Is it too late to start an ME at 39?

[spike]

Well, it's almost 2am and I'm still stressing. Coming to y'all again for advice/opinions...

Due to health reasons, I may have to look for a 'desk job'. It's the proverbial 'if you can't stand the heat, get out 'da kitchen'...

I figure if I can't continue doing what I'm doing, may as well move up a notch...

Am I nuts in thinking about going to get an ME? I'd be about 45 y/o by graduation.... Sheesh, green @ 45...

Family, 2 kids, successful one man shop. I have about 10 years of this trade as a tech under my belt, and some decent associated paper hanging on the walls.

I have about 2 years of full active-duty GI Bill benefits remaining...

Whadaya think?

[newby-doobydoo]

Go for it. A couple of hard years ahead, but get the family behind you and then reap the rewards until your retirement.

You asked, may I be the first to deliver?

[swat]

Bamacracker did the same thing about the same point in his life. I would say do it. Bama said he landed his dream job about 5 months ago as well.

[tinman]

Good ole Bama, I can't believe he found somthing better than the Purina cat food factory.

[htg guy]

He jumped up to the "kibbles & Bits" factory I believe. Its amazing the "gravy" jobs one can get when one calls themself an engineer.

[Workhorse]

I thought ME stood for Medical Examiner

[Dowadudda]

Where is Bamacracker at? I haven't see him post in long while.

You know something, I was reading this article the other day, about the fact that on average 75% of the college population are of the adult variety, ages ranging from a few years beyond High School to 80 years old, and the majority of the adult education people are in the 30's and 40's. So your not alone in trying to return for your degree. You might be pleasantly surprized that some to most of your classmates hold down full time jobs and have families and are juggling the best they can to get their education.

From the financial point of veiw, atleast till you do get your first job after your graduation, I personally think the best way to do this is to remain self employed and shift your work and customers around your class schedule. No where will you find that flexibility working for someone else as you pursue your degree.

I wish you all the luck. And. Don't contemplate it all that much. Just jump in. If it don't work, it don't work, but if it does and you do well, just think where you might be in 6 or seven years. Kids out of the house, making some decent coin, decent work. No manual intensive labor any longer.

I personally, lately have been thinking in a simialair way. I am doing well. I had more than myself before as a shop and I wasn't built for that. I have reduced down to myself and another guy. It's okay. But, it's not that millionaire dream thing to me either anymore. I have become more realisitic. I make very decent money but, I work for it as a small company. I too want to look into the option for later where I am not the one humping it. I thought if I had built my shop up, that at 40 or 50, I would just manage. I guess I could change the gear once again and get to that level but, who knows. But thats just one option. The other options could become more clear with a degree. I am rambling. Good Luck to you..

[James 3528]

After moving around for years you will need a fat ass to be a ME and sit at a desk all day and the patients to work for someone else.. Bama has a fat ass.

I sub the attic jobs out and have about 10 years on ya and I bet a few pounds. Heat = Money.

Good luck with what ever you do.

[condenseddave]

Originally posted by htg guy
He jumped up to the "kibbles & Bits" factory I believe. Its amazing the "gravy" jobs one can get when one calls themself an engineer.

It's IAMS to be precise.

Damn, Kibbles and Bits? He can't stand Kibbles and Bits.

[The Penguin]

Am I nuts in thinking about going to get an ME? I'd be about 45 y/o by graduation.... Sheesh, green @ 45...

well if you don't do it now you will be 45 yrs old anyway WITHOUT an ME
you will just be older thats all

my dad started his apprenticeship at 52

so you have no excuses you are the one who is stopping you you are the one who is doubting you

[bigtime]

I have a BSME and a PE license. I also worked in the field for five years. The Engineering license is something I am proud of, but the five years of field experience are more valuable.

There are lots of office jobs in which an engineering degree would not help you that much. I work as an estimator/project manager for a company that does large healthcare projects. You don't need an engineering degree to do this type of job.

If you would like to work for a design engineering firm, an engineering degree would be important. I would not like this type of job. I know a lot of guys that do this type of work and it would not be for me. They spend most of their time doing autocad work. Don't get out of the office very often.

If I were you, I would figure out the type of job that would be most enjoyable, and then decide if the degree would be worth persuing. Good luck to you.

