Engineering Job dilemma :(

[BenD]

Bloody Hell!! I dunno what to do!! :roll:

ive been doing my engineering apprenticeship for the last 3 years with my company, but recently i have been offered a job in another company.

thing is, theres pro's and con's to both jobs, so im really in the stuck, and could do with a few of your opinions.

The job i do now involves building aviation ground support vehicles from scratch, it sounds like fun, and it is, but the problem is that the company do not use my skills in the hydraulic, pneumatic and PLC aspects of the vehicles, baring in mind i study the above subjects at HNC level in mechatronics. After nagging to get a more technical job within the company, all i can see me doing for the next few years is building vehicles, and that i will only get the promotions when i step into dead mans shoes :roll:

a monkey could probably do my job, its just basically fitting work, and running pipework throughout the vehicle.

on the upside, i do get the occasional trip abroad, where i earn VERY good money, but i dont get it often enough, and that is the job i want, as a service engineer. they say they will send me out, but they just put me on the back burner most of the time, and fob me off with crap excuses, but they try to sweeten me up by telling me i will end up in my desired job within the company, but ive been promised so much, and they havent stuck by there word, and just fed me BS :evil:


The job i have been offered is as a quality engineer for an aerospace company that specialises in the insulation of all things aerospace (civil and military), motorsport, nuclear power and offshore drilling.

this job is offering me 3k more than what im on now, and in 2 years time, 5k more than what i would be earning if istayed at my present company, but im worried i may find quality work boring.

The attraction with the job ive just been offered is that i jump from 'agricultural' engineering to the top of the engineering ladder that is aerospace, and the responsibility of ensuring that the materials and fabrications that is produced is of the highest aircraft standard. and its the responsibility and the future prospects of this job that i am interested in.

so what you all reckon????

cheers

Ben

 

[Tony-turbo]

I worked with motorsport/mill spec wiring for two years, (Deutsche connectors and raychem heatshrink, dmc crimpers etc) and I got bored after two years and went to uni.

Tony.

 

[gtir bean]

i work on mod hellecopter gearboxes and it gets boring but you get good pension,working conditions etc and decent money.i have been thinking about a job ofshore as the money is better but will the hours,pension etc be as good?prob not so im just goin to stay where i am.working in quality would be boring if the quality aspect at my work is anything to go by but it may be good at the job you have been offered.try and find out as much as you can about the other place.

 

[MarkTurbo]

Ben, does the company you're with now know you're thinking of leaving/been offered another job :?:

If not then tell them and explain the reasons why your thinking of leaving and see if it gives them a kick up the arse into letting you do something better, if that dosent work then just say b0llocks to them and take the other job

I've done that a couple times in the past :lol:

 

[jiw]

Ive found from experience that bosses bull you up and nothing that is promised comes to light, in the future when given an oppurtunity to do something that is better for whatever reason i am going to take it, you will always say "what if" if you dont take this opurtunity

Also look at that 5000 pounds as 20k plus more on a mortgage when you come to get one than what you would get in your current job....

If the job is all its cracked up to be it sounds like a good step forward in your career

 

[rayman75]

imo i think you should go for it, coz i think the only way you climb the ladder so to speak is to move on, seems to be the only way in the engineering industry.

i recon go for the the new job, if you get the job offerd to you hand in your notice, and i bet you your current work will cack themselves and offer you more money and might even offer you a promotion.

i'm a compressor service engineer, i really love my job but my money isnt upto the rest of the engineers, i have asked for a raise, but they havent got back to me yet, so keeping my eye out for a interesting job.

 

[SickBoy]

I think you will be bored to b*llocks in no time and wish you had stayed :?

Lee

 

[mattygti-r]

I think you will be bored to b*llocks in no time and wish you had stayed :?

Lee

yeah think you should stick it out , jump ship and you cant go back

 

[Mikey]

I think you know what you want to do really, you've been whinning like a girl about your job for ages now mate :lol: Sometimes the grass is greener

 

[AZ STE]

Seems like you havent finished you apprenticeship yet??(3 years)
So it would be totally wrong to not get you papers. Ive been in engineering for 28 years and nearly dropped out of my apprenticeship 3 years in.
There are loads of good jobs out there especially as there are less and less engineering people about now everyones into computers.
Id take my time and look around but firstly finish your apprenticeship with the company your with.
Ive worked for sometime in the packaging industry and that would really test pneumatic electrical instrumentation skills to the max.

 

[rayman75]

There are loads of good jobs out there especially as there are less and less engineering people about now everyones into computers.

you are so right, as i'm a mobile service engineer i speak to alot of customers and they say there isnt any (very few) skilled people about with experience. thus meaning that they have to pay alot of money or head hunt people that are any good.

when i was an apprentice i remember this old bloke i worked with saying soon there will be a lack of skilled people, because everyone wants to sit on there arse allday behind a computer screen.

but its a vicous circle there will be a lack of IT bods at some point.

