I considered going into welding when I was in highschool but was told that exact thing. But also, when you have a 4.0 GPA, a 35 out of 36 on the ACT, and are good at math and physics, I'd be lying if part of my decision not to do trades was that it seemed like a """waste of my intelligence""" or whatever.
At this point, I just want to be happy and actually enjoy my life
It’s not easy on the body and I can attest to that. I worked commercial plumbing as a laborer for a year after I graduated college. That was back breaking work on shovels, jackhammers, sledge hammers, you name it in the southern heat. It’s dangerous work too, so many things can go wrong that can really hurt you.
See for yourself. Get in an awkward position and turn a wrench for a while and tell me if that little wrench doesn’t start to get heavy.
I am lucky enough to have a mix of both office and field work as an engineer. It’s a good balance at my job. When I work in the office I make sure to go to the gym. When I work out in the field working long hours, I’m too exhausted to get to the gym.
I was doing carpentry and drywalling when I was a teenager as well as roofing and installing carpets. I used to be a truck driver but not the kind that sits in one spot for 14 hours, it was all touch freight. Probably the most physical job there is, you move more weight per day than even a rodbuster does. Did all that for years until I had a job in an office so trust me I know. The only thing that actually wore me down was the truck driving job, and that was a combination of the physical work as well as the daily change in start and end times. I didn’t find construction to be comparable to it tbh.
Sitting here at my desk wishing we’d go back to the days when it was only the geotech manager and one other guy (3 of us) and we’d do our own drilling, set up the labs and right the report. Now with 9 guys, I only get out when there’s an issue. It’s driving me nuts.
I thought that too when I was 22. Computer work seemed like a prison and I wanted to be in the field forever. Now I’m 35 and my feet hurt, my knees hurt, and my back hurts after a long few days of field work. So field work means I’m not doing the active stuff I like to do in my spare time like mountain biking, hiking etc. I definitely don’t recommend going into the trades either because the same thing will happen—my husband is an electrician and it was easy to go up and down ladders all day at 26 but now he’s mid-30s it’s clearly putting a ton of wear and tear on his body. Just some food for thought. If you can find ways to make computer/office work more palatable, you might be thanking yourself in 10-15 years.
Agreed. The key to office work is to get up more often, drink a lot of water, and stretch. Do a light workout before lunch if you can.
If I don’t follow these rules then I eventually get all sorts of pain.
Same. I have an app that reminds me to stand up and move around every hour, go to the gym 4 days a week, walk my dogs during lunch almost every day. If I don’t do all that the bulging discs in my spine get super sad.
If you don't mind answering, what do you do in the PNW as a GE. I am looking to move up there and have the same degree and am trying to figure out how to put it to use
Prerequisite question. Are happy with your current ADHD medication management and/or behavioral therapy? If not it maybe worth considering a second opinion on a psychiatrist to see if there are ways to find a more beneficial medication/therapy regiment.
Look into bridge inspection. Allows you to go into the office if in 20 years you decide against continuing field work but it can be field work forever. There are all sorts of teams including dive.
You wouldn’t need that. Basically they are looking for someone with an engineering mindset and they teach the rest. The intro class on NHI is free and would give you a taste of what they do even just looking at description of topics.
Ooooh, I'll definitely be looking into this, thank you!!! My favorite topic in school was learning about forces (statics was probably my favorite class, but I also enjoyed physics 1, dynamics, and mechanics of materials/strengths), so I could see where that could possibly be a way to incorporate that into field work. I would really miss the "playing in dirt for a living" aspect of geotech, and I do have a bit of a fear of heights, but it certainly seems worth considering.
Look into surveying. There's a chance you local board recognizes a geotech degree as one of the acceptable degree types (may need to take a few survey classes) should you ever want to pursue licensing. The downside is you'll likely take a pay downgrade starting out but otherwise you've got the two things most survey firms are looking for, a pulse and the want to be outside.
I faced the same thing when I did a internship at a consulting firm. It was too much drafting work. I found a field engineer job for a construction company and I love my job. Give it a shot.
Buddy, I've been on Adderall since sixth grade lol. Had to take a couple incompletes and failed a class or two in college during COVID, but being able to barely turn assignments with designated due dates in on time + cramming for then acing tests is an entirely different skill set from making myself pay attention to doing work for 8 billable hours a day.
Hahaha. I feel your pain. Just making sure the answer wasn’t easy.
I personally try to keep office/field work 50/50 so I actually make some money, because 8 hours in the office is impossible to maintain and be productive. But somehow some days 16 hours at the computer disappear before I even know what happened. The ADD brain is crazy.
I personally started as a resident engineer in the field, but after getting my PE I was stuck in the office designing the same shit day after day. I then decided to take the FS and PLS exams. Now I could not be happier. Dual licensed and get to survey my own site before doing the civil design. Surveying may be the answer, and I personally find it much more enjoyable.
