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No, I realized that Ivory's good luck was probably pretty rare. I've never met anyone, engineering or otherwise, with quite that nice of a schedule! It would be hard to leave. Something that people working in the nonprofit field sometimes struggle with, and perhaps this is true of those teachers or potential teachers, especially those who work or could work in more lucrative fields, is that you can work for a nonprofit for a low salary and do a lot of frontline work to address a need, or you could take a better-paying job in the corporate world, join the board of your chosen charity, donate financially, volunteer your time, possibly help direct your company's charitable giving, and potentially make a greater impact through that role than you do working in the nonprofit. I would guess that some teachers or would-be teachers could face similar issues.
I did not have a difficult work life as an engineer. I worked an 8 1/2 hour day (unpaid lunch) and went home for the most part. On the rare occaisions I worked overtime, I was paid to work it. We got all UAW holidays off, had cafeteria style benefits where we could purchase up to two extra weeks vacation (I had four weeks and bought to to get six). And I made good money. I was low paid for an engineer but I'll take that trade for pretty much a 40 hour work week.
Now, engineers on launch are another story. They do work long hours but they're paid for them too. I've been in design engineering (where I worked a 48 hour work week but was paid OT for Saturdays) and test engineering where I worked my 8 hours and went home. I've also worked production where I was required to work OT but, again, I was paid for it. I really can't complain about work time or pay in engineering.
I knew going into teaching I'd work more hours as a teacher than I did as an engineer even with the summers "off". I put in more than a year of time during the school year. Personally, I'd rather spread it out and have a schedule that's closer to what I had as an engineer.
You worked in the auto industry, then? That explains a number of things. And before someone assumes that's meant in some snarky fashion, I refer to the benefits and schedule you've brought up.
You worked in the auto industry, then? That explains a number of things. And before someone assumes that's meant in some snarky fashion, I refer to the benefits and schedule you've brought up.
The benefits were not unusual for engineering. I could have replaced them or even done better, easily, had I left the company. The wages in the company I worked for were on the low side but, as I've said, we were paid for any OT we worked where friends in other automotive companies were not. Their base salaries were higher but they didn't get OT pay. The holiday schedule was what it was because of the UAW. I had about 7 more days per year than most people get.
However, the point is that no one ever told me how easy my job was because of the time off when I was an engineer. Yet I worked far fewer hours and my time of was really time off. Of the two jobs, engineering was the easier of the two.
As with any other profession, though, we shouldn't extrapolate wholecloth from one person's wistful recollection. Based on the structural engineers among my acquaintance (I don't recall what kind of engineering she was in-- chemical, maybe?), she had one heck of a sweet deal. Further, Ivory left engineering to go into teaching at a time when a lot of employers hadn't yet started cutting back. In these days of massive layoffs and 15% pay cuts, the six-weeks'-vacation people are the first out the door. The ones still working haven't seen an eight hour day in ages, and are often showing up on weekends (where they run into the architects, who never leave the studio to begin with).
Is what I'm seeing indicative of the whole professional experience? Maybe not-- Florida's one of the worst-hit spots, economically, and the construction business is hit even harder than most. Floridian structural engineers are only about as indicative of the vast array of American professionals as are, say, chemical engineers in Michigan. Drawing back onto topic, it's the same thing with the school stories-- one charter school, or even one public school system, are probably not the whole story of American education.
Wistful recollection? Sorry dear, nothing wistful about it. What I've stated is what I worked. I'd know because I'm the one who worked it not you.
However, the point is that no one ever told me how easy my job was because of the time off when I was an engineer. Yet I worked far fewer hours and my time of was really time off. Of the two jobs, engineering was the easier of the two.
You were, though, working in a heavily-unionized industry known for amazing benefits and perqs, in an area of the country in which those sorts of benefits are not unusual. Even as a non-UAW member, the compensation expectations are different than for an engineer in, say, Wyoming or South Carolina. Try announcing those benefits in another location (other than maybe Akron or Cleveland) and see what response you get.
Wistful recollection? Sorry dear, nothing wistful about it. What I've stated is what I worked. I'd know because I'm the one who worked it not you.
"Wistful" doesn't mean "fictional". However, one tends to remember the best points, and gloss over the worst, particularly when one is planning to retreat to the place remembered.
It's not a personal character assessment, it's human behavior.
The benefits were not unusual for engineering. I could have replaced them or even done better, easily, had I left the company. The wages in the company I worked for were on the low side but, as I've said, we were paid for any OT we worked where friends in other automotive companies were not. Their base salaries were higher but they didn't get OT pay. The holiday schedule was what it was because of the UAW. I had about 7 more days per year than most people get.
However, the point is that no one ever told me how easy my job was because of the time off when I was an engineer. Yet I worked far fewer hours and my time of was really time off. Of the two jobs, engineering was the easier of the two.
Did you have as many discussions about your working conditions ( good or bad) with folks not in your work setting? Discussion invites comments.
"Wistful" doesn't mean "fictional". However, one tends to remember the best points, and gloss over the worst, particularly when one is planning to retreat to the place remembered.
It's not a personal character assessment, it's human behavior.
No, it means to remember fondly as if you're remembering only the good stuff. I posted everything. Not just the stuff I fondly remember. Your accusations that my memory is wistful are unfounded andout of line.
Yes. People discuss their working conditions all the time. Why do you ask?
Just wondering if you were in Engineering forums discussing the work conditions, salary etc. Assuming you were did people outside of the profession participate in the discussion?
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Sorry dear, nothing wistful about it. What I've stated is what I worked. I'd know because I'm the one who worked it not you.
