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Active duty sailor looking to transition into becoming an Engineer in the civilian world.

Veteran

William Damron New London, CT

I've been in the Navy for eight years now, and have about three more to do until my term is up. I'm currently an IT on my current ship and I'm also working on getting my degree. My question would be what kinds of internships should I take when I reach that point since I don't really want to just work on computers and the like? Any guidance and advice is greatly appreciated!

7 September 2015 5 replies General

Answers

Advisor

Walt Overfield Virginia Beach, VA

William,
Glad to hear you are thinking ahead. Before I retired from the Navy, I started thinking about my work life after I left the Navy. For me, the key factors were:

- What are the favorite skills that I enjoy using every day at work? For me, I enjoy using computers to solve complex problems which was much different from my Navy job where I repaired large scale computer and electronic systems. I also enjoy financial problem solving, working with a team of subject matter experts, and having a flexible work schedule that allows me to choose when I want to work and when I want to take care of my other needs.

- How far did I want to take my formal education? Formal education is the platform on which you build your life-long learning routine. The world is constantly changing so all work requires you to keep learning if you want to keep growing and increase your earnings potential. I earned my bachelors and masters degrees before leaving active duty and continue to set aside time every day to learn new skills on the internet.

- What were the right kinds of jobs for me? After trying lots of jobs and careers, I finally discovered the right work for me. It uses all my favorite skills while working on projects with people I admire and respect. To figure out the right work for me, I had to have a much better understanding of my needs. While we all share a great many needs, we each have our own unique mix based on our genes, family, experiences, education and much more.

- Where did I want to live to meet my family and social needs? My family loves the beach so a community near the ocean was best for me. My wife and I loved to play sports together so an larger community with year-round recreation opportunities was very important.

For me, the final destination was living in Virginia Beach and working from home as an independent healthcare consultant identifying overpayments paid to doctors and hospitals by health insurance companies. You probably won't find a job description for this type of work because it's part of the new generation of work that uses the internet to connect independent workers with people that have problems that need solving.

For you, I suggest starting online. Learn about your personality through free online Myers-Briggs assessments. Take as many free online college courses that you can handle so you can discover subjects that interest you. Keep track of your favorite work experiences as you analyze how you want to spend your future employed time. Research common career and job descriptions so that you have a good idea about educational requirements, experience, knowledge and skills to get and advance in a good career ladder for you. Hook up with a mentor at least a year before leaving the Navy. A good way to find one is by joining a professional association in your community that others with your career interests would join. For example, if you are interested in software development, Google "software development professional organizations" and select the organization that works best for you. Attend the local meetings, network with the members, conduct informational interviews at their places of work, and get all your questions answered before you look for a job. Expect your job search to take 6 months or more so make sure you have enough savings to support you and your family. My assumption is that you can do anything that you commit to. You can't commit to everything so narrow down the choices to the ones that meet all your needs. It's easy for others to help you with your job search if you do the hard work of focusing on exactly what you want.
Good Luck!
Walt

8 September 2015 Helpful answer

Advisor

Alyson Iuchs Edwards, CA

Engineers solve critical problems not only in the United States but all over the world. The specific tasks and technologies utilized by engineers vary depending on the discipline they specialize in. This field is dominated by civil, mechanical, industrial and electrical engineers which makes up two-thirds of the American engineering workforce. Engineers need a bachelor's degree and many go on to get their master's degree. To prepare for an engineering career, you should focus on building your science, technology and math skills.

To research statistics about engineering job outlook check out: https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2016/employment-outlook-for-engineering-occupations-to-2024.htm

Types of Engineers
The employment of engineers is projected to grow four percent from 2014 to 2024 and several specialties are projected to grow even faster like biomedical, environmental and civil engineers. Biomedical engineers design and problem solve challenges in the medical field to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases as well as rehabilitate patients and improve their quality of care. Electrical engineers design, test and develop electrical and electronic equipment and have helped shape our way of life. Civil engineers plan, design, construct and maintain structures such as bridges, road, dams and buildings.

To learn more about technology electrical engineers have developed check out this resource: http://onlinemasters.ohio.edu/how-electrical-engineering-has-shaped-the-modern-world/?g=infographics&t=msee
For information on how civil engineers build skyscrapers read this article: http://graduatedegrees.online.njit.edu/resources/msce/msce-infographics/the-future-of-skyscrapers-new-jersey-institute-of-technology/

Internships
While not all engineering programs will require an internship, the experience you gain could help set you apart from other candidates when you apply for a job. You can look for an internship after just one year in college and while you might not get accepted to a position with relevant work experience it will better prepare you for the future. Internships complement your classroom education and can help you know what you want in your career after graduation. Employers in the engineering field often look for full-time candidates from their pool of interns, because they have already become part of the team and know the company culture.

For more information on engineering internships look at: http://www.internships.com/engineering

Deciding what type of engineer you want to specialize in can be difficult, but categorizing your interests and working with engineering companies can help you determine the best fit.

Advisor

FRANCIS TEPEDINO, ESQ. San Diego, CA

Engineers are needed across the board and in a wide variety of industries. Get your four year Engineering degree at a recognized college or university - that is a must. Good luck.

Advisor

FRANCIS TEPEDINO, ESQ. San Diego, CA

Engineers are needed across the board and in a wide variety of industries. Get your four year Engineering degree at a recognized college or university - that is a must. Good luck.

Advisor

John Green Cary, NC

Hi William,

IT is a large segment of our workforce, now that the US is a service-based economy rather than a manufacturing based one. What about IT is turning you off? Have you considered software development ? Setting up PCs is alot different than developing software.

Other than that, you could go to work for Department of Transportation in your state. Years ago, I worked through a contract for Texas Department of Transportation at the TransStar center in Houston. I was a software developer that wrote software which transmitted information to the Changeable Message Signs on the Houston roadways, but you might consider a role as a dispatcher.

JG

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