T-Shirt Ninja

Well I got into mech eng for uni, tuff as hell so it better pay off, tho I like mechanical things so once I get into 3rd or 4th year itll be better.

My cousin graduated from electrical engineering from ryerson and got a starting salary of 60k, now he's up to 80, and hes only been working for 2 years. Bought himself a tsx this year, I got his old civic lol.

Work is out there, just harder to find now.

If uni doesnt work out, Ill go into apprenticeship for a mechanic or something. Gotta love those cars.

DJTre

I think a post-secondary education gives you a leading edge over someone with equal knowledge/skills, but I think getting a "good" job / job that you like all depends on the person.
You could have taken Managerial Accounting (CMA) in at a good University and gotten in the high 90's, but if you don't have the people skills, you won't be too successful at what you do and therefore won't be employed for long.
On the other hand, if you don't have a good education and you sneak your way into a decent job, if you have the personality, people skills, ambition, ect...you can make it to the top in no time.

Just my $0.02

1SicCiv

It really isnt a matter of what you learn when you go to Uni/College...you are training your brain to learn quicker when u go to Uni/College which gives you an edge in the real world...

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

I really enjoyed my time in school and I like what I learned.... I just can't find an application I like in the labour market for the knowledge I have. I busted my *** through most of school right through highschool, and I took it a little easier in university but still kept a mid 80s average. At the end of it all, I get a job that I don't much care for and it pays ****.

cibs

did you know that if you take an x-ray of a students brain who's finished uni etc and compare it to a persons brain you can actually see the difference... its' true you're developing your brain on ways to think, ways to do etc.... it's not just about what you're learning, you're learning how to learn etc... IMO i want to know as much as i can... what you don't know can hurt you... i guess it just depends on what you define as a good job. Maybe you're happy working for someone else and doing a mindless task where they tell you what to do every day because it takes the stress off you, you jsut do what you're told and then go home at the end of the day totally forgetting about work and such... maybe you define a good job by the amount of money you make... the reality is the world needs people that haven't gone to university... can you imagine if everyone was a uni graduate? the world would be a mess.... some ppl have college, others just work and learn as they go... but as far as i'm concerned uni is the way to go... it goes on an individual basis i think...

imported_My Blue Si

Im in the same shoes as subz, don't know 100% if I want to do what im doing, the pay is quite low but of course you have to work your way up and some days I wish I wasn't in this program and some days im thankful that I am. Im still contemplating on if I want to take the extended year in college or finish up this coming april and "try" to get a job asap and also take some specialized certificate courses while I work but im worried about the choice I make that can waste me a year for nothing while I could have been working and experience real life material. So I think about this sort of stuff everyday and im just stuck.

IMO I would never go to university b/c im not the type that can read and write boring essays everyday plus I learn a lot better and quicker doing stuff hands on and im sure everyone knows that by now, it's in us all the time, say cars for example. I can't read a theoretical report on how to do an engine swap, it's simply impossible, I witnessed and helped out in around 2 and I could do them no problem now along with many other tasks that got to do with cars that i learned, non reading. I can't learn well just reading reading reading, impossible for me.

Anyhow, im in the same boat and their were great posts up here from people that have experienced the above and it's quite interesting material. I also got some good informative info from gatherer the other day that helped me out, not only for myself but for a presentation I had to do in front of my class

Hope everything works out

imported_gatherer

I agree with most of that ... except University is there to let you learn about something you want too...for the furtherment of your own mind... not for a career... while college is there to let you learn how to do something .... very important difference.

imported_94EG6HB

Some very interesting points indeed.

imported_gatherer

hey Aaron where did you go to get your computer skillz????

imported_Joker

what about if your in school for something that is completely opposite of what you love/want to do? Is it worth pursuing and working at?

imported_gatherer

maybe ... if you can tolerate it.

see if you do something that you can tolerate for work and keep what you love as a simple hobby I think you'll be happier...

it was said on a tv show (I think monster garage not sure) that if you do what you love for work you'll only end up loving to hate it .... not sure if it's true or not ... but I tolerate my job and do electronics projects for a hobby staying happy....

imported_94EG6HB

I have worked for IBM in some way shape or fashion from the time I was 15 until I was 26.

My first job was in the publications department putting manuals online for 5250 emulation.

Then I moved to IBM Global Services doing internal scratch builds.

I was then employed by the IBM Global Services Deployment team.

Basically they fly you everywhere and you fix customers hardware problem's.

These customers included Bank of America, Chrysler, Mercedes, International Oylimpic Association, etc

Sorta a CSR with a plane ticket.

I then quit took two year sabbatical found some work in Asia doing some deployment for Ayala brother's.

I was based primarily out of the Phillipines but went bloody everywhere..

Upon returning I applied for a support job at the IBM Lab.

My job was to be responsible for the support and service of 3 server farms and 2 software development functions. (Over 5000 machines/every OS and config imaginable)

I beat out several applicants because of my applied knowledge.

After a several months I was promoted to Group Director.

I was responsible for 30 staff members and all of their time allocation in relation to the support of lab hardware here and abroad.

I also liased with lab functions, beat the hardware requirements outta them and the made it fit with the quarterly hardware budget.

After a while I found myself getting away from the hardware so I quit.

I took a while to get on my feet, started my own business and jumped right into a Y2K remediation solution for Thyssen Krupp North America.



My education consists of a college diploma in Business Management.

I have serveral MS certifications.

I have several IBM certifications.

I have extensive electronics experience.

I have my forklift liscence.

I have my St. John's ambulance.

And thats about it.

Most of all I'm happy.

I have been self employed for a while now and will never be an employee again.

imported_gatherer

wow .. dude I knew you were knowledgable .... but not world travelled too .. thats cool stuff...

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

gatherer, don't be too impressed, he made most of that up... last week I saw him working drive thru at Coffee Time LOL

imported_94EG6HB

Actually one of my customer's the OYSL is in the Coffee Time soccer palace at 7 and Martingrove.

Nova_Dust

I went through 5 years of Landscape Architecture in U of T. It was a fun course and I love it. I am in the field and although it has ups and downs, but it is all good.

There are people coming out of University making 50 to 60k a year, in my age and what can I say? Nothing. I started low 4 years ago when I got out and now I am at a decent wage level. If I want more, I will have to work harder to prove my ability.

Don't ask what your country can do for you; Ask yourself what you can offer for your country

Same thing applies to your work ethics. You want more money, you work harder. Simple as that. Degrees will sort you in different fields. Like a pass to different gates. I can't work in the field of Electrical Engineering, just as an Electrical Engineer cannot work in Landscape Architecture. Cause I don't have what it takes to conquer the job, and vice versa.

electronblue

iTrader: (1)

I agree with your good job analogy; some people enjoy going to work and doing their job and then going home. Personally that is not really for me. I like change, learning, and broadening my horizons.

As for the theory on University Grads vs. others, I totally disagree. I think if you took those same brains to the x-ray at age five you will get a similar result. Basically I think some people are born to learn and others will have difficulty (not to say they can't, just will have to work harder).

There are three different types of people: visual learners, auditory learners and the hands - on learners. Each group excels in their own category, but I find University directs its lessons primarily to the auditory learners, whereas college focusses on the visual learners (90% of the population). As for the hands on guys apprenticeships are the way to go!!

Test yourself:

How do you speak?

Do you reference objects, and pictures when you tell a story, or sounds, or do you reference actions, and move your hands to tell the story?

Do you speak in a monotone manner, or do you have a flair for actions and excitement when you speak?

imported_Cablerat

Id say YES, pretty much.. could be better but no complaints.