Thank you all, so MBA is out of the question for me. (for now)
As I am working and studying at the moment and I am a bursary student so I think I will follow the Masters in engineering route.
MBA is very expensive, I just found out now from the university were I am studying.

I think once I am 30-35 or older I will do it by then I will have enough money saved up.

Can I pose another question?

Do you think since I am studying engineering degree in computer system. And I am working in the IT field. Will it be good to do those smaller certifications e.g Java programming, C programming, Unix etc?

Do most/Other companies look at those smaller certificates?

Or will it be advisable to pursue another degree in Information Technology?

thank you and sorry asking so much of questions.

I'm not aware of too many engineers that get those certificates. Those are mostly sought by people that are NOT getting a bachelors degree. Could be different in your country.

What you say you are working in the IT field, what is it you are doing (or plan to do) in the IT field? Applications programming? System administration?

 

Well, we cash flowed my wife's MBA on just my salary, which was $58k/yr at the time, which was only a little bit above the national median household income at the time. I also cash flowed by PhD. In fact, the last two years of my PhD overlapped with the first two years of her MBA. There was no eating out at our house during that time.

Don't you think that you and your wife are the exception to rule when it comes to financial management? The use case I was referring to is the one where you do undergraduate and graduate education in one shot which may take 6 or 7 years.

 

Don't you think that you and your wife are the exception to rule when it comes to financial management.

I think they are, but only in the sense that many (a majority?) of youngsters today refuse to postpone gratification. Everything I have ever chosen to do, no matter how hard, I never considered impossible.

What's the old cliche? "Where there's a will, there's a way?" I do believe this -- and have practiced it my whole life.

 

Don't you think that you and your wife are the exception to rule when it comes to financial management. The use case I was referring to is the one where you do undergraduate and graduate education in one shot which may take 6 or 7 years.

It actually doesn't matter whether we are the exception or not, it only takes a single example to show that something that is "required" isn't actually required.

But, sadly, I do think that we are the exception to the rule since "the rule" for most people involves not even attempting to live within their means. So they take out student loans to pay for school, take out a car loan to get that brand new car, and charge up the credit cards to pay for Spring Break.

 

I think they are, but only in the sense that many (a majority?) of youngsters today refuse to postpone gratification. Everything I have ever chosen to do, no matter how hard, I never considered impossible.

What's the old cliche? "Where there's a will, there's a way?" I do believe this -- and have practiced it my whole life.

My rhetorical question was meant to imply that most millennials, like many of their older peers are financially illiterate. That may not necessarily be their fault, since there were probably very few role models to set an example and teach them good habits. They will however reap whirlwind, howling at the moon for all it cares about their plight.

 

My rhetorical question was meant to imply that most millennials, like many of their older peers are financially illiterate.

But I bet they know how to put condoms on cucumbers...

 

But I bet they know how to put condoms on cucumbers...

That's just plain rude....

 

Well, we cash flowed my wife's MBA on just my salary, which was $58k/yr at the time, which was only a little bit above the national median household income at the time. I also cash flowed by PhD. In fact, the last two years of my PhD overlapped with the first two years of her MBA. There was no eating out at our house during that time.

@WBahn, Wow Sir. Thats Amazing you are a Professor or Doctor in Engineering! What does one need to do to obtain a PHD?

 

I'm not aware of too many engineers that get those certificates. Those are mostly sought by people that are NOT getting a bachelors degree. Could be different in your country.

What you say you are working in the IT field, what is it you are doing (or plan to do) in the IT field? Applications programming? System administration?

I'm not aware of too many engineers that get those certificates. Those are mostly sought by people that are NOT getting a bachelors degree. Could be different in your country.

What you say you are working in the IT field, what is it you are doing (or plan to do) in the IT field? Applications programming? System administration?

Hi Sir. Yes I was doing normal desktop support for 6months but the company found out I did very well at programing ( high school level) so they threw me in the deep in with the billing department with java programming, C, powerbuilder, Unix, SQL and I am able to do application development for the billing system at this point in time. They awarded me with a bursary to study computer engineering but my desire was to study electronic engineering but they refused to give me a bursary in that field since its irrelevant to work. Its hectic to work and study not like school. I'm still new at programming at this level, but I don't need much assistance from the senior guys because I understand the code over time. Just that my eyes get sore looking at the screen whole day.
By the way I saw there is a programming forum here at AAC. Once I have time I want to also help people there, like the way you all help me with maths, DSP and circuit analysis.
Thanks

 

@WBahn, Wow Sir. Thats Amazing you are a Professor or Doctor in Engineering! What does one need to do to obtain a PHD?

Pay a lot of money to some school.

Seriously, though, the main distinction between a Masters and a PhD (in most fields) is, in addition to a bit more coursework, a significant research effort the results in "original contributions to the body of knowledge".

 

Pay a lot of money to some school.

Seriously, though, the main distinction between a Masters and a PhD (in most fields) is, in addition to a bit more coursework, a significant research effort the results in "original contributions to the body of knowledge".

