Girlfriend With an Engineering Degree and Doubts

[tali264]

What kind of engineer is she? That might make a big difference on job opportunities. I'm in the Navy and a biomedical engineer and there's no way any company would be located near a navy base (except California). However a mechanical engineer would be much easier.

 

[Pcola04/30]

As far as job fields go.....x-ray techs, cat scan etc.....are extremely in demand all over the country......and starting out at 25-30 dollars an hour is pretty normal. Their is always going to be at least one hospital near every place you could possibly be stationed. Most people go to school for a two year program to be eligible for a job, but four year programs are out there...just my .02.

 

[Thisguy]

Well, let's not sugarcoat this. She's going to have to make a sacrafice. I know when I was coming out of college with a mechanical engineering degree, I interviewed with numerous companies that had locations all over the country. I interviewed with them because I was interested in the job, not the location. You really limit yourself if the location is the top priority in the job search.

 

[Cate]

I don't want to be an absolute downer, but you've got a tough row to hoe. Or, more specifically, she does, since you've got just about everything planned out for you and it's now her responsibility to follow you. I went through this exact scenario with my former fiance (now good friend, potentially more in the future), except that I'm in advertising, another field that is kind of location-oriented. We actually ended up splitting up for a while as I got my stuff together and he got his - we're gradually making contact again.

All I can tell you is that you've got to be utterly understanding - I'm guessing that she's a pretty strong, capable woman and that following you around and popping out babies isn't the life she dreamed of as she accepted her engineering degree. And if things start to go pear-shaped because it's looking like your futures might not intersect - DON'T PANIC. Let her do what she needs to do, support her in whatever that is, and chances will be much better that you'll find a way to make it work for you both.

Just a little bit vague, I know.

 

[kevin]

I hear a lot of people hear talking about doing this and that to support the sig other. which is fantastic if that's what is most important and it works out...but the bottom line is in our day and age women are interested in having a career...and not just as a side thought. fact is, if you put yourself in her shoes, would you have the mindset to say "forget my pilot career, im going to follow you" ? while one may seem more important than the other, that's still in the eyes of the beholder. i guess what im trying to say is, 99 times out of 100 (and this discounts nursing, which was a good point) when a woman is interested in establishing a strong career in engineering or medicine or business, just like a guy is going to do, she's going to have to go somewhere and plan on staying put for at least a couple years. most companies dont like hiring people who've skipped out of a job (especially their first major one) before at least a year or 2 have passed....it's called bad business. I guess what im trying to say is you can't have your cake and eat it too....somebody's going to have to give up something significant. it's strikes me as strange that it's still usually the lady who's expected to do that. just my observations, though.