While I loved the military, this is zero stress comparitively. Many engineers pursuit their career for the love of technicality and get lost in the management side. Seeing how my high school friends who have done finance , law, or even just opened a restaurant have much better social network , happier and most of them have more money than me. Thanks for writing! One of the engineers I worked with that stumbled into work late after drinking the night before has turned things around. You never know how it’s going to turn out. https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2011/03/9510/new-ucsf-robotic-pharmacy-aims-improve-patient-safety. The craze for programming and IT field seems to be gone now for me. Don’t know where to start… I got my EE and after my first gig at a small defense contractor, I went to work at Compaq Computer (later HP) in ’89. However, dreams change and often do so with major life events (e.g. I think towards the end of my employment, they had poor managerial leadership in the design teams that I worked on. After that for two years in G.E taking up Qualifying Exam where you gonna chose what major you’re taking up and if you’re qualified enough for that particular field. Job #5 lasted 2 1/2 years and the site was unceremoniously closed in 2003. I persevered. "The engineer replied, "Oh, I hate to see a hospital." Back in high school, I learned how to pass subjects even when I despise the subjects. I still consider myself retired. However, it was getting difficult for us to get a helper who will look after our children while my husband and I are at work. I also hate fighting computer design software everyday ( and mixed signal simulators); it removes my motivation. You know honestly I’m not so called academic achiever got all the rewards, the quizzer type person, I’m just an ordinary guy who barely can’t imagine how I survived got this so far. Stressed beyond measure and unable to disconnect when not at the office. Long hours yes, but there was an energy, a life to that place that was amazing. I’m only mid 40s so I’m trying to decide on a semi-retirement path that will keep me engaged/active beyond just doing volunteer work. Then I shifted psychology bec I got really interested studying the the behavior of human. Now I have become mature enough and reached this stage in engineering school to question if I am made for this course, or if I want to become a chemical engineer. Although, like you said, most people do not notice nor care for these items (I’m hoping consumer preferences change). I know it’s tough. All this has been very hard – but I wish he could find something he enjoyed so he can get in another 5-8 years of an actual enjoyable working experience where his skills are valued..I just don’t know if that exist anymore..it is very sad the human tool all this corporate cost-savings has had! But I just don’t want to do engineering anymore. He is an engineer and I am in accounting/finance. It’s not a good place to be unless you’re doing analog design. Except we have not invested in a way I could retire at 45 and still eat, not to mention raise the kids for about 12 more years and put them through college. Also try to find different ways to make extra money on the side if possible. As I was writing this comment, I realized that my perspective is already extremely negative. But I feel trapped in my job to retain health insurance as a single bad day could bankrupt me if I was without. Yet, engineering is essentially about innovation and creativity, that’s what makes it exciting and relevant to our daily life – in that sense, it’s like an Art where engineer is the Artist, that could only be achieved by creative approach to engineering and through an entrepreneurial venture; the excitement of running your own engineering venture, employing other people who become your friends and teammates, where success of the venture depends on your leadership and ingenuity – tapping in every bit of your academic knowledge and challenging your intellectual abilities on daily basis, such challenge is what makes life worthy of living, not financial independence through government or private pension plans. I have to say, I experienced it in every company as well as the insensitive lay-offs with no warning or consideration for the lives of those laid off. So they gave me a chance. If your team fails you will be under scrutiny even if you didn’t had any influence on the bad decisions made by your team leaders. I think it’s tough to stay an individual contributor these days. I only have two semesters left, but grades are plummeting despite even working harder. After selling my business, I was able to afford becoming a “slash” in a field that I really enjoy – fashion. “the average person is done with Intel after about five”, Voluntary turnover rate at Intel is currently 2%. I noticed at Collins, that one unit of work has to be done with one lead designer plus 3 juniors, instead of one individual contributor. Randy, that is such a fabulous point that so many of us ex-Engineers beyond 40 are frustrated by, and as younger students we didn’t think about. I guess I should have held out for a vsp, but I couldn’t stand going into the office anymore. Were merged and my GPA once dropped near the drop-out level, colors fits! 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