job advice?

[tuck]

i will soon be graduating with a degree in engineering. but i don't really want to be an engineer. industry is depressing. academia is boring.

i really just wat to live in a city somewhere, work at a coffee shop, and make art all day. maybe be a high school coach.

so whadda y'all *cogh*older!*cough* experienced DUers out there suggest? resign myself to a life of redundancy and the bottom line in industry? go to grad school and begin a lifelong battle, eventually for tenure? be poor and starving, but with access to enough cafffeine to keep even shrubya up past his bedtime?

i'm at a loss....

[Kolesar]

1. One word: "Wind"

Look to the sky for inspiration, young man!

Catching the Wind

by MOLLY IVINS

AUSTIN -- Remember the guy in "The Graduate" who tells Dustin Hoffman, with heavy emphasis, "Plastics"? This column is sort of in the same vein. Psst, kids, there's money in wind. If I were a fresh graduate looking for something useful and profitable to do with my life, I'd sure take a close look at windpower.

The American Wind Energy Association recently met in Austin, and danged if there aren't over 500 businesses involved, and vendors with high-tech booths and all that good trade show stuff. As they say on Wall Street, there's been "solid growth" in the wind biz. Naturally, the United States is lagging behind Denmark, et al, but even so, this thing is ginnin'. This will be huge.

According to the Wind Energy Association, they expect the industry to grow by 25 percent in 2003, moving from the current production of 4,700 megawatts to 6,000 megawatts (enough to serve 1,500,000 homes).

The industry is still small enough and new enough so you can sit around and drink coffee with already-legendary founders and pioneers such as Dan Juhl, who has a windfarm in Minnesota. As with the computer industry at its inception, you can almost see this one moving gradually from dreamers and tinkerers in garages to big business. Still not many suits around, and there's lots of shared excitement and enthusiasm and the sense of being "present at the creation."
...end excerpt...
http://www.funnytimes.com/notfunny/20030610MI.html

YOU have the POWER!

[trof]

5. and/or SOLAR

I'm nuts about both and I think we're getting so close to affordable power.
Maybe you can help out there?

[rabid_nerd]

2. In the middle of the battleground wasteland

of Republicans to the left and Republicans to the right, there is a little coffeeshop/art gallery where meetings of both the Young Democrats and the Green party are held.

In a county where the Republican majority is deeply concerned about land use issues and preservation, there lies thousands of acres of farmlands.

No cities in this county, yet the nation's capitol the state's, and Baltimore are all with 2 hours drive time, for good measure.

Come to historic Gettysburg - jobs are plentiful and the left is gaining while the right is wavering - in Lincoln's stomping ground!

[Skittles]

3. don't go straight into job slackerdom

get some experience on the job in your field first; when you can't stand it anymore, THEN you can make the transition with 1) Money 2)Engineering job experience

[sangha]

4. My advice

Become "Born rich".

And when you figure out how it's done, please remember who gave you such fine advice

[Nikia]

6. It' s up to you

If you feel that you'll be happy that way and don't feel the need to have beyongd subsistence wages for yourself (I don't recommend children on that income, go for it. I you like school, go the grad school route. As far as industry goes, it could be good or bad. I temped as a research assistant at a consumer products company. They hire many engineering graduates for that. I would have loved to get a permanent job doing research there, but the only way that they would have hired me is more temping. They like engineering graduates though. They have excellent benefits and a working environment that rewards creativity. If you're intested, PM me.

[MissMarple]

7. Innovative small aircraft companies are worth a look.

Some like Cirrus are doing some exciting new things with technology and design.

[tuck]

8. y'all are great ... thanks! nt

[Bushfire]

9. Be a High School Teacher!

Lots of jobs for people who have the math skills of your caliber, and being a coach is extra spending money. You could even substitute teach on a part time basis with just a bachelor's degree without a teaching certificate. Some school districts will hire you on full time if you take a teaching class as a condition. Don't forget most teachers will agree with your politics.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

10. As one of those "older"

DU'ers, let me ask this. Why are you getting a degree in engineering if you don't like it?
Please consider this free piece of advice. Pursue your dream, your passion, your calling. Whatever it is that you really love doing, find that in a job and get to work!
As someone who did not pursue the work I wanted to do, I am now paying the price 30 years later.
Heed not those who will telll you your dream is foolish, silly or not a "real job". You go in the direction of your feelings. They never lie to you.
And Good Luck!

[tuck]

11. it's not that...

i DO like engineering. i like solving problems, i like feeling practical, i like building and fixing things, i love figuring logistical problms. but i can't find a job that will just let me sit around and play with broken stuff all day. i don't have the attention span to do all the extraneous stuff that comes with a job in industry.

example: differential equations? no problem! balancing my checkbook? huge problem.

trust me ... i do follow my dreams -- like spending lots of money on travel or fun toys for backpacking instead of saving for school.

but thank you, you are entirely right. maybe taking one less engineering course and one more art or lit course my last quarter will make all the difference.....