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What can someone with an engineering degree do?

  • Last Updated:
  • Apr 22nd, 2017 7:16 pm
Deal Addict
Oct 21, 2006
2896 posts
1578 upvotes
Doubleshot wrote: Tell that to a UOIT or Lakehead grad that companies don't give preference to UW/UT and etc
You're totally missing the point.

These students from lakehead/etc would be fine if there were starting jobs they could get into to get the necessary experience they need for any shortcomings in their education (which shouldn't exist, if the CEAB was doing its job). The problem is not the school name - the problem is lack of opportunity for new engineers, and nothing being done about it.

It's fine if companies prefer some schools over others, if there are jobs for those others to pick up elsewhere to get the necessary skills. The crisis comes develops when there is nowhere for new grads to move into - an engineering degree has a shelf life if you aren't using it.
Deal Fanatic
Nov 22, 2015
7814 posts
8682 upvotes
Doubleshot wrote: Tell that to a UOIT or Lakehead grad that companies don't give preference to UW/UT and etc
You're actually confirming what everyone else has been saying with your statement. If only UOIT and Lakehead grads can get jobs, obviously there's a huge underlying issue with there not being enough opportunities available.

I've found it to be true as well. Literally zero of my engineering friends are doing something in their field.. majority are working in banking, marketing or sales.
Banned
Dec 5, 2015
1338 posts
451 upvotes
Thornhill, ON
superfresh89 wrote: You're actually confirming what everyone else has been saying with your statement. If only UOIT and Lakehead grads can get jobs, obviously there's a huge underlying issue with there not being enough opportunities available.

I've found it to be true as well. Literally zero of my engineering friends are doing something in their field.. majority are working in banking, marketing or sales.
Or is it that they can't get jobs due to their chosen school?

But yes the market is tight but not so tight that companies will just hire anyone with a pulse
Deal Fanatic
Nov 22, 2015
7814 posts
8682 upvotes
Doubleshot wrote: Or is it that they can't get jobs due to their chosen school?
Yes, exactly! That's the whole problem.

If only 2 of the 48 engineering schools in Canada produce employable grads, that leaves over 95% of engineers unemployed or not working in their fields.
Deal Addict
Sep 13, 2016
3602 posts
2404 upvotes
Mississauga
The problem is also on part of employers who want everyone to be performing at 100% from day one.
I am an engineering graduate myself, albeit in a relatively easier field of computers and IT, but I know the pain a fresher has to go through.

If you are not lucky enough to get a job while still at campus, it becomes a pain later on.
Every employer wants the applicant to already know a plethora of technologies and also have hands-on experience.

But that experience will not come on it's own. Someone has to give zero work-exp people a chance to train and learn.

I can only guess how difficult it must be in non-IT/Computer streams.
Deal Expert
User avatar
Aug 18, 2005
21222 posts
5938 upvotes
Burlington-Hamilton
Doubleshot wrote: Tell that to a UOIT or Lakehead grad that companies don't give preference to UW/UT and etc
superfresh89 wrote: You're actually confirming what everyone else has been saying with your statement. If only UOIT and Lakehead grads can get jobs, obviously there's a huge underlying issue with there not being enough opportunities available.
I should point out that there's a numbers game here. UWaterloo and UofT pump out a lot of engineering grads. And those people can be biased to hire new grads from their own alma mater. I went to a smaller school and this is one of the observations the co-op department had made. Now that some of our own grads were getting into higher management positions, it was becoming more easy for current students to get more co-op placements, due to people hiring from their own schools.

If you went to UofT or UWaterloo, especially in co-op, you will have a better chance of being ahead in the experience and connections game - this both means you'll be more employable and have a better chance of being employed in your field.

I'm not saying that other schools are 'bad' or anything (especially since I went to a smaller school), but life isn't fair, and people with equal educational knowledge don't necessarily win equally in the job market.
- casual gastronomist -

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