[Corsa GT]

I've read various threads on the forum, and talk to Kevin (Trackbird) frequently, and just figured this would be a good place to put my question out there. I can't very well get it answered if I don't ask.

I'm fresh out of high school, and currently plan on going to Kettering University (the former GMI) in the fall. My question is this: What exactly goes on during an average day for you guys? I'm talking automotive mechanical, of course. I love playing around with my Miata, thoroughly enjoyed my short ownership period of an LT1 TA, and have been learning intensively about cars in the last few years. I always find myself wondering how something could be improved when tackling a problem, or processing a variety of ways to attack a problem. I strongly feel this is something I want to do, and could enjoy doing for quite some time.

What I don't want is to be sitting in front of AutoCad for 10 hours a day, 50 weeks a year. This is not saying I don't want to use something like that weekly, even daily, just not all day every day. I'm not an artist, either, much past giving poor representations during dinner on napkins (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/cool.gif) . I see myself wanting to be with a few other people, bouncing ideas back and forth, finding shortcomings and improvements on each other's. I don't mind working the often required late hours, nor do I mind traveling. I'm not sure how much it really matters, but when I recently took a questionnaire through school a few months ago, asking me about my interests, interaction habits, and other personality traits, engineering was high an the list of recommended occupations.

With all of that out of the way, I come back to the initial question: What is an average day like? Is there any advice you can give me about this field? I appreciate any and all input. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[fa63]

Getting a job in the automotive industry is extremely hard nowadays. My brother is a mechanical engineer (he was a good student as well), and he had no luck finding a job automotive related even though he is extremely knowledgable when it comes to cars (my dad is a mechanic with 35 years of experience). Actually, he has had no luck finding a job in his field, so he works as a structural engineer right now (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I can also tell you about a friend who used to work for Honda. He got the job straight out of college, and he said he did nothing but AutoCAD for one year straight. He doesn't work there anymore, instead he spends his days doing tests on cars at TRC in Ohio. Must be a very boring job, driving cars around all day (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

So as you can see it can go both ways. Be the best student you can be, get involved at the school's SAE chapter and do things with them like the Mini Baja races (if they do it, of course) and try to do as many internships/co-ops as you can. Doors will open for you once you have the grades and the experience to back it up. Good luck.