[spike]

Bama was the 1st person I thought of when considering this change; I get the impression he's still miffed at me from way back when I questioned "do heat pumps really save money"....

Still not enthused about givin' up my freedom, but if I stay in this industry, I think I'd like to get on with a major mfr, if possible. Doing what, I don't know. Don't really have much experience on anything big, DDC or BAS (althought I'd sure like to learn).

Went to the AAON school last month, that was impressive to me (1st factory scool). The enginers that spoke seemed like brainiacs, and most seemed tp be right around 30 or so...

In February, I competed a 7 week Basic Instructor Course from the Air Force which should come in handy sometime...

Bigtime, thanks for your answer. I read it 5 times. 4 years back in school at this point in my life would be a HUGE undertaking, not to mention I suck at math...

How does one go about moving up from the typical technician position into one of those office jobs? I don't even think I know enough about what all HVAC-related jobs actually exist in this industry, on a factory, design or engineering level.

[gilstrac]

I say go for it. You are old enough to know but remember education and degrees don't guarantee anything. It just provides more and different opportunities. It is what you do with these opportunities that make the difference. A person of your experience and maturity will probably find it easier than the youngsters once you blow out the cobwebs. I imagine you will just have to fight the time issue. At twenty, time seemed to be in over supply. At 36 it is precious resource I try and use wisely. At least that was my experience.
Do it. America needs more home grown engineers.

Another good field with a lot of demand: Nursing. My wife is getting her RN and it is amazing how accommodating the employers are to someone who is motivated and the pay is good too. Heck, I might follow her.

[NormChris]

Spike, have you considered teaching HVAC?

Norm

[stankap]

Spike,

I will trade you my BSME and MSES and PE license for your business. Engineers are a dime a dozen now adays. Stick with what you dod you are better off. I am currently a pump design engineer in the R&D dept. of a large corp. and get no respect. I was thinkin about getting the HVAC license so I canget out of this thankless job. Just some food for thought.

Stan

[stankap]

Oh yea, I'm 40 years old too. Must be that mid-life crisis thing.

Stan

[spike]

Originally posted by NormChris
Spike, have you considered teaching HVAC?

Norm

Yes, actually I have. But, I'm not ready to teach at this point in my life, at least not full time in a CC classroom setting. I used to train my troops all the time on drill weekends in the Guard, and I just became an Reserve instructor at the USAF Basic HVAC/R technical school...

Thanks again for the replys. I've had a new idea...

http://hvac-talk.com/vbb/showthread.php?threadid=52253

[kim]

With your assiociate peices of paper, is there a degree in there someplace? You might be able to get college credit for some of that.

Your HVAC training is a good background for an engineering degree. Go for it while you are young. The hardest thing about college was having young kids. It would be much easier now with the kids almost grownup.

[BamaCracker]

Yeah man, you are too late. I started at 38.

Pretty much the same reasons you are talking about. My health problems got worse and worse to the point I was almost useless. I worked two years full time while attending a local junior college, then took two years off while doing the "hard" part.

The advice you have received already is absolutely true; coming out the field and into engineering, they'll stand in line to talk to you. I received a call from a recruiter today offering me "up to" $15,000 more than I make now: bit I work for my dream company now, and in my dream location. I didn't even let him tell me what the job was.

When I got this dream job (about 6 months ago) I was being recruited by several companies, and turned down an offer from Science Diet to take a job for IAMs. It's not that I hate kibble that much, but my new boat needs a lot of room to turn and slow down. Up there where Science Diet wanted me to live, the largest body of water is 30 minutes away and not big enough to get my boat wound up.

My advice to you is: unless you are just stupid, GO FOR IT!

It will not be easy. But it WILL be worth it. My butt ain't near as big as it used to be, and not crawling around in attics and under houses has done wonders for my aches and pains. I work 10 hours a day because I want to, and I am home EVERY day before 5:00. No Saturdays, no holidays, and if I want to take an afternoon off to fish with my boys, no one cares.

[BamaCracker]

Originally posted by spike
I get the impression he's still miffed at me from way back when I questioned "do heat pumps really save money"....

I wasn't miffed. . . . . I just thought you were stupid!

Seriously though, I got burned out on the Internet, and on TV. Now days, I watch Star Gate and seldom even check my e-mail. The rest of the time, I am fishing or working in my yard and garden.

No anger with nobody.

Well, hardly no body. Some people just suck, you know?