education suggestions please

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MrToad
I assume you looked at RIT since you're in the neighborhood. Big SAE and Baja programs.
JT

I am reminded of RIT every day, That school is out of my price range. It is a top notch school though.

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NoCoast
I have 3 friends that graduated with MET degrees. One got a job with the company his Dad works for right out of college, basically, because his Dad works there.
The other works at a lab using an electron microscope testing for asbestos.
The last spent 18 months trying to find work, then gave up and went back to grad school for a Master's in mechanical engineering. Pretty sure his one piece of advice to anyone would be to get an ME, not MET.
I could see in something like electrical the difference being less though.

A guy that works as a tech at Land Rover here was in a customer car after a test drive waiting to turn back into dealer a bit over a year ago. Guy that's huffing and driving blacks out and boom, head on collision. The tech still hasn't fully recovered. The dealership was bought about a month ago and the tech's back is still fucked and can't lift 50 lbs so doesn't pass the physical and is on pain killers so failed the piss test for opiates. The new owners currently have not told him if he has a job and he's in limbo, not working, not knowing.

Uhh. I know one rally guy that went to CSU's grad program in Motorsport Engineering. You have to get undergrad first though. If you aspire to go to grad school anyhow, go to the least expensive quality school you can. I have had classmates and coworkers that paid 3-4X what I did for undergrad for a similar or potentially worse education.

That story of the tech getting hurt is exactly why I need another career route. Would love to hear everything you can share about CSU

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Rallymech
The two questions that I would have in your shoes are:

1. What is the real world probability of getting a good job doing what you learned?

2. Is going through the process of retraining going to yield a net financial gain over continuing as a tech?

I've thought these question through, which is the reason I'm looking to make a living doing something else but closely related. being a tech is ok money, I like the work eneough to wake up every morning and go do it. I plan on doing it to support myself untill I get a job which my degree says i'm qualified to do. One injury can ruin your ability to do that job.

Ownership and self employment is key to success

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Grant Hughes

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NoCoast
Ownership and self employment is key to success

Ha!

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

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john vanlandingham

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NoCoast
Ownership and self employment is key to success

Ha!

Obviously Grant has never had to buy his own health insurance or deal with Schedule C's, 941-V, 1040-ES, etc., etc. or , not sure which.

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Andrew Steere
Lyndeborough, NH
KB1PJY

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Rallymech
The two questions that I would have in your shoes are:

1. What is the real world probability of getting a good job doing what you learned?

I'd ask this a little bit differently.....WHO do you KNOW that can help you get a job in whatever field/company/etc where you want to work?

#2 is irrelevant. Getting a job is all about who you know....relevant experience/education or not. Sure, it helps, but having a degree won't get you a job. Knowing someone at a company that's in a position to help you will.

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Jon Burke - KI6LSW
Blog: http://psgrallywrx.blogspot.com/

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Jon Burke

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Rallymech
The two questions that I would have in your shoes are:

1. What is the real world probability of getting a good job doing what you learned?

I'd ask this a little bit differently.....WHO do you KNOW that can help you get a job in whatever field/company/etc where you want to work?

#2 is irrelevant. Getting a job is all about who you know....relevant experience/education or not. Sure, it helps, but having a degree won't get you a job. Knowing someone at a company that's in a position to help you will.

The OP would be wise to ask Mr Burke just what branch of computer sales he is in....because in his world , for that matter the entire "tech" world, he is probably right: education, skills, experience, integrity, honesty, are all trumped by knowing somebody.....

No wonder all "tech" shit works like it does.

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

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john vanlandingham

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Jon Burke

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Rallymech
The two questions that I would have in your shoes are:

1. What is the real world probability of getting a good job doing what you learned?

I'd ask this a little bit differently.....WHO do you KNOW that can help you get a job in whatever field/company/etc where you want to work?

#2 is irrelevant. Getting a job is all about who you know....relevant experience/education or not. Sure, it helps, but having a degree won't get you a job. Knowing someone at a company that's in a position to help you will.

The OP would be wise to ask Mr Burke just what branch of computer sales he is in....because in his world , for that matter the entire "tech" world, he is probably right: education, skills, experience, integrity, honesty, are all trumped by knowing somebody.....

No wonder all "tech" shit works like it does.

yeah John, its called the real world.



Experience trumps education....to get experience, you need to get the job, to get the job, it IMMENSLY helps to KNOW someone first.


case in point....

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NoCoast
One got a job with the company his Dad works for right out of college, basically, because his Dad works there.

another case in point:

I got to tour VT Sports Car over Christmas because I went to high school with one of their Sr. Tech's older brother....when I said I was coming into town, he invited to the shop.

While there, I asked him how he originally got the job, and assuming he went to school for it, asked him where he went to college. His reply, "I didn't...I was going to culinary school at the time, and I dropped out."

BUT, he knew Lars Gange (who I knew as well, we all went to the same high school together)...who's VTSC's team photographer. Lars approached him, said they needed a tech and recommended him....that's how he got his job (and subsequently, his experience and 'education'). This guy was Pastrana's Sr. Tech and is now Higgins' Sr. tech.


