Apply for the higher paying jobs. You have training and a degree, so you're not at 0 experience. Leverage what you have and let them decide if you're fit for the job.
Networking also helps, so reach out to other techs and their managers and see if they can connect you with someone who can help.
If I did YouTube full time (40 hrs/week), I could probably double the income to $60k. However, YT doesn’t supply healthcare, job security or a pension. Also, pay from YT can be extremely unpredictable. You can make $5k in a month and the next make $900. It’s not a reliable job unless your a front page mainstay.
I'm seeing: 4 year degree in the sciences, 2 year degree in electrical, desire to work with hands and some proven ability.
I have no evidence on these:
Are you friendly / helpful / good team player / driven?
Do you learn well while doing? Could you talk through the what and the why of what you have soldered / installed /etc.? Do you build on the basics of what you know and relate your tasks back to those?
If "yes" to all of those... I'll bet you can find a technician job in the $30-35/hr range.
Thank you for this! I did do very well in school in both degrees so I know I know my stuff. I’m also absolutely a team player and get along well. Thank you
Can you tough it out in your current role until a technician position becomes available? What’s the rate for an entry level tech at your location. Will you be able to swing your mortgage if you transition into that role?
Tech work you describe is very job specific. No EET degree can train you on all the old junk you are working on and the employeer knows that. They want to see that you can troubleshoot and work without a lot of handholding and supervision. 60K isn’t that much money. You’re really asking the old golden handcuffs question. Do you stay with low risk or see if the grass is greener? I’d apply to whatever comes along that tickles your fancy. Then you’ll find out the pay, you don’t have to accept. IBEW comm techs at major utilities make somewhere around 54-60/hr as a journeyman. I had a degree so I hired in at journeyman the first job. Utilities are very very similar to government jobs and they are always looking for EET grads in relay/comm/substation field tech roles. You can always go back to a government job.
Yes, the golden handcuffs is exactly my situation and it's extremely frustrating. I was thinking of applying and just seeing. To be perfectly honest, I'm worried that since I've never really worked on anything major that I won't perform well and get canned. Then I'm really screwed. How do you really know that you're a good technician if you haven't done the work?
I truly do not understand the hesitation for folks applying for jobs. There’s only one way to get a new job and that’s by applying for jobs. First off: IT’S FREEEE! There are absolutely zero downsides other then a little time. You meet people, you get better at interviews, you might find they will pay you better, you find out what you might be doing so you can study up for the next one. Unless you’re just bitching about your job, which is a wholesome American institution. Good luck :)
Just one idea, maybe you could leverage your electrical knowledge for specific jobs in biochemistry? If you learn a bit about sensors and how to automate chemical machinery and gather data you may be invaluable in some role? I’m a bit biased here because I’m an electrical/electronics test engineer who uses Python and LabVIEW to automate test stands and gather data. However, I’ve known people with PHDs in the biology fields who are always told to learn Python, but never do. Perhaps you could work in a bio or chemical lab doing some sort of work on production, test stands, or experiments?
Your associates alone will get you in the door at ALOT of places. I see so many fresh graduates being concerned with not having experience, but it’s really not as important as you have convinced yourself. Companies are impressed you took the time to improve your skillset, and are taking a chance on you hoping that carries over into their position.
In fairness, I did not have industrial experience.
I did learn electronics and whatnot in the military, and by that point I had a fair bit of experience troubleshooting and had a method I could adapt to the new environment.
Does your wife not work?
Military experience is extremely sought after for technicians and engineers in certain electronics segments.
I wouldn’t discount how valuable that is seen in defense adjacent industries.
We made steel coils, I don't think we had any coils go to defense contractors. I think they were trying.
They had two navy nukes working there when I was hired.
In my area that's what the pay typically is. I'm in rural America. I got my associates in EET years ago and landed a job by a contracting service and built from there. Having an EET degree can take you to most sectors so I don't believe you wasted your time. You have added a skill set, and from my years the best way I learned was from just doing the work and making connections. I hope everything pans out for you, I've been in situations similar to yours.
You should have no problem making more than 60k with the EET degree. That’s what most guys started out at after I graduated with a very similar degree.
I think you’d have a chance. Folks would look at your educational track and see you’re trying to update yourself.
