Course/Job-Query/Advice

GTSYAM

Hi there, I would greatly appreciate any suggestions and or anecdotal advice with
trying to point my son (who's undecided,as am I) as to which direction would be
the best to take as regards the eventual job opportunities in the area's of Electrical Engineering,
Mechanical Engineering and Marine Engineering. One week he's "definitely" doing
one Course or the other depending on who he talk's to. It would seem in "order of popularity"
from what he tell's me: No.1 Mechanical Engineering No.2 Marine Engineering and
third Electrical Engineering, I thought it would be the other way round. I do realize this can
be a bit like "flavour of the month" and does vary over time. Whichever course he undertakes
it will be at CIT. I think the course's for the 2014 semester were something like 4 years Mechanical,BEng Hon Deg(395pts), 4 years Marine Engineering (BEng 260pts), Electrical Engineering (BEng Deg 305pts) 3 yrs. He want's to to do a minimum of 4 years + and be "done with it" a it were.
Thanks in advance
JG

Newtown90

I suppose the first thing is what does your son enjoy at school?

Maths, Tech Graphics, Engineering??

Where would he like to be in a few years, in an office designing and number crunching, on site project managing, research, and so on.

I suppose another thing is the "4 year" course, I was dead set on doing the honours degree from the off aswell but due to stress of honours maths I dropped down to ordinary the last few weeks, and went on to do the 3 year Ordinary Degree Mech Engineering role, + 1 year Process Plant Technology for an honours degree. I also had the opportunity to get the my level 8 after my 3 year course, which would have been an extra 2 years.

I would say what ever your son thinks he would enjoy to do, as there is nothing worse than doing a course you do not like! Look at the modules he would be doing in each course and see if they interest him!

GTSYAM

Hi Glenviewjf, Thanks so much for the reply, very interesting. I'll get him to read over your post later. I thought you took a very sensible approach. I can well understand what you mean about
doing something you don't like, I know of two lads that are doing courses that they have no real interest in, one is in UCC and hates the place as well as the course, the other lad is talking about giving up CIT altogether. By the way he's a regular visitor to Glenbeigh and it's like a second home. Congrat's on the win !!
Thanks again
JG

Newtown90

No worries, if you need any info drop me a PM and I'll happily help.

Sound! :D

GTSYAM

Hi Glenviewjf, I might just do that, might not be right away
Thanks
JG

minidazzler

You can't realistically pick a course based solely on earning potentials and job potentials. It's really gotta be something you are sure you'll enjoy.... I am coming at this from experience of dropping out at 18 and now being a fresher again at 25.

What is he good at? What is he interested in? Find an intersection of these things within some good courses and go with that.

Dermighty

Both degrees have similarities but they're not identical.

I'd recommend doing a level 7 degree first then doing a level 8 add on (of which there are 4 choices after a level 7 in mechanical engineering).

Marine engineering is a good degree, mixes practical skills with theoretical skills and it needs a good deal of commitment, it's not really a half assed students dream.

I'm in my late 20's, I did the level 7 in mechanical and I'm currently doing the 2 year level 8 add on in mechanical. This is the best way to go about it. Doing a level 8 degree from the outset gives you zero practical skills, no welding, no machining, very little 2D and 3D design. The level 7 gives you all of those plus a good foundation for the maths and physics contained in teh level 8 course.

Marine engineering was my 1st choice on the CAO when I applied and I changed it to mechanical at the last minute.

GTSYAM

Hi Minidazzler, Thank you so much for the reply, point's well made and great advice
Cheers
JG

GTSYAM

Hi Dermighty, Thanks for taking the time to reply. What you have done is most interesting
and I will show/discuss it tomorrow with "himself", might have another question or two if
you don't mind.
Thanks again
JG