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Engineering Degree?

6K views 14 replies 11 participants last post by  cmtierney 
#1 ·
Hey, I have a question for the older guys that have been in the business for a minute or two...

Here's the situation I'm in currently...I'm 18, straight out of high school, and currently working with/for my dad. He does most of his business in TN, but is letting me oversee and care for his investment properties down this way. I helped frame a lot of his spec homes whenever I was younger and such.

I'm about start a degree at Georgia Tech, first it was for Building Construction, but now I'm having second thoughts and thinking about going to get my B.S. in Civil Engineering, with a concentration in Structural Engineering, or possibly Environmental Engineering. I'm really wanting to get out, and get a GC or Residential license...which I could do with either. The question is...obviously an engineering degree would open up a lot more oppurtunities, but would it be worth it for a Contractor/Developer? The building construction route would cover more of the management or business side of it.

From my understanding from talking to some engineers, you're not really anything without a P.E. license, which takes numerous references, and at least 4 years experience working under a P.E. before you can obtain it down here. On top of that, if I went the engineering route, I would eventually want to become a consultant in whatever field I chose....

So, do you think an engineering degree would really be worth it for an aspiring GC/Developer? Being able to consult in the engineering field would be nice.....

I'm open to all suggestions, BTW.
 
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#4 ·
Well I’m not old, but I think I can give my 2 cents. I’m currently at The College of New Jersey for Technology Education, or Pre-Engineering, AKA Industrial Arts. It’s the glorified younger brother of your wood shops and metal shops. I think the relationship works both ways. No I will not be able to sign of as a PE but if I wanted to it’s a small step to get my engineering degree. The program is the School of Engineering. But by being a contractor as well as going to school for this I have a lot of real world experience and the way I think leads to doing very well in these classes. The same holds true that the ideas, math, and concepts I learn in school that help me for work. Finding easier ways to plan out designs, being able to calculate stress and strain, material choices, static and dynamic loads, the list goes on and on.

Personally I feel having any degree that is so closely connected to the field you are in and want to continue to be in is awesome. Plus its like a fall back, either you try the GC a track and don’t like it, you get seriously injured, who knows what could happen and you go to just engineering, or even the opposite, try the engineering, hate being in an office so you leave and go build.

I think the degree is a good idea.
 
#5 ·
I got my degree in Construction Management and have reluctantly really been able to use it to it's fullest. I've always been involved for the most part in residential construction and a CM degree does you more good in Commercial, or so it seems. If you have any interest in commercial start getting experience now, it's hard to make the transition later The education you are probably getting from your dad and your dad's business is probably as good as any construction degree you might obtain. However, that being said, a degree may open one or two more doors for you. My advise to youngsters: get a good business degree (look at most developers and successful builders) the ones I know have more business experience than construction knowledge, they know how to manage a business, people and money, they hire people to run the construction duties. Having that knowledge will make you more successful than knowing if you should use a #4 rebar or a #5. Engineering is a very good way to go, any engineering that sparks your interest, but I would also minor or major in Construction Project Management, those two together can put you into some high paying jobs. If you simply want to expand your dad's business and be a developer go the business degree route...............that's my two cents for what it's worth these days
 
#6 ·
Get an engineering degree while loading up on economics, business and CM course electives. When you get out, you'll have all kinds of career options. GT has what you need -- even the football team may be headed in the right direction...(No, I'm not a GT fan!)

Any engineering degree, environmental included, will help you "learn how to learn." I've got a chemical engineering degree, but got plenty of structural, electrical and business training along the way.

A PE license is good IF you are working in the engineering services or consulting areas, but not necessary otherwise. Regardless, you can make that decision later.
 
#7 ·
Take a look at all the internet job boards right now and job searching articles, there are a lot more jobs available for engineers now than CM's. Also a lot of CM jobs now are requiring an engineering degree. When the economy goes to crap, like it has now, you will be better off with an engineering degree than a CM degree. We've got a good ten years of economical repair work to do on this country, hang on for the ride. Having your own business right now isn't what it used to be cracked up to be, at least not in South Florida.

GO GATORS!!!
 