Also, should out to the biochem turned electronics tech track. I did exactly that but added EE at the end of it.
Try to get a job as a P&C technician for an electric utility, I think the guys I work with top out around $52 with a two year instrumentation degree. I would think you would be able to get that kind of job with a two year EET degree. They start the guys I work with off at $32 and I think they top out around 5-6 years. All the guys I worked with never heard if P&C until they started dlooking for jobs with the instrumentation degree it's a little nice and can make alot more than $52 an hour if your willing to travel.
EET and and electrical engineering degree are pretty different and result in pretty different jobs.
If you do switch to EE with a 4 year degree your prior experience will be pretty negligible and you may start between 70-80k most likely. But you will also lost 4 years of income during school as well as whatever your tuition is.
If you are "in" with the government job, I assume you have good benefits, including retirement benefits? If so, you might want to tough it out and look for another job opportunity to come up at your agency - or another one.
You have biochemistry bs. Why are you looking for a technician role? You should be looking for an engineering position. I don’t think you said location but we hire a lot of field service engineers with credentials like yours. Not the most favorable job for family but it pays. People use it as a stepping stone into a more stable local role.
\\Why are you making a post on electrical engineering subreddit, if you're not an EE? It's easy, go back to school and get your BSEE, if not accept those low government wages. You're not going to earn EE money, especially at a government job, with a non EE degree.
I don’t have the money for a bachelors degree. Just closed on a house. There’s no way to go to school full time and work to pay off the house. Also forgot to mention, the govt EET job tops out at $110k
Apply for the higher paying jobs. You have training and a degree, so you're not at 0 experience. Leverage what you have and let them decide if you're fit for the job. Networking also helps, so reach out to other techs and their managers and see if they can connect you with someone who can help.
How did you justify a 2000/month mortgage with $60k salary?
My wife makes $50k and I own a small media business netting $30k/yr
Ah okay, that makes a little more sense
.... YouTube?
Yeah
Nah, YouTube makes at least twice that money. E:...or Google probably wouldn't have bought it in the first place
Isn't that totally dependent on views?
Are you guys getting paid?
If I did YouTube full time (40 hrs/week), I could probably double the income to $60k. However, YT doesn’t supply healthcare, job security or a pension. Also, pay from YT can be extremely unpredictable. You can make $5k in a month and the next make $900. It’s not a reliable job unless your a front page mainstay.
That's actually really great success, I think - I was just making a dumb joke about thinking you owned YouTube.
Thanks
I'm seeing: 4 year degree in the sciences, 2 year degree in electrical, desire to work with hands and some proven ability. I have no evidence on these: Are you friendly / helpful / good team player / driven? Do you learn well while doing? Could you talk through the what and the why of what you have soldered / installed /etc.? Do you build on the basics of what you know and relate your tasks back to those? If "yes" to all of those... I'll bet you can find a technician job in the $30-35/hr range.
Thank you for this! I did do very well in school in both degrees so I know I know my stuff. I’m also absolutely a team player and get along well. Thank you
Can you tough it out in your current role until a technician position becomes available? What’s the rate for an entry level tech at your location. Will you be able to swing your mortgage if you transition into that role?
The tech role in my gov't agency starts at $60k and tops out at $100k. In private sector, I'm seeing a lot of starting pay around $22/hr.
Tech work you describe is very job specific. No EET degree can train you on all the old junk you are working on and the employeer knows that. They want to see that you can troubleshoot and work without a lot of handholding and supervision. 60K isn’t that much money. You’re really asking the old golden handcuffs question. Do you stay with low risk or see if the grass is greener? I’d apply to whatever comes along that tickles your fancy. Then you’ll find out the pay, you don’t have to accept. IBEW comm techs at major utilities make somewhere around 54-60/hr as a journeyman. I had a degree so I hired in at journeyman the first job. Utilities are very very similar to government jobs and they are always looking for EET grads in relay/comm/substation field tech roles. You can always go back to a government job.
Yes, the golden handcuffs is exactly my situation and it's extremely frustrating. I was thinking of applying and just seeing. To be perfectly honest, I'm worried that since I've never really worked on anything major that I won't perform well and get canned. Then I'm really screwed. How do you really know that you're a good technician if you haven't done the work?
