At a Crossroads...Need Career Advice

[pinkychique]

I am in still college, I'm in my 4th year of getting an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering, though I probably have another year left. My problem is that I don't want to do a traditional 9-5 job, sitting in front of a desk all day. I would really rather design and build my own bikes, by hand, no middle man and no production line. I brought this up to my mother earlier today, saying that I wanted to build bikes, but all she said was, "Oh No! You DO NOT want to be in production!!" She doesn't understand what I mean, which I know I'll try again to explain it to her. But really everyone seems to think that I'm going to go to graduate school, which I am not. I have no interest in it.

To be honest, I would be happier working at a bike shop all day fixing bikes. I have more fun working on my bikes, making my hands bloody stumps (ok not really that bad, but I do routinely spend 12+ hours and not even realize it). But I'm not sure I can make a good living at it...houses are really expensive, and I do eventually want to get my own. And not to mention if I do end up having children, I want to be able to provide for them.

Where I work (I'm doing a MechE internship), there are so many PhD's, and my manager fantasizes about how he did math problems all day at MIT. I mean REALLY??!?!?! I don't have that much fun with it. And I'm not that smart.

Not to mention, most of what I heard about MechE jobs is that you quite often end up working many many more hours per week than 40, and I just can't handle that. I don't think it would be worth it for a desk job.

I really need advice!!!

Do any of you ladies build/work on bikes all day?? How did you get started?

[KnottedYet]

Why not take the first level of the UBI classes? It's a week long, housing is provided, nothing but bikes 24 hrs a day. http://www.bikeschool.com/

You could treat it like a vacation (keep your mom happy that way) and you'd learn a whole heck of a lot, and it would be the first step if you wanted to go on from there.

I've always wished I knew something about MechE, I'd like to be able to design and build wheelchairs/racingchairs/handcycles. (take a peek at One Off, they make some very cool handcycles) I'd love to see my cousin racing around on a road handcycle as gorgeous as a Vanilla. http://www.oneoffhandcycle.com/

[TsPoet]

To be honest, I would be happier working at a bike shop all day fixing bikes. I have more fun working on my bikes, making my hands bloody stumps (ok not really that bad, but I do routinely spend 12+ hours and not even realize it).
snip

Where I work (I'm doing a MechE internship), there are so many PhD's, and my manager fantasizes about how he did math problems all day at MIT. I mean REALLY??!?!?! I don't have that much fun with it. And I'm not that smart.
snip


I really need advice!!!

Do any of you ladies build/work on bikes all day?? How did you get started?

Wow, this is a heavy question. The biggest reason I'm posting an answer is because my answer is so very different this year than it would have been 5 years ago.
I have a PhD in toxicology and I've worked in pharmacokinetics at a Nat'l Lab for 10 years. My dream job when I was 25. I loved my job, I like the "authority" I felt, I knew what I knew and everyone else knew I knew it, too... That lasted until I was about 35, then I started to get burnt out. Now I'm wondering if I have the guts (at 41) to retire and do something else, like work in a bike shop!
I gotta say, I LOVE the "disposable income". Although grad school was a financial difficulty, since then I've been solvent.
Getting a degree in something like engineering gives you an odd type of Freedom, you have the education to do something, a lot more different somethings than you might imagine. As I said, my education is in toxicology, and I work in pharmacokinetics. Those are two very different, albeit related things. Any education in a science or technical field will give you that.
Education/a degree is freedom.
All this rambling, though, is probably leading you in a different direction that you think it is - my thought is - maybe take 1 year off and work in a bike shop. I took 1 year off and worked as a security guard. I actually loved that job, but it let me know that Grad school was right for me, I didn't want to be a security guard forever.
Good luck! and know what I didn't realize then, you have time to decide. My biggest regret is that I didn't spend another 6 months off between collage and grad school and backpack around Europe.

[Mr. Bloom]

Pincky, I'm not an engineer...but here's what I suggest:

• Get your degree
• Set off on an austerity lifestyle while you pursue your dream with bikes
• It's either going to work or not...if it does, then you know what to do. If not, you have options.
• Give yourself a predetermined time frame to reassess (say a year or two) before you'll reconsider your path

The question is not whether you can pursue your dream and passion...it's whether or not you are willing to make the short term trade-offs to see if you can succeed at it.

My Mercedes mechanic has a degree in Mechanical Engineering...but like you, he didn't see himself doing that...but he LOVES CARS...and that passion gives him a following...

[Skierchickie]

I'm assuming that you mean designing and building bikes, frame and all.

In my opinion, there is no time like the present to go for what you want. Have you researched bike manufacturers in the U.S.? Trek, for example - I'm sure they employ lots of M.E.s . You could get in somewhere like that to get some serious experience before heading off on your own. My dream when I was at your stage in the process was to go and work for a ski manufacturer, but I'm too chicken to pursue anything that far from home (not too many xc ski companies in the States). I don't think a career building bikes necessarily means making any trade-offs. Just don't start your career in a cement plant (or, in my case, a paper mill - man I detested that place!). Use your education and your passions to go in the direction you want - they should work hand-in-hand.

