2013

[W8taminute]

^Dude...I wish I was the owner of a busy restaurant!   ;D

[Windigo]

I hear you MetalDog and I believe you.   :)

This is my third time getting laid off in my life Sir Slash but you are right.  Your experiences are similar to what I've been through.  Still though, this process is the cause for some anger and grief and I admit that.  I'm keeping the faith however that something good will turn up eventually. 

Windy you're right about us engineers.  We see things much differently than most people.  If I can build that better bug trap for MetalDog he will only have to work half as hard as he does now.   :D

I was in engineering at university for a term, looked at my marks and decided I'd rather be an all-star watershed hydrology/management major, than a mediocre engineer. looking back, the marks weren't that bad, could of gotten into mech ... they just pissed all over 1st year engineers.

I tend to look at all things the engineering way.... everything can be made better, or done better... everything

[W8taminute]

I tend to look at all things the engineering way.... everything can be made better, or done better... everything

Yes.  Yes you do understand.  That's how I look at everything as well. 

Now consider if you have an engineering background coupled with Quality Operations/Systems experience you become a formidable analytical force to be reckoned with.  All you'd need then is knowledge of law and you could become a one man business.

[Staggerwing]

Or you could be an evil genius with an automated humanoid-soldier factory hidden in an ancient volcano.

[BanzaiCat]

2013 for me was a mixed blessing I think. I can't complain too much but I started with Academy Sports in August 2012 as a media developer then got promoted to instructional designer. I absolutely loved the team I worked with, but was heavily recruited for the job I'm at now by an old colleague. And it paid much better. I've not regretted it from a financial standpoint as it's much more money, but I'm not seeing a penny of it as my son started private high school this year and poof goes the greenbacks. Now we're behind on everything trying to keep up to ensure both my kids get a good education in the private school system. (Public schools here are terrible except in the neighborhoods that are way out of our reach.)

Hang in there, W8, it'll come. I had gone through two layoffs in a six-month period at one point, being the new man on the totem pole both times. I've had plenty of job issues in the past, some of which stemmed from the fact that I had no idea what I wanted to do as a career until about 2000 and finally got on that path in 2003.

$3k doesn't sound like a lot for learning a new trade. Do you like doing the BSEE thing? What is there about the offer that you're considering?

[GDS_Starfury]

[W8taminute]

2013 for me was a mixed blessing I think. I can't complain too much but I started with Academy Sports in August 2012 as a media developer then got promoted to instructional designer. I absolutely loved the team I worked with, but was heavily recruited for the job I'm at now by an old colleague. And it paid much better. I've not regretted it from a financial standpoint as it's much more money, but I'm not seeing a penny of it as my son started private high school this year and poof goes the greenbacks. Now we're behind on everything trying to keep up to ensure both my kids get a good education in the private school system. (Public schools here are terrible except in the neighborhoods that are way out of our reach.)

Hang in there, W8, it'll come. I had gone through two layoffs in a six-month period at one point, being the new man on the totem pole both times. I've had plenty of job issues in the past, some of which stemmed from the fact that I had no idea what I wanted to do as a career until about 2000 and finally got on that path in 2003.

$3k doesn't sound like a lot for learning a new trade. Do you like doing the BSEE thing? What is there about the offer that you're considering?

Thanks Banzai!  The only thing about the 3k I'm considering is that it would buy me two certificates I'm looking at from the American Society of Quality (ASQ).  But now I'm thinking that job consulting agency is the better choice since they will give you the skills needed to land a job in the first place. 

As for being a BSEE.  If I could go back in time and change things I would not study Engineering.  Most companies these days are outsourcing the engineering type work to india or china.  There really isn't much out there that I can find as a straight up electrical engineer. 

I'm also in the same boat as you as far as sending the kids to private school.  It costs a lot but the hope is that our children will turn out to be better adults than if they went to public school.  That mixed blessing you got last year was clearly for the very reason of enabling you to send your son to a good school.   ;)

[W8taminute]

Hmmm.  I need to make some money....I bet I could strap one of those on my....

[MetalDog]

For you private school people, just a bit of information, I went to private school for a while.  And we all see how I turned out ;)  Good luck with your kids :)

[GDS_Starfury]

what about electrical contracting work W8?

[Staggerwing]

For you private school people, just a bit of information, I went to private school for a while.  And we all see how I turned out ;)  Good luck with your kids :)

I went to a private high school for a few years.

Hmmm... Probably explains a lot  ???

[BanzaiCat]

My son and my daughter both are doing private school.

God help me, them, and my finances.  ::)

[W8taminute]

what about electrical contracting work W8?

I've been thinking about that actually.  I have a friend who is an electrician and owns his own shop.  Basically it's a van that he travels around in doing odd jobs here and there.  It might be something I can do to keep me busy for a while.  I'm also going to look into the area for any filming or tv stations that need electrical kind of guys.  That idea you gave me a while ago still seems like a good one as well. 

The market has been pretty slow but let's see what happens when I take the job hunting up again on Monday. 

[Staggerwing]

What about hospitals or large office buildings? Some of them may keep their own folks on staff for repairs, upgrades rather than contract out.

[GDS_Starfury]

I'm also going to look into the area for any filming or tv stations that need electrical kind of guys.  That idea you gave me a while ago still seems like a good one as well. 

any film/radio/tv stuff will require you joining a union with a $1200 entrance fee.  however when you start at $35 to $40 and start making triple time on set its not so bad.