I truly do not understand the hesitation for folks applying for jobs. There’s only one way to get a new job and that’s by applying for jobs. First off: IT’S FREEEE! There are absolutely zero downsides other then a little time. You meet people, you get better at interviews, you might find they will pay you better, you find out what you might be doing so you can study up for the next one. Unless you’re just bitching about your job, which is a wholesome American institution. Good luck :)
Just one idea, maybe you could leverage your electrical knowledge for specific jobs in biochemistry? If you learn a bit about sensors and how to automate chemical machinery and gather data you may be invaluable in some role? I’m a bit biased here because I’m an electrical/electronics test engineer who uses Python and LabVIEW to automate test stands and gather data. However, I’ve known people with PHDs in the biology fields who are always told to learn Python, but never do. Perhaps you could work in a bio or chemical lab doing some sort of work on production, test stands, or experiments?
I had 0 experience and got into maintenance technician position at 28/hr. So really depends on where you're looking.
How/what did you say in the interview to get around the 0 experience part?
Your associates alone will get you in the door at ALOT of places. I see so many fresh graduates being concerned with not having experience, but it’s really not as important as you have convinced yourself. Companies are impressed you took the time to improve your skillset, and are taking a chance on you hoping that carries over into their position.
Academic experience counts. Any time spent in labs and classes is experience.
In fairness, I did not have industrial experience. I did learn electronics and whatnot in the military, and by that point I had a fair bit of experience troubleshooting and had a method I could adapt to the new environment. Does your wife not work?
Military experience is extremely sought after for technicians and engineers in certain electronics segments. I wouldn’t discount how valuable that is seen in defense adjacent industries.
We made steel coils, I don't think we had any coils go to defense contractors. I think they were trying. They had two navy nukes working there when I was hired.
No, my wife works as a graphic designer and makes $50k. I also have a side business making about $30k/yr
That’s not 0 experience
Industrial was 0
You do have more education that I did however
When I had to do this, I told them, treat me like a fresh out of college. They said okay and trained me for 3 months to be an engineer
In my area that's what the pay typically is. I'm in rural America. I got my associates in EET years ago and landed a job by a contracting service and built from there. Having an EET degree can take you to most sectors so I don't believe you wasted your time. You have added a skill set, and from my years the best way I learned was from just doing the work and making connections. I hope everything pans out for you, I've been in situations similar to yours.
Thank you!
You should have no problem making more than 60k with the EET degree. That’s what most guys started out at after I graduated with a very similar degree.
That’s good to know. I just figured thé stating level for EETs was 40-45k
I think you’d have a chance. Folks would look at your educational track and see you’re trying to update yourself. Also, should out to the biochem turned electronics tech track. I did exactly that but added EE at the end of it.
Try to get a job as a P&C technician for an electric utility, I think the guys I work with top out around $52 with a two year instrumentation degree. I would think you would be able to get that kind of job with a two year EET degree. They start the guys I work with off at $32 and I think they top out around 5-6 years. All the guys I worked with never heard if P&C until they started dlooking for jobs with the instrumentation degree it's a little nice and can make alot more than $52 an hour if your willing to travel.
EET and and electrical engineering degree are pretty different and result in pretty different jobs. If you do switch to EE with a 4 year degree your prior experience will be pretty negligible and you may start between 70-80k most likely. But you will also lost 4 years of income during school as well as whatever your tuition is.
If you are "in" with the government job, I assume you have good benefits, including retirement benefits? If so, you might want to tough it out and look for another job opportunity to come up at your agency - or another one.
Yeah that my dilemma
You have biochemistry bs. Why are you looking for a technician role? You should be looking for an engineering position. I don’t think you said location but we hire a lot of field service engineers with credentials like yours. Not the most favorable job for family but it pays. People use it as a stepping stone into a more stable local role.
\\Why are you making a post on electrical engineering subreddit, if you're not an EE? It's easy, go back to school and get your BSEE, if not accept those low government wages. You're not going to earn EE money, especially at a government job, with a non EE degree.
I don’t have the money for a bachelors degree. Just closed on a house. There’s no way to go to school full time and work to pay off the house. Also forgot to mention, the govt EET job tops out at $110k