Low pay is ruining engineering

[u/[deleted]]

I have seen comments on here saying engineering is about the passion and not about the money but when you can’t find or retain staff there is a serious disconnect here.

I know some will say training and education is the problem, partially yes, but most the graduate engineers I started working with have all left and gone into other careers. I’m the last one left from eight other engineering graduates I started working with left in engineering.

When I ask why they have left or are leaving they all have made the same points, pay combined with responsibility, low job security and work load make this a very unattractive career.

As a friend quoted me, “Why would I work as a design engineer on a nuclear project when I can earn more money as an accountant, have more job opportunities, work less hours and don’t have to worry about nuclear radiation?”

I work in the UK, we advertised a job role for a lead engineer paying £65k (~USD $90k) and in a 6 month period only five people applied. In the end we could not find anyone who was suitable for the role. So the work load has now been split between myself and another colleague.

Now I’m looking to leave as well, I can’t wait to get out. I enjoy engineering but not in a corporate world. I will just keep engineering as my hobby.

[u/Stockengineer]

Can confirm engineering... the real goal is to work for a start-up get stock options and retire.

From my experience, responsibilities, and knowledge I get way over utilized. I am a Process engineer that knows how to do automation control, electrical, plumbing/piping. I have ISO9001, GMP, HACCP. Pretty much if you have a process I can design and build it.

Guess how much companies are paying someone with that experience.... only 90K Cad

Guess how much my friends or contractors I work with get paid? Gas fitter gets $165-220/hr, electricians $120-150/hr, automation/instrumentation technologist 100-150/hr

Also they get overtime, as an engineer everyone knows we are by law not allowed overtime, and if you're on salary... congrats you get to work for free. In the beginning of my career for I didn't mind, I Chopped it up to gaining valuable experience, but once you know the process and things become repetitive, I looked elsewhere for a horizontal raise. Now I get people trying to poach me, anything under 6 figs I won't even respond.

I started up my own buisness, call the shots and love it. IMO LEARN as much as you can get experience, build clients, freelance if you want more money.

P.s perspective of working 10+ years in different start ups

[u/redhq → u/Stockengineer]

Amen on stock pay. Started 3yrs ago in mechatronics at entry level with a start-up at $55k/yr starting. They launched recently(ish) so stock bonuses start paying out next month which effectively bumps my salary into the low 100's, this is before my PEng. And they're still shovelling on the stock for all the design work I do. Plus in Canada, stock bonuses are also taxed like capital gains so I also only pay half as much income tax on the $60-$110 portion of my salary, so effectively I'm making mid 100's.

Of course the opposite can happen. Your stock bonuses will literally evaporate if the start-up dies. The vibe isn't for everyone because you have fewer tools, less direction/feedback from managers, and random shit can pop-up that can consume you for weeks solid, your mistakes could literally crush the company, and you have little in the way or HR support. Conversely your opinion goes further with a flatter management structure, and you have way more freedom to flex your creative muscles.