Good Luck.

Larry C

You must love the trade to make it. Money should not be the main reason, yes we make a good wage that we EARN. My father in-law was an electrican in the mines of Montana and the stories and friends he made got me interested. I love talking "Shop", hanging out with other electricians and love being an electrician. My nephew is now in apprenticeship. One of the instructors in apprenticeship school once told us that he would be proud to stand up next to a Doctor and say he was an Electrician. Proud since 1993

You need to go to school for 4 years??

If it were easy, little girls would be electricians!

I would look at the military if that is a choice. I never been in it, but looking back now I kinda wish I did take a 2nd look at it. They best guys I worked with are X Marines. They don't complain just do the job. Well most are like that. as far as an EE. I once looked into it. I feel your pain. I work E&I. I see the crap engineers do and I can't see myself dong it. It seems now of days employers want you to have a EE or EET. Good luck. I wouldn't be a plain ol Electrician...

You are operating under a mis-conception. You are thinking that an "electrical engineer" is, in some way, superior to a 'simple' electrician.As if he were the officer, and you the sergeant. Nothing could be further from the truth.

An instructor once told me that an electrician was more important than a doctor, a doctor can treat you IF he can see to do it. Point being an electrician is just as important as any other job out there. Like everyone else has told you, it is better if you like your job, do not go into it just for the money. I love the trade, cant remember wanting to do anything else.

If it wasn't for electricians, electrical engineers would be out of a job

What about taking both courses of action? Try the trade, and at the same time attend engineers school?

Bolt3 ;

My suggestion is to print out what renosteinke and electure have posted, and keep that hard copy with you for the duration of your career!!!

My career involved "Both Sides" - "In-Field" (Electrician), and "In-Office" (Eee-lecktricle Injunear*§ / Project Manager / Estimator / Consultant), for a good 15 years (20 if you look at the time period where "I thought I knew a lot of stuff" - and probably did, just not what I feel is ample enough now).

Grew up in a "Construction & Engineering Based" environment, and continued the legacy.

Now I am 100% in the Office (no field work), as a "Triple Threat" - meaning Eee-Lecktrickle Injunear*§, CAD Drafter/Software Tweeker + Project Manager/Estimator - as the tasks require (mostly all 3 at the same time).

My annual wages will _NET_ me around 93K per year.
My total trade experience (Injunear-ring**§, PM and In-Field) is pushing 25 years now - and I am turning 43 next month.

As far as EEs raking in gillions of dollars, that may be true for _SOME_, but not all.
Interns (EITs) and Technicians (entry level to mid levels) might earn anything from Minimum Wage, up to 150% of Minimum Wage.

Don't let the earnings amount detour you from establishing your career path!!

We all have gone through intense levels of "Grunt Status", and were paid wages which would qualify us as "Non-Profit Organizations"

It's during those times when you learn the vast parameters of the trade / discipline, and if you are open minded + willing to listen to some of us "Seasoned Geeks" ramble on endlessly, you will be getting valuable information for free!!!

I would also suggest taking both courses of action (electrician + EE). It will make you an efficient + aware EE, and offer more options than focusing solely on EE.

Besides, once you finish the 4 years of College - thus being known as "BSEE", you're internship (for power engineering) will consist of extremely tedious grunt work at an EE firm.
During this time, you would never know (or totally learn) what takes place in the field, per the plan sets you will be plotting out (or the databases and spreadsheets you will be entering data into, or the notes text & blocks you might be attaching to drawings - per the direction of the designers...)

Lastly, keep these concepts in mind:

"Each time I learn something new, it shows me just how little I know"

and:

"The more I learn, the less I know"

Never quit studying and learning the topics involved with your career - be it:
* Theories (here's a never ending quest, which becomes more complex as you advance further),
* Design concepts,
* Field work,
* Codes,
* Management,
* Tools (including Computers + software),
and
* Dealing with People.

There will come a day in your career, when you look back at what you knew + could do the previous year - vs - what you know + can do presently; and you realize that your knowledge base will constantly evolve!
You will see that you really didn't know a lot before, and had even less capabilities.
Then you contemplate the following year's progression, and realize you don't know anything right now!!!

Once you hit that point, you may proudly call yourself an:
"Eee-Lecktricle Injunear*§"

Good luck with your quests!

Scott

* p.s.:

"Eee-Lecktricle Injunear*§" = "Electrical Engineer".
It's just my funny way of referring to it.

"Injunear-ring**§" = Engineering

--

But the fact is, I suck at math. I just copied the paper of the kid next to me all through high school.....

Well, gee, that tactic sure paid off!

Better get good at math. NOW. At least algebra. A little trig wouldn't hurt, either.

I am forever upset at the teachers who snidely told us - especially the 'non-college bound crowd' that we would never need that stuff after the test. Balderdash!

There is not a single skilled trade that does not need math, on a daily basis. Some trades (machinists, pipefitters, etc.) may use it more then others ... but you need math, or you'll be limited to pushing a broom.

I agree with John, and I'm not even a year into 9th grade at my technical high school!

My advice, remember this: Not everyone can be an engineer, but on the opposite end, not everyone can be an licensed tradesperson. Pick which one you want to do and can do.

Ian A.

What ever you do having a positive attitude and good work ethics will be better than any degree you get.

An Engineering degree will let you be a CEO of a company "Lee Iaccoca" is a good example. As far as being just a tech I know a few that make 6 figures with ease. My buddy is a VP with a EET. The guy goes to china,and just proposed to his girl in Italy (sorry about the sad ending).

Take 4 years out of your life buckle down and just get that degree with a positive GPA

Hi, I'm in a somewhat similar position, although a bit earlier in the precess than you, I'm just now applying to colleges... and completely unsure what to do in life. I love The Trade, I've been doing it since I was a little kid, and I think I'm pretty darn good at it, for someone my age, it's something I'm real passionate about. On the other hand I have the SAT scores to get into almost any college in the nation, and real solid grades (3.2) along with college-level classes, right now I'm taking college-level Calculus, and attending a CC for the rest of my classes, my parents are also willing to pay for my tuition for four years, also factoring into this is that at 17 I'm living with chronic back and joint pain from injuries sustained during athletics. so I'm empathic on your confusion right now.

some advice: maybe being an EE isn't for you, look at other less math-intensive majors, maybe other engineering fields, focus on your strengths, some colleges offer programs that are designed to aid you in becoming a contractor, maybe you could persue those? As for math troubles... higher-level algebra and above is not easy, you have to invest a lot of time getting the basic concepts down, try and find a friend or fellow student who can help explain the material to you, once you've spent the hours staring at the face of the textbook, trying to comprehend, ripping your hair out in clumps,, and finally, finally developing a tiny sense of what you're supposed to be doing, it just comes down to doing the work. You may want to seek out night classes at alocal CC/JC during the summer to help reinforce the math you've already taken. Do not resort to cheating/fancy TI programming, this will leave you totally unprepared to perform in your workplace after college.

essentially it comes down to:
a)what do you want (is being an EE right for you)
b) how much do you want it (will you put in the work)
c) are you willing to suffer through it?

please don't become an electrician for the money, remember, you'll be working for ten an hour at first, lifting ****, and you often don't get benefits outside of workman's comp (at least in my area)


Chears!
and best of luck, whatever you choose
-Will