That makes five
Feb. 4th, 2010 05:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
astillarFebruary 1st marks five years that I've been here in Austin, working as an engineer. It's significant because an Engineer-in-Training such as myself has to get 5 years experience before he's eligible to take the Exam to get his Professional Engineer's license.
It's funny, back in my senior year of college when I first learned of this apprenticeship requirement I responded, "Five years?!? I have to wait five years before I can be a REAL engineer?!? C'mon, let me take the test now!" Here I am on the other side of that stint, thinking, "I'm nowhere near experienced enough to be a PE." The test ain't the problem; I have a knack for acing tests. It's the responsibility that I'm wary of. Getting your license and your stamp means that you are legally bound to any report, recommendation, or work that you do. There's no one to take the heat for you if you screw up, it's your ass, certification, and reputation on the line every time. I've shown my company that I don't have the attention span, diligence, or eye for detail that is necessary to be a good engineer. I haven't been asked to write a report or manage a project in over a year. Even when I really focus and try to hit a home run, I always miss critical details. And in this profession, 99% isn't good enough. Clients don't pay for partially completed or partially competent work.
It's embarrassing to admit that I may have already reached my apogee. I've started to consider going back to school for my Master's. I've been told off-the-record that a Master's is necessary to progress through the professional ranks. I'm kinda reluctant to pursue that route though. My family can offer no financial help, and being a white male I never received financial aid the last time I was in college. Quitting my career to find a part-time job that could pay my way through school seems very risky.
I don't like my options but it's time I started thinking hard about what I'm going to do next. I've reached the professional doldrums with no momentum; I could spend the next decade as a low-paid E.I.T. if I don't do something about it.
Sorry, I didn't mean for this to be a negative post, but the five-year mark is a bit of a wake-up call. It's not all bad news.
Now that I've been with my company for five years, my vacation allotment has been bumped from 10 days a year to 15 days a year. Wooo! Now I don't have to be so damned stingy with the days I spend at cons.
It's funny, back in my senior year of college when I first learned of this apprenticeship requirement I responded, "Five years?!? I have to wait five years before I can be a REAL engineer?!? C'mon, let me take the test now!" Here I am on the other side of that stint, thinking, "I'm nowhere near experienced enough to be a PE." The test ain't the problem; I have a knack for acing tests. It's the responsibility that I'm wary of. Getting your license and your stamp means that you are legally bound to any report, recommendation, or work that you do. There's no one to take the heat for you if you screw up, it's your ass, certification, and reputation on the line every time. I've shown my company that I don't have the attention span, diligence, or eye for detail that is necessary to be a good engineer. I haven't been asked to write a report or manage a project in over a year. Even when I really focus and try to hit a home run, I always miss critical details. And in this profession, 99% isn't good enough. Clients don't pay for partially completed or partially competent work.
It's embarrassing to admit that I may have already reached my apogee. I've started to consider going back to school for my Master's. I've been told off-the-record that a Master's is necessary to progress through the professional ranks. I'm kinda reluctant to pursue that route though. My family can offer no financial help, and being a white male I never received financial aid the last time I was in college. Quitting my career to find a part-time job that could pay my way through school seems very risky.
I don't like my options but it's time I started thinking hard about what I'm going to do next. I've reached the professional doldrums with no momentum; I could spend the next decade as a low-paid E.I.T. if I don't do something about it.
Sorry, I didn't mean for this to be a negative post, but the five-year mark is a bit of a wake-up call. It's not all bad news.
Now that I've been with my company for five years, my vacation allotment has been bumped from 10 days a year to 15 days a year. Wooo! Now I don't have to be so damned stingy with the days I spend at cons.
