[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)

[94bird]

Wow, it appears there are some very negative outlooks on being an automotive engineer. Honestly, I love my job. If I didn't I'd sure as heck find a better area of the country in which to live.

Maybe I'm one of the lucky ones, but during college I worked at Comp Cams, was a tech director for the NMCA drag racing series (before Hot Rod Mag bought them), then after graduation worked at Lotus in England, then Holley in KY, and now SRT at Chrysler in merry old Detroit. Just today I was in a planning meeting for a vehicle you guys haven't even seen yet. I work with a lot of other racers and guys and gals who just plain love cars. Life is good. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

The pay scale for automotive engineers in Detroit is VERY good in comparison to other areas of the country for what I've seen. If you want to work with cars, this is the place to be.

OTOH, MEs can certainly work in the computer industry or even design your own widgets to sell on ebay. The possibilities are quite numerous.

I believe that once you're out of college for just a very few number of years it's your on the job experience that will count, not where you went to school. I work with guys who went to Purdue, GMI, MIT, etc and I can honestly say I don't think it makes much difference.

BTW, Eric must have just had a bad day at work. I know he likes his job. He works a few desks over from me and he always has a smile on his face at work. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)