#9 ·
I'm in school at Montana State University for Mechanical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering Technology, intending to go into tool design. If you are considering a Civil degree, also consider Construction Engineering Technology- It's more aimed at practical knowledge, and last I heard, it carries a higher average starting salary than civil, should you decide to work for someone else. It's also easier coursework. It's what a lot of my friends with construction experience are in.
 
#11 ·
Tempest V - if I had a ME degree I would also look at the Medical field, prosethetics or medical devices, big bucks.

(Is there a spell check on these threads?)

Construction Engineering Technology? Haven't heard of it, what more do you know about this, what kind of jobs are requiring this degree?
 
#12 ·
I would go for the PE license. I f you take over the family construction business and also have the PE license you will be able to design your own projects (high end custom) and solve your own structural problems. You will be able to seal all your own drawings.
 
#13 ·
Having an actual Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree, as opposed to a Building Construction or Construction Management degree, is like the difference between having a telescoping compound mitre saw and a nail file.

Compared to construction, an engineering degree, even a CivEng degree, opens up whole worlds of opportunity the others can't even see. Building design, bridge design, community planning, traffic planning, wastewater treatment, and on and on. Not to mention that it opens up doors to higher positions otherwise inaccessible.

Maybe today your highest aspiration in life is building bungalows, but a BS in Engineering leading to a professional designation will open up life paths you can't imagine today.

Personal example: I started out a farm kid building greenhouses. My BS degree (not Civil) took me from that, through designing truck bodies, to design/build of robotic testing systems, to lab work, to project manager of process development in semiconductor manufacturing on two continents, to director of research in polymer science oveseas, to technical sales responsibility across most of Europe - now I'm enjoying kicking back, playing at property restorations. It's been an incredible life - most of which would have been impossible without the degree.

I'm reminded of the words of my first year calculus prof: You can work hard for four years now, and then play the rest of your life, or you can goof around now and work for the rest of your life.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Thanks for all the replies. Just about the whole male side of my family is tied into construction or are engineers. I've been talking it over with them and counselors for the past few weeks and I've come up with something...

Since I was the clear and plain definition of a high school screw-up due to personal problems and my own laziness, I'm going to have to attend Dalton State for two years to get in the engineering transfer program to GT ( I actually had to get a GED.). I will get core classes and some basic engineering classes there before transferring. So, here's how I see it as long as everything goes according to plan:

1. Dalton State-2 years
2. Georgia Tech-B.S. Civil Engineering with a concentration in Structural Engineering. The good thing about GT is they offer electives in Contruction Cost and Estimating, Construction Planning, etc. I'll be sure to get these, and maybe a minor in Economics.

After that, maybe a M.S. in Civil Engineering/Environmental Engineering, or a M.S. in Building Construction with a concentration in Integrated Facility Management or Residential Construction Development.

Keep in mind, that I've got above average test scores, so intelligence is not the problem. It's just going to be a hell of a deal if I can pull it off successfully. GT has not been ranked #4-6 in national engineering programs for nothing. All this while running dad's part of the business, and grabbing engineering/construction internships during the last two years of my college career. To top it all off...I'm standing a chance of walking on to play football...all of the above would have to be cancelled out if I followed through with that.

Beyond that, my goal is to get my Residential License or GC license (this depends on what my line of credit and net worth is at the time) when I graduate. From there, I'm going to have to somehow devise a way to also obtain a PE license...since my the real purpose behind the engineering degree is for future consulting, and something to fall back on considering the state of the construction industry right now. The PE license requirements down here are pretty extensive to say the least, BTW.

I guess we'll just see what kind of heart I have in the next few years. :w00t::laughing:

Any suggestions, comments?
 
#15 ·
My 2 cents is to go and get either an degree in architectural engineering or an actual architecture degree. The architectural engineering degree will get you the proper education to get your structures PE AND you'll build a new skill in the design associated with what ever you want to build (residential, commercial, etc.). Combine that with you're working knowledge of the construction business and you'll be primed to go it on your own as an end-to-end designer/builder.

Guys doing this in the high-end areas of LA are getting (or at least were getting) huge premiums for the design, engineering, construction, and management efforts associated with new home construction.

It's hard work, but the more services you can provide and oversee will add value to your offering.

I personnally didn't take this approach but in hind-sight it looks like a good path to me.

Like I said....just my 2 cents;)
 
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