I joking said I'd love to work there...he told me that they're hiring more techs soon and I could probably get a job (since I know him).

Again, I jokingly said, "well, I don't have any relevant education, just a few years experience working on my own rally car."

he looked straight at me, completely serious and said, "that's enough".



and now all of you know me....who could potentially introduce you to the guy that can help you get a job at VTSC if you want to move to VT. OR, you could wait until VTSC formally announces the job publically and you can send in your resume. Good luck with that.



oh, this guys name is Shaun....yah think Shaun will ever be w/o a job again? Probably not....why? because he fucking knows a shit ton of people in motor sports now who'd help him get a new job with a different team if he wanted to. Doesn't even matter what the job is.....

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Jon Burke - KI6LSW
Blog: http://psgrallywrx.blogspot.com/



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/13/2012 08:48PM by Jon Burke.

So as John pointed out, with a great case sample, the old saying "it's not what you know, it's who you know" runs true...

In the other real world, where you do need the right education to even be considered, it helps to know someone too... I can push anyones resume I want to the right people, with a recomemendation and they'll get an interview. But if you don't have the right qualifications it's not going anywhere.

-Martin.

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MRWmotorsports
So as John pointed out, with a great case sample, the old saying "it's not what you know, it's who you know" runs true...

In the other real world, where you do need the right education to even be considered, it helps to know someone too... I can push anyones resume I want to the right people, with a recomemendation and they'll get an interview. But if you don't have the right qualifications it's not going anywhere.

-Martin.

agreed, 100%. Despite all my sales experience and 'network', I could never get a job selling microchips. I don't have an EE degree nor relevant experience.


I guess my point/advice to the OP is.....you're asking the wrong question ('what school should I go to...'). You should figure out what you really want to do.....then figure out who you know in that field or similar job, or company or whatever. Talk to them, find out if you REALLY need to get a degree or not....if yes, then find out FROM THEM (not us), what school and degree you REALLY need.

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Jon Burke - KI6LSW
Blog: http://psgrallywrx.blogspot.com/



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/13/2012 09:22PM by Jon Burke.

oh, if you're not on LinkedIn, get on it...get a profile going and get connected to everyone you know from rally, work, etc, etc, etc.


Just out of curiousity I did a quick search to see who I know/connected to in the automotive industry....1 connection away from each of these guys:

At Tesla
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/john-spruill/11/205/6a6


this guy is in Everett, WA....looks like he only has a 2yr degree, impressive experience:
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/aaron-edman/4/303/281


Honeywell turbo technologies:
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/andrew-gardner/9/a5/57



Coincidentally, I'm connected to all these people through 1 guy that I know, because he must have worked with all of them at Saleen at one point (they all have Saleen on their resume).



WHO YOU KNOW IS EVERYTHING.

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Jon Burke - KI6LSW
Blog: http://psgrallywrx.blogspot.com/

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john vanlandingham


No wonder all "tech" shit works like it does.

How does it work, John? As good as your struts on a Gorman stage?


LinkedIn worked pretty fucking well there, eh? That's the kind of stuff I sell.

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Jon Burke - KI6LSW
Blog: http://psgrallywrx.blogspot.com/

Oxford Brokes for proper motorsports engineering education. Otherwise its going to be low end jobs, or just small teams etc... F1, WRC, GT and Touring car placements all have preference from this uni. There's 2 engineers here with me under 30yo that worked in F1 one 5 years and the other 6. Both hired straight out of college. American universities you might be able to place something like a grand am team or some local manufacturer but with the amount of unemployed tallent in the industry right now its going to be hard to find something decent period.

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Cosworth
Oxford Brokes for proper motorsports engineering education. Otherwise its going to be low end jobs, or just small teams etc... F1, WRC, GT and Touring car placements all have preference from this uni. There's 2 engineers here with me under 30yo that worked in F1 one 5 years and the other 6. Both hired straight out of college. American universities you might be able to place something like a grand am team or some local manufacturer but with the amount of unemployed tallent in the industry right now its going to be hard to find something decent period.

I had the opportunity to meet the Oxford Brookes Formula SAE team, and they are a bunch of knowledgeable people. They were is design semi-finals with us, we edged them out with a bit more overall knowledge and a greater understanding of vehicle dynamics. They are a very smart team though, very impressive, especially for how young the team was. I can see how they get picked for F1 right out of college.
Though calling Oxford Brookes a "proper motorsports engineering education" might be a stretch. I think it all goes back to who you know, as well as national pride. All the big race series are based in Europe, most in the UK/Germany. So I can see how recruitment from OB would be high.

They also offer some great classes in bio-engineering and a wide range of study for just standard MEs. A good friend of mine is getting her masters over there, really enjoying it.
Right now it seems like finding financial aid is getting easier by the day. Find financial aid for Oxford, go there and get an engineering degree.
Man, I'm starting to sound like a salesman for Oxford..... so.. GO TO OSU!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/14/2012 11:24AM by Robert Culbertson.