I feel as if I will never know anything

breadmonkey

I have just started 3rd year of a Civil Eng degree and I feel as if I will never be of any use to a Civil eng company. I know so little and the little I do know is so rediculously basic compared to what would be required to actually use it in a real civil eng situation. I was more trainable when I had just done my Leaving Cert than I am now. This is depressing.

Voodu Child

DO you plan on working on site? If so, i wouldnt worry too much, very little of what you study in college is needed as a site engineer - the most important traits are cop-on and hard work and the rest comes with experience.

breadmonkey

Tbh, I have no idea what I want to do right now since I have spent my summers travelling rather than gaining work experience;) However, I have a 4/5 month placement during next summer/autumn during which I hope to get a better idea of what to expect.

So, what if I decide I don't want to work on site.....does this not apply any more?

-->

the most important traits are cop-on and hard work and the rest comes with experience.

enda1

Eh. I felt the same going into third year of mechanical. It is astonishing the amount you will pick up this year. All the foundations are there you build on them now. (Terrible pun i know;))

Kojak

enda1 wrote:

Eh. I felt the same going into third year of mechanical. It is astonishing the amount you will pick up this year.

Exactly - the first year (and most of second yeard) are to give you a grounding in your chosen field of engineering. I recently completed my eng degree and most of what I was asked about in interviews etc. was to do with my final year - nothing else. Most of what you learn in college is just used as a means to see whether you are able to learn new idea's, concepts etc. and most of what you learned in college will not be used in one specific job. The company you will eventually work for will "train you up" in the way they want things done, not how/what you learned in college.

Essentially your degree is a passport into your job, much like the way your Leaving Cert was a passport into college.

enda1 wrote:

All the foundations are there you build on them now. (Terrible pun i know;))

*shakes head* :rolleyes:

godtabh

I was like that in college. Then I meet an engineer that was as thick as fcuk but could get through the work and from that point I felt if he could do it I could do it.

As as been said before its all about cop on. The real world is a lot different than the class room. You'll pick things up as you go along and there is always some one there to ask questions.

Are you in UCD?

breadmonkey

Yes, I'm in UCD. Why do you ask?

godtabh

breadmonkey wrote:

Yes, I'm in UCD. Why do you ask?

There was a girl with us this summer and she had no problem with working. She needed a handy every now and again and somethings had to be explained to her but she got to grips with ok.

breadmonkey

kearnsr wrote:

There was a girl with us this summer and she had no problem with working. She needed a handy every now and again and somethings had to be explained to her but she got to grips with ok.

What kind of stuff did you have her doing?

godtabh

breadmonkey wrote:

What kind of stuff did you have her doing?

I had her doing some drainage stuff. Some of the other engineers had her doing structures.

She got to go on site alot as well.

She was also doing general stuff like folding drawings etc.

cast_iron

breadmonkey wrote:

Yes, I'm in UCD. Why do you ask?

Just read the thread and said to myself...this guy/girl has to be in UCD. And you are.
It's nearly always the same with the Uni Eng students. Most have no practical knowledge and no idea where they are going. They are just smart enough to get into the course.
Companies don't ecpect you to arrive in and know how everything works. They know you don't get thaught these things in a Uni course. I reckon you'll be fine.