Which should I prioritize: Work X University? (Need some motivation) - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: japasetelagoas
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 25, 2016, 12:59:00 am
content: Hey everyone,So I'm coming up with this topic to express something that's been bugging me. I'm 24 years old and I'm 3 years away from getting my Electrical Engineer degree here in Brazil. I currently work as an electrical process analyst at a local locomotive assembly plant, my scope is to assist our test department with whatever troubleshooting help they might need, whether it involves only our engineering group or overseas headquarters. I really appreciate the post that I'm currently in, it's basically the closest that you can get to an engineer at the company, when I started there I was just an interpreter/translator and I was still on law school (which I dropped a few months later, figured out that it simply wasn't my thing).The thing is, I believe that the schedule that I'm currently in is really making things difficult at school. I need to be at work at 7AM, leave at 5PM. Right after work I have exactly 1 hour to hit the gym (trust me, I feel like crap if I don't hop on the treadmill), then I have to attend to my lessons from 7PM to 10PM. Only within the past few weeks that I've found a way to actually studyafterarriving at home, after drinking a cup of capuccino I normally last up to midnight studying.I'm failing at calculus, numerical methods and a few other ones and I feel like having a bit more time would do me good, but the other half of me doesn't want to quit the job. I must admit that I'd make my way without the job but considering the economic crisis that Brazil is going through, finding another job as good as the one that I'm currently in might take a lot of time.I'd like to hear from some of you guys who might've been on this type of situation, where you thought that you could've done better at school if it wasn't for your work schedule.Thanks.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 25, 2016, 01:09:12 am
content: That depends on what is more valued by the employers in your country.In Russia, for example, always go for work. Nobody cares about the diploma, since everyone knows how easy they are to get (legitimately, of course).EDIT: Above does not mean you don't need a diploma, just go for the easiest way out, nobody will ever look at your marks.

author: DenzilPenberthy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 25, 2016, 12:34:29 pm
content: Do you think there is any chance that work would give you time off to study? for example 1 day per week?If it is a good company they will see the value in training you and developing your skills.

author: Neganur
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 25, 2016, 04:49:30 pm
content: It's a dilemma since work experience is so tremendously important. Save as much money as you can, while you can.Take half a year off to do the thesis if you can manage to do most courses while working, but don't fool yourself - studying engineering and working fulltime is tough, very tough. Get ready to throw your pride overboard. You won't score top marks all the time since you simply can't study/practice/work with study buddies as much as a full-time student can. Especially when you start pinching off precious sleep time to return assignments. You'll get grey hair at a very young ageDo get your diploma though! There are too many people on the market *with* diploma already, you're not making your life easier by competing for a position if you don't have the degree, unless you're exceptionally good.In some places of the world certain jobs do require you to have some/any degree (e.g. government work) and other countries won't pay you an engineer's wage if you don't actually have the papers.Also don't forget that you're only young once...do enjoy being a student. Soon enough there's much less free time.

author: ade
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 25, 2016, 05:50:20 pm
content: Some friends and I founded a company when I was an undergrad, and after a couple of semesters juggling work & university, I gave up and dropped out from school.I gained so much experience in the field that I never had to go back to school. I've had PhDs working for me and they didn't know any more than I did.But, I always regretted not finishing my degree. And, there were some opportunities working internationally that I had to turn down because I knew without a degree I'd run into visa issues.So, much later in my career I decided to go back to school, and am now pursuing a masters degree.Anyway, if you can manage to stay in school while working, and finish that degree, you won't regret it.

author: Hydrawerk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 25, 2016, 06:26:08 pm
content: I have always considered school a preparation for a job. If you already have a proper job and you do not like school, then consider leaving school.

author: Kilrah
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 25, 2016, 06:48:32 pm
content: Quote from: Hydrawerk on April 25, 2016, 06:26:08 pm+1.I actually created my own business with someone during engineering school, and it was so fun and working well that the last year I really didn't give a damn about school anymore, I still stayed just becasue it was only <1 more year and who knows, the paper might be useful one day, but didn't give the slightest effort anymore.Got the paper (10 years ago and I frankly don't know how I could have been given it other than the teachers understanding where I was heading), and never took it out again even if I've sinced moved on to other projects since then. Don't even know where it is anymore, and it's pretty much become a life goal never to need it. If you want to see it, I probably don't want to work with you.Obviously it very heavily depends on your location and how things are valued where you are, your skills, your goals, your contacts, your interests... no answer can directly apply to your case.

author: ade
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 25, 2016, 06:57:55 pm
content: QuoteVocational / technical school maybe.But pursuing a degree should be more than job prep. It should be about pursuing your interests, and about expanding your knowledge.I'm currently pursuing a masters in an engineering field I have no intention to be directly working in. But it's an interesting subject. I can't imagine doing a masters in my own field (CS) -- I'd probably won't learn much beyond what I already know, and would be bored to death.Other than the engineering masters my other choice was going to music school to get a B.Mus. Again I have no intention to work as a musician, just that music is very interesting to me.

