Hi friends.

I have a bachelors in mathematics, and I am currently studying in an Msc degree in microelectronics.

I feel much ahead of the class and my knowledge is much more than the others have, and more than what they teach there.

I feel I am wasting time, trying to get a degree that will not teach me much, and in the end might not even matter.

Do employers make it a necessity to have a degree ? What If I have enough knowledge in the area and don't have a degree, would I be considered and have a chance of getting good employment? Say at TI?

I feel like I am being held back at university. They make a big fuzz out of writing a thesis, and all those modules about project management which doesn't matter at all. We should be studying advanced topics in electronics but they waste a lot of time. It's almost designed to fail.

And it's a good university. It's the university of Liverpool in the UK, which is a good uni.


I am considering leaving the course, and just teaching myself at home as I learn much more doing that.

What do you think ?

 

hi AA,
Welcome to AAC.
How much longer will you have to remain on your present Course in order to get the qualification.?
E

 

hi AA,
Welcome to AAC.
How much longer will you have to remain on your present Course in order to get the qualification.?
E

Just under a year Eric.

 

Do employers make it a necessity to have a degree ?

Some (probably most) do, some don't.

What If I have enough knowledge in the area and don't have a degree, would I be considered and have a chance of getting good employment? Say at TI?

It'll be an uphill battle without the degree unless you know someone who can vouch for your skills.

When I was still working, I use to tell people that I couldn't even get a phone screen for the jobs I was doing. But, I had the advantage of starting relatively low and working my way up; so my reputation preceded me and I was able to be considered for jobs that no outsider had a chance at getting.

EDIT: With similar education.

 

They make a big fuzz out of writing a thesis, and all those modules about project management which doesn't matter at all.

hi AA,
I would recommend that you complete that final year and get a tangible piece of paper showing your certification.

I am surprised about what you feel about 'project management' its a big part of product development in an engineering team.

Eric

 

Do employers make it a necessity to have a degree ?

With very rare exceptions, yes.

What If I have enough knowledge in the area and don't have a degree, would I be considered and have a chance of getting good employment?

You can claim all the knowledge you want, but unless you can back up your claims with actual work experience and documented accomplishments they will count for nothing.

No degree + no experience = no job interview.

 

When I interviewed people for an engineering position, if they didn't have a legitimate degree from an accredited school, their resume went right into the trash. PERIOD.

Suck it up and finish your degree. You'll thank me in the coming years.

 

Engineer without degree = Technician = half of the salary = half of the prospects

YMMV

 

Alright guys.... I guess I get it I will have to suck it up.

Oh well.

What about Jeri Ellsworth? She says she is an engineer without a degree

 

Yeah - great. If you think you are the next Jeri Ellsworth, then no degree required, as long as you don't want a job with TI

Good luck with that strategy....

No need to justify why you cannot be bothered to finish the course. If you want to be a quitter, then you are completely free to saddle yourself with that label. Just don't expect your future employers to see the world the way you view it.

.... and don't forget.... many modern employers are interested in how you portray yourself your on-line. This thread might show you as someone who is looking to find the easy route through life. Best you stay anonymous here.

Just saying..... could be wrong, and just my random thoughts, but food for thought maybe....

I sense that you are actually highly employable, just a little misguided.

 

Yeah - great. If you think you are the next Jeri Ellsworth, then no degree required, as long as you don't want a job with TI

Good luck with that strategy....

No need to justify why you cannot be bothered to finish the course. If you want to be a quitter, then you are completely free to saddle yourself with that label. Just don't expect your future employers to see the world the way you view it.

.... and don't forget.... many modern employers are interested in how you portray yourself your on-line. This thread might show you as someone who is looking to find the easy route through life. Best you stay anonymous here.

Just saying..... could be wrong, and just my random thoughts, but food for thought maybe....

I sense that you are actually highly employable, just a little misguided.

My problem is that to me university is a big waste of time and money.

I learned by myself in 4 years what I would never learn at university in 20 years.

If it weren't for the prestige of a degree and the fact I actually want to pursue a PhD afterwards, I would have quit already.

But people here are giving me good advice of not quitting, which I find is the best advice and what I was wanting to hear!

I will continue on this degree. It's not that bad. At least we learn chip layout with Cadence.

 

There is an alternative view to the harsh one I gave in the previous post...

There is no shame in being happy. A technician,s life might actually be better for some people than an Engineer's life.

Less pressure - more time for life outside of work - possibly more satisfaction (possibly less). Downside is likely (not certain) less money.

The choice is yours.

All I suggest is that you make the informed choice for yourself - not random people on forums.

I sincerely wish you good luck. I sense that you deserve it.

Quote: "My problem is that to me university is a big waste of time and money." I have heard that said many times by colleagues who finished the course and progressed far beyond my level afterwards. I am no expert, but I do not believe your assertion, at least in the field of electronics.

 

If it is so easy and boring, just coast through your remaining year and bury youself in the lab making stuff. That experience will be valuable.

And, hopefully, you will have something to show off.

Bob

 

If it is so easy and boring, just coast through your remaining year and bury youself in the lab making stuff. That experience will be valuable.

And, hopefully, you will have something to show off.

Bob

I can't! I have a lab at home anyhow. We have intense assignments, and even though they are easy they are time consuming. Our only labs are computers where we do Cadence design and Verilog synthesis for FPGA. Oh well. I miss the soldering iron!

 

What about Jeri Ellsworth? She says she is an engineer without a degree

We'd all like to be like Jim Williams (remembering Jim Williams), but we can't.

There was a time when a combination of knowledge, intelligence, ambition, persistence, and luck were all it took. Those times are gone.

At the last company I worked for, you had to have a MS or PhD to get a phone screen for engineering jobs.

 

Don't waste your time or your money.

Re-classify yourself as a Mathematical Engineer. Or perhaps Mathematical Programming Engineer.

A simple name change will do it. You already speak the proper language.

 

Coming from a guy who love/d math, make sure you understand what's on the paper from a usable, real-life perspective, and not just numbers. I did fine in all our electrical/electronics courses, but not so much when I should apply it in real life.

Just stay in school

 

Don't waste your time or your money.

Re-classify yourself as a Mathematical Engineer. Or perhaps Mathematical Programming Engineer.

A simple name change will do it. You already speak the proper language.

What?

 

Pardon me. Stay in school.

 

You have publicly cut your own throat by declaring yourself too good for university. If you don't bleed to death in the meantime, you are going to have to abundantly prove yourself correct by amassing a sufficient volume of outstanding work or get incredibly lucky by finding someone who will take a chance on you and your attitude. Your exceptionally good work is going to have to prove to prospective employers that it outweighs having to accept your ego along with it.

The very fact you are asking if employers require degrees says you know nothing about the state of the industry.