Can't really agree with describing engineering as a safe and comfy $3k job. Firstly the safe part lasts as long as you are less than 35, beyond that age any hirer will prefer younger engineers. they are more relevant and sharp. experience in engineering don't always count, engineering/it technology progresses faster than any other fields. A lawyer/acountant/doctor commands higher pay when they age and gathers experience in their field. An engineer who is the best in the world in FORTRAN or COBOL or ANALOG CIRCUIT DESIGN is worthless today. Companies need that fresh grad who is at home with java and some such latest engineering skills. A doctor who focused even on obscure fields like finger muscle atrophy will be greatly prized as he ages and gains more knowledge, because the human finger basically do not change.
Secondly the comfy part is a myth. Engineers has a low $/effort ratio in their job. that $3k job may require the engineer to be on call 24/7 and fire fight late into the night on any day for a myriad of problems that may arise on the shop floor, or at customers' premise.
But don't get it wrong. Engineering is a noble profession. Napoleon set up special schools (Grandes Ecoles) that caters to training engineers, and regards the profession as higher as medicine or law. However, one should be cognizant of the culture in which you will practise engineering.
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Originally Posted by Unregistered
Thats an easier course , which gives u more time to devote to the career search, but does take away the safety net of engr somewhat. With engr, at least if all else fails, you are relatively assured of a comfy $3k job thats not going to make u rich but has a lot of stability.
With arts and social science, there is no obvious outlet hence starting pay tends to be lower than for other majors.
Just need to go in with ur eyes open - that once u go in, u hv to work twice as or three times as hard as your course mates to land a well paying job. Cos if u drift along like everyone else, u wld end up in the average band, and the average band of arts and social sciences grads arent high salary earners.
Now before i get flamed by some arts and social science grad, let me say that im just speaking based on hard salary statistics without context. If any arts and social science grads can provide context to the numbers ie in terms of the type of jobs the avg bander can expect to get and the future prospects, that will help in the discussion .
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