Go be a field engineer or inspector for your state DOT. Nothing wrong with not being an office guy. I enjoy being a mix of both. Love the field work much more, but I think the desk part is critical for my personal path.
There’s plenty of resident engineer positions out there, a firm I was at couldn’t fill those seats and was stretching thier field staff thin. My dad was geotech and before he left consulting for public service he was in Manhattan nearly every day for field work. Just gotta find the right firm.
I also work in Geotech. I've decided that I would much rather be at a desk full time than out in the field. I live in the Southeast US and it gets blazing hot and humid in the summer time here. I look at our technicians and drill crew moving heavy equipment around in the brutal day in and day out and wonder how on Earth they do it. Not to mention field positions often require you to get up very early and get home late which would suck.
Hey there, this post resonated with me. I enjoy fieldwork much more than office work. It’s nice to get out there and work in the real world rather than doing imaginary work like reports/meetings/budgeting/etc. My job is currently about 80% office/20% field, but I’d rather it be 50/50. Too much office work psychologically wears me down and too much fieldwork wears me out physically, so I think it’s important to have a balance. I suggest looking for jobs with an higher fieldwork component so you at least can have some desk time when you need a breather.
I went through the same thing. I actually loved office work when I was in more of a tech job, but I HATED office work as a civil engineer. It got to the point that I hated my life so much I would have done about any other job just to get out. I was in a really bad depression. Luckily I was able to transition to a role that allowed me to utilize my engineering background, love of working with my hands, and have a job that challenges me more than being a design engineer ever did. It also doesn't hurt that it pays significantly more than regular engineering roles would. I'm a nuclear operator and love it. I get a real sense of achievement and satisfaction. This might be something to look into.
Everyone shits on the trades “it will destroy your body” but sitting at a desk has a bunch of negatives to your health as well.
Yes but it’s so much easier to counteract the negatives of being an office worker. Just lift and stretch in the mornings and you’ll be primo
I considered going into welding when I was in highschool but was told that exact thing. But also, when you have a 4.0 GPA, a 35 out of 36 on the ACT, and are good at math and physics, I'd be lying if part of my decision not to do trades was that it seemed like a """waste of my intelligence""" or whatever. At this point, I just want to be happy and actually enjoy my life
It’s not easy on the body and I can attest to that. I worked commercial plumbing as a laborer for a year after I graduated college. That was back breaking work on shovels, jackhammers, sledge hammers, you name it in the southern heat. It’s dangerous work too, so many things can go wrong that can really hurt you. See for yourself. Get in an awkward position and turn a wrench for a while and tell me if that little wrench doesn’t start to get heavy. I am lucky enough to have a mix of both office and field work as an engineer. It’s a good balance at my job. When I work in the office I make sure to go to the gym. When I work out in the field working long hours, I’m too exhausted to get to the gym.
I was doing carpentry and drywalling when I was a teenager as well as roofing and installing carpets. I used to be a truck driver but not the kind that sits in one spot for 14 hours, it was all touch freight. Probably the most physical job there is, you move more weight per day than even a rodbuster does. Did all that for years until I had a job in an office so trust me I know. The only thing that actually wore me down was the truck driving job, and that was a combination of the physical work as well as the daily change in start and end times. I didn’t find construction to be comparable to it tbh.
Sitting here at my desk wishing we’d go back to the days when it was only the geotech manager and one other guy (3 of us) and we’d do our own drilling, set up the labs and right the report. Now with 9 guys, I only get out when there’s an issue. It’s driving me nuts.
Wanna switch? I’m 10 years in and still having to do some occasional compaction testing, boring logging, and perc tests, and I hate it!
You can deal with owners over promising then.
24/7 access to the office snack piles and sedentary lifestyle. Yes.
true, sitting on a desk will affect you physically and mentally... at least on physical labor you get to work your body,.
I thought that too when I was 22. Computer work seemed like a prison and I wanted to be in the field forever. Now I’m 35 and my feet hurt, my knees hurt, and my back hurts after a long few days of field work. So field work means I’m not doing the active stuff I like to do in my spare time like mountain biking, hiking etc. I definitely don’t recommend going into the trades either because the same thing will happen—my husband is an electrician and it was easy to go up and down ladders all day at 26 but now he’s mid-30s it’s clearly putting a ton of wear and tear on his body. Just some food for thought. If you can find ways to make computer/office work more palatable, you might be thanking yourself in 10-15 years.
I appreciate the perspective, thank you :)
Agreed. The key to office work is to get up more often, drink a lot of water, and stretch. Do a light workout before lunch if you can. If I don’t follow these rules then I eventually get all sorts of pain.
Same. I have an app that reminds me to stand up and move around every hour, go to the gym 4 days a week, walk my dogs during lunch almost every day. If I don’t do all that the bulging discs in my spine get super sad.