I'm an ME, and so is my DH. I work more hours than he does. He rarely puts in more than 40 hours per week, while my boss claims that 50 is the average for mechanical engineers (I suppose in a serious hint that he'd like to see that happen, but I try to set reasonable boundaries, and also work way late when needed - bosses do have a tendency to promise customers the world). My last job required 45, which often turned into 50-55 (with 1 week of vacation and 0 sick/personal time ). I don't often put in more than, say, 43 right now, but last winter my whole ski season was wrecked due to my job. You may as well be doing what you love - otherwise, what is the point? If you end up going into business for yourself, believe me, you'll be working plenty! Your degree is a tool to get you into the life you want. Personally, I limited my career opportunities to live where and how I want to live (no big cities for me!).

Good luck, and follow your dreams!

[divingbiker]

I'm a ChemE, and I haven't done any engineering work in over 20 years. It's an education, not a life sentence; engineering school teaches you how to solve problems, and you can apply that to any career you choose.

[crazycanuck]

A thought for you..

Why not finish Uni and then work your way round the world like many NZ/Aussie/Saffies do? Alot of young people wander away for many years, find themselves & head home to work.

Why not do some volunteer work with Engineers without Borders??

Just a thought.

C

[pinkychique]

Thank you for the advice!! It really helps! I think I have a vague plan now:

1) Finish my degree (as I was planning but that's what I keep getting told, too)
2) Take a year or so off of engineering stuff if I don't have a engineering job that I know that I'll absolutely love
3) Work at a bike shop and take classes about bikes ( I liked especially that the UBI has a bike MAKING course because ultimately that's what I want to do)

and see where it goes from there....

now to that dynamics homework that I'm being so productive on...

but also, I'm an up-and-coming triathlete, I am showing some real potential, and someday (maybe next summer??) I'm hoping to qualify for my pro card. But what that means is that I need like 30 hours a week to train.....And that's rough without trying to hold down 40 hour job...that's what I did last summer, and I'm going to have to next summer so that I can pay for a trip to ITU long course worlds...I'm probably in the worst sport for the broke college student....

[onimity]

Ditto what the others said.

If you do what really appeals to you, that is what you will be most successful at. And don't be disappointed if you don't find it right off the bat. Having been in business for myself, I recommend that you start by working with a well-established company in a role that may not be your dream job, but that gets you closer to where you want to be. Managing your own business is its own adventure, and one that is best approached with some serious savings and/or backing.

But I wish more than anything that I'd taken a year off between school and starting work to travel. It may seem like there is no money, no time, but trust me, that feeling only increases as you get older. And travel on the cheap is not only the best kind, but a lot easier than you might imagine. That, and in traveling I have learned so much about myself and what I want from life. Work is only a part of that. Take the time while you can to see how people in other countries, other continents, other cultures live.

And whatever you do, enjoy it, that is the most important thing.

Anne

[onimity]

aha, I cross-posted with you.

An idea for a year off: you can travel the world by bike.

You'll get plenty of experience working with bikes, and a cheap mode of transport too.

Anne

[pinkychique]

aha, I cross-posted with you.

An idea for a year off: you can travel the world by bike.

You'll get plenty of experience working with bikes, and a cheap mode of transport too.

Anne

I love that idea!!....now...to build a bike trailer....

[snowtulip]

Hi Pinky,
DH is a bike builder here in ABQ. He went to CNM (used to be TVI) and went through their welding program so that he could do his own frames. He's designed and built two of my bikes which I love.

He's addicted to bikes and still wanted to work at the bike shop as well to be surrounded by bike people, so he works there about 10 hrs/week (to me it's similar to volunteering). But he's managed to do what he loves and make a meager living because the welding has provided him other money making opportunities.

He's pretty content and just lives within his means in order to do what he enjoys.

[velogirl]

Pinkie! Definitely follow your dream while you're young. It's much more challenging to change careers and reduce your income potential once you're used to a certain standard of living.

Another thought, besides working at a bike shop, would be to apprentice with a local frame-builder (like snowtulip's husband?).

One word of advice regarding bike shop jobs. Not all bike shop owners are supportive of their employees' athletic careers. Remember, if you plan to train 30 hours a week (a bit high, I think), that cuts into your potential work hours. Also, your races will be on the weekends and most likely also require travel time. Weekends are prime bike-buying days so bike shop owners like to hire employees (especially those with less seniority) who can be available to work weekends.

[pinkychique]

good idea velogirl, maybe if not snowtulip's husband isn't willing to, then I'll look and see what I can find.

snowtulip: would you be willing to ask your husband?

Thanks all!

[velogirl]

btw, if not a long-term apprenticeship, maybe you could just spend a few days or even a few hours with a frame-builder. interview them, find out about their job (there's more involved than just welding and cutting tubes -- there's paperwork, too, and sweeping floors), see what they like, how they market themselves, etc. and then maybe you can observe them "doing" their job one day.