 

[BenD]

thats very true, around my area (gloucestershire) there are many engineering companies crying out for skilled engineers, but there is no one around, even the big aerospace companies :shock:

my present company have been looking for over 30 fitters and electricians, so far they have only brought in 7 fitters and 1 electrician, and he's lebbonese!!!

i was told when i left school (8 years ago) that engineering was dead, and IT is the way to go, now look at it :lol: :lol:

anyway, after being at college today, ive decided to stay with my present employer, as i have found out they cannot run a hnc mechatronics course as a night class :x

ahh well, ill call there bluff and see what they offer me tomorrow

ill keep you posted

Cheers for all the above opinions!!!

Ben

 

[ex-gtir]

there is a shortage of skilled engineers but they are getting filled by europeans especialy polish and have to say they are top notch engineers especialy the welder show them once and leave them to it
im a engineering manager for a small hydraulic engineering firm in kent and hire in subbies for shut work in plactic industries, paper mills ,steel mill and aerospace
conmunication with these guys is the hardest but what i do is employe a good english speaking foreman and let him commuicate with the guys works a treat and by feck do these guys work
like mentioned most of my customers are short of fitters but that good for subbies like me
my background is as a fitter turner (mechanical) engineer for the largest paper mill in europe (hated it) got my hnd in mechanical engineering so happy there
the job i have now started as a field engineer and now has me designing hyd and pneumatic systems and genral engineering manager (boss aint a engineer as he inherited buiesness) got the highest qualification in hyd 2 years ago from fluid power centre
still earn less than 30k and have had numerous job offers but im very happy with my job and couldnt deal with starting fresh
ben its worth doing what mark said about telling them you have been offered better money and prospects and force there hand a bit
mike

 

[John Mc]

All good answers here, I work for a Pharmaceutical company on the packaging machines. We are struggling to fill vacancies that have been open for some time now and I think this company pay well.

Finish your apprenticeship, this is very important. Don't move for the sake of moving, get the apprenticeship under your belt then see what's out there. I've been working here for 4 years now and admittedly I'm getting bored of it but I'm in the middle of doing my HNC which I should of finished as part of my Apprenticeship but I moved to another factory, I won't leave until it's finished unless I get an offer I can't refuse

I've been looking into offshore and it looks very promising indeed

Just finish the apprenticeship Ben then you'll have your pick of the good jobs if your area is a underskilled as you say.

 

[bex]

im doing an apprentiship at the moment

not an engineering one like... :lol:

ive got the itch to go travelling... lots of my friends are disapearing to oz and stuff...

really want to go but i know ill be throwing my whole career away...



its poo

 

[rayman75]

ben i didnt relise you was doing your apprenticeship, in that case get qualifications under your belt, then start seriously looking.

 

[pete-r]

Ben ,life is full of risk mate.Youll never prosper if you dont take a bit of risk.Ive just packed in a promising career in the army(future RSM i was told :shock: ),im just about homeless and im currently unemployed.Within a week of getting out ive been offered exactly the job i was after which is 4times the wage i was on in the army and a lot more exciting :lol: .The only problem is they cant tell me an exact start date right now but thats the nature of the business im in now.All i would say is if your apprentiship is still running id finish that off first then the world is your oyster.Good luck anyways mate.

 

[BenD]

I understand where your all coming from!!

Basically, my MD has got wind of me maybe leaving, and he has given me the cold shoulder :roll:

Ive nearly finished my apprenticeship, as i can do the last bit off my own back, and i actually do not need my present employer to finish this.

i have spoken to college, and i deffo cant do mechatronic night class, so i have now phoned up the aerospace company, to tell them of my situation, and i have asked for half a day off on a monday (4 hours) either unpaid, or for me to make the time up after work, to complete my HNC, and he is thinking it over and will give me an answer, so fingers crossed that it swings my way.

Pete, you must be gutted about leaving the army, i was, but only because i missed my mates. i was back in the careers office signing back on 3 weeks after i got out, but i walked back out again.
The British Legion will help you find a place, and can also help with funding of furniture and in your job hunt. they will bend over backwards for you

just resist the urge to go back in, because now your out, you will only remember the good times :twisted: and never the bad

ill keep you posted on what is said tomorrow!! :lol:

Ben

 

[rayman75]

RSM's are w@n_kers pete :lol: :lol:


what ben says is true pete about the army.

my dad had been in the army air corps for the full term 24yrs, they wanted him to stay on and train people on the new apaches, but he had enough with all the shipt that went along with it, and just wanted to be around his family. then guess what a couple of years later he signs up to the TA as a gazzelle pilot :? i guess you can take the man out of the army but not the army out of the man.

 

[pete-r]

RSM's are w@n_kers pete :lol: :lol:

And they all seem to have big moustaches,i dont think id suit a big ginger tache anyways :lol:
Im sure whatever you decide youll be ok Ben