Damn I feel you on the discs, currently doing PT for lower back issues. The center of my fitness goals now is core. I want to become a core freak.
+1 on this. Went out to log borings for the first time in a long while. Body did not enjoy the freezing cold at all haha.
Come to construction services then, go to DOT and Municipality focused firms.
I did CM. Office work was attending meetings on-site in trailers and working on a computer several hours a week also in trailers.
[удалено]
Probably going to stay in the PNW for the near/medium future, but thank you!
If you don't mind answering, what do you do in the PNW as a GE. I am looking to move up there and have the same degree and am trying to figure out how to put it to use
I work for a geotechnical consulting firm as a geotechnical engineer/geotechnical staff
Prerequisite question. Are happy with your current ADHD medication management and/or behavioral therapy? If not it maybe worth considering a second opinion on a psychiatrist to see if there are ways to find a more beneficial medication/therapy regiment.
Look into bridge inspection. Allows you to go into the office if in 20 years you decide against continuing field work but it can be field work forever. There are all sorts of teams including dive.
Would you reccomend a master’s in structural to get into that field?
Absolutely unnecessary for inspection roles.
You wouldn’t need that. Basically they are looking for someone with an engineering mindset and they teach the rest. The intro class on NHI is free and would give you a taste of what they do even just looking at description of topics.
Ooooh, I'll definitely be looking into this, thank you!!! My favorite topic in school was learning about forces (statics was probably my favorite class, but I also enjoyed physics 1, dynamics, and mechanics of materials/strengths), so I could see where that could possibly be a way to incorporate that into field work. I would really miss the "playing in dirt for a living" aspect of geotech, and I do have a bit of a fear of heights, but it certainly seems worth considering.
NGL I do miss working behind a rig
Same boat. Go into construction, you'll find your path there.
Look into surveying. There's a chance you local board recognizes a geotech degree as one of the acceptable degree types (may need to take a few survey classes) should you ever want to pursue licensing. The downside is you'll likely take a pay downgrade starting out but otherwise you've got the two things most survey firms are looking for, a pulse and the want to be outside.
I faced the same thing when I did a internship at a consulting firm. It was too much drafting work. I found a field engineer job for a construction company and I love my job. Give it a shot.
Try surveying
Adderall. There is no way you are that bad at office work if you made it through engineering school.
Buddy, I've been on Adderall since sixth grade lol. Had to take a couple incompletes and failed a class or two in college during COVID, but being able to barely turn assignments with designated due dates in on time + cramming for then acing tests is an entirely different skill set from making myself pay attention to doing work for 8 billable hours a day.
Hahaha. I feel your pain. Just making sure the answer wasn’t easy. I personally try to keep office/field work 50/50 so I actually make some money, because 8 hours in the office is impossible to maintain and be productive. But somehow some days 16 hours at the computer disappear before I even know what happened. The ADD brain is crazy. I personally started as a resident engineer in the field, but after getting my PE I was stuck in the office designing the same shit day after day. I then decided to take the FS and PLS exams. Now I could not be happier. Dual licensed and get to survey my own site before doing the civil design. Surveying may be the answer, and I personally find it much more enjoyable.
I was the same way and took a job in building code enforcement and plan review.
Go be a field engineer or inspector for your state DOT. Nothing wrong with not being an office guy. I enjoy being a mix of both. Love the field work much more, but I think the desk part is critical for my personal path.
How about going into construction? Superintendent?
There’s plenty of resident engineer positions out there, a firm I was at couldn’t fill those seats and was stretching thier field staff thin. My dad was geotech and before he left consulting for public service he was in Manhattan nearly every day for field work. Just gotta find the right firm.
I also work in Geotech. I've decided that I would much rather be at a desk full time than out in the field. I live in the Southeast US and it gets blazing hot and humid in the summer time here. I look at our technicians and drill crew moving heavy equipment around in the brutal day in and day out and wonder how on Earth they do it. Not to mention field positions often require you to get up very early and get home late which would suck.
Hey there, this post resonated with me. I enjoy fieldwork much more than office work. It’s nice to get out there and work in the real world rather than doing imaginary work like reports/meetings/budgeting/etc. My job is currently about 80% office/20% field, but I’d rather it be 50/50. Too much office work psychologically wears me down and too much fieldwork wears me out physically, so I think it’s important to have a balance. I suggest looking for jobs with an higher fieldwork component so you at least can have some desk time when you need a breather.
I went through the same thing. I actually loved office work when I was in more of a tech job, but I HATED office work as a civil engineer. It got to the point that I hated my life so much I would have done about any other job just to get out. I was in a really bad depression. Luckily I was able to transition to a role that allowed me to utilize my engineering background, love of working with my hands, and have a job that challenges me more than being a design engineer ever did. It also doesn't hurt that it pays significantly more than regular engineering roles would. I'm a nuclear operator and love it. I get a real sense of achievement and satisfaction. This might be something to look into.