Sound hectic. Thank God I stumbled across AAC. Now I know someone who has a PHD maybe once I finish my degree I want to do that because the company pays for your studies even if you start a whole new degree relevant to work and they will pay no questions asked, but the catch is your are tied down for the duration of your studies multiplied by 2. So my degree is 4 years so i have to be with this company for 8 years.

 

I have both an MBA and an MSEE. I have used both in my career. Neither degree was "financed" but was instead, pay-as-you-go. I had jobs while pursuing these degrees. I used mostly my engineering degree in my career. The MBA came in handy when idiot managers wanted to do something stupid (happened a lot). For instance, I was the chief engineer on a government contract to build transmitters for the navy. The contract was for two years, with delivery spaced out over that time. The contract also called for support for the transmitters for five years after the final delivery. Management wanted to lease the required RF equipment for the two years of the contract, then return all the equipment at the end. The new cost of the equipment was approximately 24 times the monthly lease cost (probably around $56,000). I told management that when we got returns from the navy, we were going to have to lease short term (at great expense) the required test equip and eat the costs. At one meeting about this, the president of the company said that "he had confidence in my ability to see that the transmitters were properly built." I looked at him and said, "Don't be an idiot. We will get returns from the navy where the units are in perfect working order, but we will have to properly recertify them in order to meet the terms of the contract." I then told him that purchasing the equipment was way better for the company, because at the end of the contract, we will have spent approximately the same money, PLUS we will then have some neat new toys! (I didn't say that last part, those were my feelings!) With the equipment now a permanent part of our stable, we will be able to bid on more complex contracts.

I told them that leasing equipment, in the short term, was more beneficial from a STRICTLY FINANCIAL POINT OF VIEW, since the leasing costs came right off the top. Purchasing, on the other hand, required amortizing over 5 to 7 years. So after a 5 to 7 year period, purchasing was the better option FROM AN ONGOING BUSINESS POINT OF VIEW (costs nearly the same, plus expanded capabilities).

It took more meetings, but I finally convinced management to see things my way. Getting them to see past the short term was embarassingly difficult. As it was, the navy extended the original contract for double the units over 4 years instead of 2. That way, we were MUCH better off, since at the end of the first two years, we didn't have to lease the equipment again and we kept the same price per unit.

And, worker bee or not, no one ever pissed on me.

 

Very Interesting Sir. But I'm definitely consider the MBA when I'm 30 to 35. I think I will do my Masters once I'm done with this degree. Thank you all

 

In fact, an MBA immediately after a Bachelors' degree -- particularly if it is not at a prestigious school -- may be viewed by some as indicative of someone who barely got through a more rigorous technical course of study.

Excellent advice. When I got my MBA it was after working a few years. The company paid for it but only under conditions that I could choose only from the top schools (Harvard, Stanford, U.of Chicago, maybe some others) and maintain at least a B? average. (I don't recall the exact level).

A no-name MBA without work experience is worth less. (Note the space!)

 

A no-name MBA without work experience is worth less. (Note the space!)

Once one finishes their MBA, they can calculate the discounted value and determine if the effort was worth something, nothing, or less than nothing.

 

Excellent advice. When I got my MBA it was after working a few years. The company paid for it but only under conditions that I could choose only from the top schools (Harvard, Stanford, U.of Chicago, maybe some others) and maintain at least a B? average. (I don't recall the exact level).

A no-name MBA without work experience is worth less. (Note the space!)

Thanks Sir, I will keep this in mind. Its more the evidence I have to gain more work experience.

thank you

 

Hi Sir. Out of curiosity. In fact I was to contact a guidance counselor at my university to find out more but its good to get input from many experienced people like yourself and MR AI and others.
Do you think it is good to do MBA after my engineering degree or try to do my masters then PHD ?(if my company provides a bursary) Is there a forum on this site that can better my understanding on this. Many senior people at work talk about MBA but I'm not too knowledgeable able this.

When you start to debate these options, you need to think about what really interests you. If you'd prefer management, which is a soft science, over technical "hard science" then go for the MBA. If you want to work in practical applications for private companies, go for the masters in Engineering. If you'd like to expand the field of Engineering and conduct research, shoot for a PhD.

 

As far as certifications, in IT they are considered very important. Here in the USA a bachelors or associate degree with certifications is considered almost a necessity to advance. Start with a basic IT certification (A+) and then specialize. Microsoft or networking for example. A hot certification today would be a security certification (CSSP).

Good luck!

 

As far as certifications, in IT they are considered very important. Here in the USA a bachelors or associate degree with certifications is considered almost a necessity to advance. Start with a basic IT certification (A+) and then specialize. Microsoft or networking for example. A hot certification today would be a security certification (CSSP).

Good luck!

Hi djsfantasi, Thank you. I will research CSSP and want to try to go for Oracle Java certification. Does anyone know which is the most popular programming language?
In my country its Java and C++.

thank you.

 

Hi josh007,

Are you a programmer?

In South Africa, for the last 5-7 years, Java is the most popular programming language. Most companies here use it and recruit people with Java skills even if you come straight from college, and also remember Android is Java based language.

When I was in school our teacher always told us that Java will take over the world in years to come.