author: Gribo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 25, 2016, 07:05:45 pm
content: Don't quit university for a job, unless you want to get stuck in that level of jobs. Finish your degree, you already did the hard part (1st year math?) There is always work to be done.

author: 1xrtt
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 25, 2016, 09:51:32 pm
content: Japa,As you said, giving the current economical situation, you should not quit your job, at least not while we're going through this crisis.With that in mind, I believe you should not quit University either. While in many other countries, having a degree does not necessarily means a great improvement in professional career, in Brazil, NOT having a degree means a huge holdback. You won't get a EE position without the degree.I can tell you my experience, but in the end, you'll have to decide what you want:During my University time, I was studying from 12:00PM to 6:00PM, and worked at a repair shop between midnight and 07:00AM, sleeping two three-hour periods per day. Weekends? EE classes on Saturday morning and English classes afternoon.It's not an easy course and failing is normal. On the first year, I failed Calculus, Analytics Geometry, Physics and a couple of others. I went through the last year, always dragging some classes from previous year. Many classmates dropped along the way, one quit on the last year, after giving up on Calculus 3 (Fourier and stuff), while others endure another year just with this same class to get the degree. So it's more a matter of how hard you want to be there. Jokes about Engineers having no personal life are no jokes at all.Did it pay off? Yes.Although having the degree, I never worked as a Electrical Engineer, but I spent the last 23 years in the tech area. The breaking point was when all telecom business went private. At that moment, the degree was essencial to get hired in an engineering position. As we live in Brazil, trying to see the future is a game of guesses, so it's possible that when you finally leave the school there will be no jobs or there will be a high demand. With the degree in hand, I'd say you have some leverage.

author: japasetelagoas
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 26, 2016, 12:02:45 am
content: Quote from: 1xrtt on April 25, 2016, 09:51:32 pmThanks for this message. I've asked a few people at the company that I work at and basically none of them encouraged me to quit my job. They told me that I can push it a bit further than I'm currently doing when it comes to study, I guess they're right. Good thing is that I got some extra motivation from your post and from all the previous ones.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 26, 2016, 04:03:54 am
content: If you persevere, it is only a commitment for 3 years. Also, the prize is not just a degree, but the incidental experiences and skills learned along the way, including managing your time, setting priorities and discipline to name just a few. These are skills that will enable advancement in any job that has the scope and by being able to show you've already successfully implemented them, you will have a better chance of finding an open door.It will be a challenge - but if you can make it work, you will be very happy with yourself when you look back.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 26, 2016, 05:28:02 am
content: Quote from: DenzilPenberthy on April 25, 2016, 12:34:29 pmYeas, talk to them, see if they will give you an extra hour or two off a day or something (minus the pay of course)

author: FrankE
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 26, 2016, 10:04:34 am
content: I'd prioritise uni. You might not get the opportunity of education /pissing about with mates for 3-5 years again but there will always jobsIt's best to get the hours in early in the term.That gives you a bit more security at exam time when you don't want tohaveto work.I got quite down that I was working in a shop during postgrad and it was taking over. Should have just left the McJob. Ugh, horrendous experience.

author: hans
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 26, 2016, 10:24:20 pm
content: In my experience, someone who has a degree in a particular field and therefore fits a job profile better, will get that job. There are always case studies in which someone without any formal education will get by as well, but those cases are in the minority. I read areport on jobs of technical/beta-jobsabout from our unemployment social office - and the numbers for job title "electrical engineer" (which can be "electrical" as it is, or electronic ofcourse) are: 86% have a Bachelor degree or higher, ~7% had some degree of vocational school and others had no diploma/no stats.I find it a pity there was no disquisition between bachelor/master in that report, because I personally feel there is some competition between those 2 as well.Anyway, evening classes are always hard. I personally would never see myself do it. It's basically working 2 full time jobs in 1 day.I would certainly not just give up on any of 2 in 1 go; that sounds a bit impulsive. Instead I would talk to either (probably work first) if there is any way to relieve your situation so you can focus on uni. E.g. maybe arrange that you can leave a 3.30 or 4.00 so you can get your exercise and have enough time to get to uni. If an employer has any care for the employees, they should understand that education is important for you in the future (e.g. better job prospects) but also for them (you learn new insights that you can apply while you still work for them).I've worked for employers that did not really realize that they were a big presence of my life (as is any job), and were not very favorable in return. I am glad I left them at last. But I can understand that is hard to do if you haven't got any alternatives (as a matter of fact - I personally haven't got any at this very moment neither).

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 26, 2016, 10:54:51 pm
content: Quote from: japasetelagoas on April 25, 2016, 12:59:00 amI have a highly variable schedule and I manage to do this by limiting myself to 3 classes per semester.M/W - Class from 10:00AM to 2:50PM. Work from 3:30 to 12:00AMT/Th - 12:30PM to 9:00PM WorkAlternating Fridays: 12:30 PM to 9:00PM and 4:30PM to 1:00AMI have one online class and do that work all on the weekend.