Is it too late for me? Career/social life advice needed...

[TSA09]

I've been thinking of getting a general studies degree at the local tech college while I get in shape for the military and use the GI Bill to go to a university and get my degree in Engineering. If I do the general studies I'll see if I can take a pre-calculus class but I may have to take some pre-courses as I did horribly on my entrance math test in my high school senior year. if only I didn't get so lazy after graduating...

[vashti]

- Registered Nurses are being laid off in the US because they are too expensive. They are being replaced with Nursing Assistants or other cheaper, less educated labor. Tread carefully here. You may educate yourself out of a job.

This isn't true. LVNs are being phased out in favor of RNs, and hospitals are preferring bachelor-degreed nurses these days. However, the programs are VERY hard to get in, and the program is extremely demanding and difficult. It's not a great option for someone who is lazy. The board exams are ridiculously hard.

Nursing assistants are not nurses, and do not have anywhere NEAR the scope of practice a nurse does. An assistant helps with bathing, feeding, and toileting. An LVN is a nurse, but they don't have the same scope of practice an RN does.

[TSA09]

How tough is it to get an engineering job after graduating college? It seems to be one of the most popular career choices. For anyone that's earned an engineering degree, what all would I have to do to be successful with this career? (aside from being a math whiz)

[smackie9]

You would have to specialize, like architectural engineering which would be in very high demand.......this follows population growth which is happening at an alarming rate....countries are scrambling to keep up. They need to improve their infrastructure, like bridges, power plants, sky scrapers, sewage systems etc. You need to do your research, and talk to people in the field.

[IndiReloaded]

How tough is it to get an engineering job after graduating college? It seems to be one of the most popular career choices. For anyone that's earned an engineering degree, what all would I have to do to be successful with this career? (aside from being a math whiz)

It depends on the area of specialization. A lot of comp eng lost jobs when the .com bubble burst. Pick some of the better engineering schools (e.g. MIT, CalTech, Stanford) and go to their website and career sections. Yes, they are elite schools, but their grads also have to find jobs and the quality of the info will be good b/c the universities want to attract the top students. But engineers have one of the lowest unemployment rates of all college degree choices. Healthcare related is another good choice. There was a recent report on this, I'll try to find it and post.

If Smackie is an engineer, mbe she has more advice.

[smackie9]

Engineer? no....I wish. I'm just a boss that wears many hats.

[DonJuanInc]

You need Pure Math 30 to get into any university program here (the advanced math class in senior year of high school). I'm a 4th year psych major - I have no need for math in day to day practice - and I still needed to take micro and macroeconomics, and two statistics classes just to satisfy my degree requirements.

Good grades at an average school are better than average grades at a good school. Your ambition is awesome but you're getting way ahead of yourself; check admission requirements, start looking for a job, make sure you don't have to upgrade your HS courses. It would be a bummer to apply and find out you don't meet entrance requirements, or don't have a competitive average.

[TSA09]

It depends on the area of specialization. A lot of comp eng lost jobs when the .com bubble burst. Pick some of the better engineering schools (e.g. MIT, CalTech, Stanford) and go to their website and career sections. Yes, they are elite schools, but their grads also have to find jobs and the quality of the info will be good b/c the universities want to attract the top students. But engineers have one of the lowest unemployment rates of all college degree choices. Healthcare related is another good choice. There was a recent report on this, I'll try to find it and post.

If Smackie is an engineer, mbe she has more advice.

I assume you can get a master's degree (or higher) at those schools...so I could attend a tech school for 2 years, transfer to a university and get my bachelor's (and hopefully an internship) and then transfer to one of those schools for a higher degree. Is that possible? While attending tech school I'll go for a minor in something like accounting or business-related and get my associates/bachelors and try to get a job while attending one of those higher-up engineer schools. I'm going to look up the type of math courses I would take during an engineer degree. I like the sound of architectural engineering (something I can do with my hands). When I join the military I can get a similar MOS and get more experience.

[IndiReloaded]

Check you PM, I sent you a link.

[TSA09]

Thanks for the link. I like the look of civil engineering. I'm going to check what type of math courses I'll have to take at the tech college.

As for applying for a job (not an engineering, just a general job I can get right away) just exactly what am I supposed to say when they ask about previous job history?

[TSA09]

bump. I'm trying to decide between construction and engineering for a degree. There's just so much that I want to do in life but I don't know how to pursue it all.

[BoredGeorge]

This isn't true. LVNs are being phased out in favor of RNs, and hospitals are preferring bachelor-degreed nurses these days. However, the programs are VERY hard to get in, and the program is extremely demanding and difficult. It's not a great option for someone who is lazy. The board exams are ridiculously hard.

Nursing assistants are not nurses, and do not have anywhere NEAR the scope of practice a nurse does. An assistant helps with bathing, feeding, and toileting. An LVN is a nurse, but they don't have the same scope of practice an RN does.

Why would anyone wnat to be a nurse ? Or do they get paid 100k + per year in the US. The health system in the states is pretty messed up so I wouldn't be shocked.

A nurse is pretty much a glorified poop cleaner. A few might be skilled but the majority just clean up poop.

[BoredGeorge]

You know what type of jobs are in deparate need of people? Trades, like carpenters, mechanics, etc. This self entitled generation doesn't even know how to change a bloody tire, but they can sure play a mean game of Call of Duty.

Yeah, but the problem was that his parent and school probably lied to him and said that trades people are all scum. You can't turn around to a 21 year old and blame them because you all of a sudden decide that a hammer is a useful tool after all and that actual, useful vocational skills which contribute to society are better than airy fairy humanities degrees. That is really not the young persons fault because they didn't set the education agenda which pushed kids away from such careers for decades. When I was in school (about 13) when they first asked me what I wanted to do I said I wanted to build houses. I had that drummed outa me pretty quick and that was at a public school.

Honestly, OP, take this advice - forget engineering, become a carpenter. Get a job on a building site and start from there.

[BoredGeorge]

bump. I'm trying to decide between construction and engineering for a degree. There's just so much that I want to do in life but I don't know how to pursue it all.

Degrees are a waste of time. Get a job get experience and study at night if you can.

[smackie9]

It's not drummed out of them....they don't listen, a DVD raised them, they are lazy, never learned consequences only time outs,have big pipe dreams that they don't need to work hard to make money......reality sets in when they live on their own....only to run back home so mommy can do their laundry while they help themselves to whatever is in the fridge. But that depends if they ever leave.