This is sad. I am in an engineering profession, and in my company, quite a high number of my seniors have clocked above 30 years of work with the same company. While admittedly some are in management roles now, others are still doing technical work albeit as technical leads or technical managers.

It seems like parents usually don't want their children to do what they do. For eg, one of my younger colleague went to do engineering because the father told him not to be a doctor due to the long hours and constant exposure to sick people. Business people especially those not whose businesses are struggling are advising their children not to go into business because of the unstable income, long hours and the fact they have to take care of everything themselves.

For me, I have been with the same company for close to 30 years. My seniors are role models for me, and likewise I hope that my junior engineers will stay on with us. Engineering is hard work, but the satisfaction comes from the product the team collectively produce. Pay wise is decent. If you work long enough, sure can afford a condo and a car, and still save enough for retirement.

And engineering training makes a person versatile. The fact that your husband can change jobs a few times is testament to that.