Laboratory Technician Training vs Potential Mechanical Engineering Job

[FayetheAspie]

I already signed up for a certificate course at the local community college. This should let me get a job in a chemistry or biology lab. The classes would start next March. Just today, I ran into someone at the grocery store that thinks I can get a mechanical engineering job where they work. I don't think I can do both. I am so confused right about now.

 

[Judge]

I already signed up for a certificate course at the local community college. This should let me get a job in a chemistry or biology lab. The classes would start next March. Just today, I ran into someone at the grocery store that thinks I can get a mechanical engineering job where they work. I don't think I can do both. I am so confused right about now.

Consider the mechanical engineer opportunity first, especially if you can interview much earlier than the upcoming college course next March.

If it doesn't work out, then you still have the college course to fall back on.

Attending a college course is a scheduled matter. Full-time job opportunities, not so much. (Provided of course the college course isn't a prerequisite to getting the job.)

 

[Outdated]

Just today, I ran into someone at the grocery store that thinks I can get a mechanical engineering job where they work.

I agree with Judge. The mechanical engineering job is an opportunity not to be missed.

It's a no-brainer. Hands on physical experience beats a college certificate every time. Pay to go to college or get paid to earn a better qualification - actual on the job experience and training.

Don't drop the college course until you're certain of your circumstances but definitely put your hand up for the engineering job.

 

[Neonatal RRT]

I already signed up for a certificate course at the local community college. This should let me get a job in a chemistry or biology lab. The classes would start next March. Just today, I ran into someone at the grocery store that thinks I can get a mechanical engineering job where they work. I don't think I can do both. I am so confused right about now.

My son and daughter-in-law are both mechanical engineers. As a baseline, this is a 4-year Bachelors degree with work co-ops (often paid,...nice) when not taking classes. In the end, the pay can be quite good and allows for better advancement up a corporate ladder. The cost of tuition will be significantly higher.

A certificate from a community college, typically a 2-year Associates degree, will get you into the workforce quicker, albeit with a lower pay scale and less opportunities for advancement up the corporate ladder. The cost of tuition will be significantly lower.

Having said that, I know many people who have used that Associates degree as a means of gaining valuable work experience and a launchpad for an eventual Bachelors, Masters, or Doctorate degree.

 

[DrBadStrings]

I am seeking clarification not trying to be negative.

Question of clarification, did they say you would be working with mechanical engineers as an assistant or did they say they could get you a job as a mechanical engineer. Which leads to my next question which Im pretty sure I know the answer to, do you have an Engineering degree and professional accreditation as an Engineer?

If you have an Engineering Degree and accreditation skip the rest of this.

If you don't currently have an engineering degree/accreditation you are not getting a job as a mechanical engineer. I don't know what the person said but they are somehow misleading you if they said they could get you a job as a "mechanical engineer". You need a degree, and you need a professional trade accreditation to legally even call yourself an engineer, at least in Canada. The liability a company would incur having someone without accreditation stamping off projects would be lead to bankruptcy.

Now if this is a job working with/assisting Engineers then it's a great opportunity for experience and likely something you could do while also upgrading your academic qualifications. I'm an Engineering Technologist and I've seen plenty get some work experience first and then do the academics after to become full fledged ET's. So if it's that I would be pursuing it.

 

[FayetheAspie]

@Neonatal RRT @DrBadStrings The job uses the word engineer. However, the job description says assisting the primary engineer or something like that. It says that a certificate at least is needed but the individual I spoke with yesterday said that the applications say things like that but that it is not really necessary. As for the corporate ladder bit, I would never want to get very high up that. Too many things I want no part of dealing with.

 

[DrBadStrings]

@Neonatal RRT @DrBadStrings The job uses the word engineer. However, the job description says assisting the primary engineer or something like that. It says that a certificate at least is needed but the individual I spoke with yesterday said that the applications say things like that but that it is not really necessary. As for the corporate ladder bit, I would never want to get very high up that. Too many things I want no part of dealing with.

I follow now. Sounds like a good opportunity, and an interesting one too.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

I worked at an appliance manufacturing factory years ago they had a chemical lab, paint lab and a mechanical lab.
when the chemist retired I having a chemistry back ground took over his responsibilities, I also helped the mechanical technologist a good friend. with his duties on occasion. None of us were engineers. Each company has their own way of doing things,

 

[Judge]

It's been my experience for better or worse, that more often than not when it comes to job opportunities, it's not what you know, so much as who you know plus a matter of being in the right place at the right time.

Granted it may sound absurd to some, but in my own case this has often been my reality.

 

[Outdated]

Granted it may sound absurd to some, but in my own case this has often been my reality.

That was my reality too. Technically I was never a tradesman, to get certified for that requires you to go through a 4 year indentured apprenticeship but I never got an apprenticeship, I got some on the job training and was sent to TAFE for the theory lessons, the employer paid.

Legally I wasn't qualified to train apprentices but that's what I got used for quite often, employers knew I didn't have trade papers and didn't care, I was the best for the job. I never had a forklift ticket either, but no one cared. Knowledge and skill out trumped a piece of paper.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

Not knowing I was on the spectrum, I just liked changing position seeking greater challenges fueled by increases in education, always tried to plan prepaint to post-paint Al substrate to ferrous substate, process engineering to quality engineering, appliance to automotive, painting to treatment systems, then to a pure laboratory position, then to plastic substrate. and finally circling around back to prepainted coil with various metallic substrates and treatment systems. Became extremely well rounded expert on all types of coating application. No peers, Also picked up gravure printing as an addon took this to the leading edge.

 

[Outdated]

Also picked up gravure printing as an addon took this to the leading edge.

I worked in gravure printing for about a year, Arnotts Biscuits wrappers, Mars Bar wrappers, etc. In that type of printing the ink was more like paint than traditional printer's inks. Like you I loved learning new things and I moved around in the industry a lot.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

I moved around a lot in the process became an expert in all aspects of applying coatings the coil coating industry had issues with colour control when I started took along with the printing to a level thought no possible most notably batch to batch coil to coil, even separated by significant time intervals. Apparently to this day nobody really knows how I did it. I used fluorocarbon , polyester, vinyl inks made no difference to me. would love to compare techniques with printing on paper.