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03-22-2017, 03:22 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,003
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Thinking of changing careers! What do the fine folk of AO think?
Hi im thinking of becoming a power engineer. Can anyone give me any advice on where to start. I heard its just an awesome thing to get into.
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03-22-2017, 03:28 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Lacombe, AB
Posts: 1,404
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There is a PE thread every week on AO so if you do a search you will find lots of info.
The jist of it is that, yes it can be a good career, can pay well and you can get a good rotation. Currently the market is saturated with people trying to get into the field though.
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03-22-2017, 03:38 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,003
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What woukd you suggest instead
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03-22-2017, 03:40 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 3,082
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Bot builder/programmer
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03-22-2017, 03:58 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 5,326
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Find something in automation. 10 years from now most of our careers will be defunct.
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03-22-2017, 04:09 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 133
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Burglecut83
What woukd you suggest instead
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Get a degree in Medicine, specialize in Radiology. Serious shortage, system's crying out for them.
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03-22-2017, 04:20 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 254
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Tradesmen
Have been trying to get estimates from various tradespeople and all of them I talk to are swamped in work and charging through the nose. Electricians, plumbers, concrete dudes all charging a fortune for their time.
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03-22-2017, 05:09 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,057
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mickeyjim
Have been trying to get estimates from various tradespeople and all of them I talk to are swamped in work and charging through the nose. Electricians, plumbers, concrete dudes all charging a fortune for their time.
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That is a fact!! Was talking to my drywall guy, I was looking for a plumber. He said that their expensive. Most won't touch a job for less than $150.00/Hr. Couple plumbers I had in for estimates, one was $1100 and $1600. I said there is no way am I paying that much for amount of work needed so I did it myself and I am no plumber but fairly handy. Spent about $80-100 on parts and 2-3 hours of my time.
So ya be a plumber cuz people are paying stupid rates!!
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03-23-2017, 06:12 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 5,326
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alephnaught
Get a degree in Medicine, specialize in Radiology. Serious shortage, system's crying out for them.
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X2
Ridiculous $ for the position too.
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03-23-2017, 07:12 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 149
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neighbours brother moved out here a year ago for a radiology position...hes making twice what he was offered to start (and accepted) a year ago...If i was to go back, I'd be all over it...working on talking my sister into it
Quote:
Originally Posted by Newview01
X2
Ridiculous $ for the position too.
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03-22-2017, 05:48 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Southern Alberta
Posts: 7,350
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Burglecut83
Hi im thinking of becoming a power engineer. Can anyone give me any advice on where to start. I heard its just an awesome thing to get into.
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Start at the top. Eliminates the climb.
__________________
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eat a snickers
made in Alberta__ born n raised.
FS-Tinfool hats by the roll.  
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03-22-2017, 05:52 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,449
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Teach drama and the next step is running the country. Set for life yo.
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03-23-2017, 12:05 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: My House
Posts: 13,468
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get your facts straight
Quote:
Originally Posted by sgill808
Teach drama and the next step is running the country. Set for life yo.
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Please be sure to get your facts straight. Running the country only requires you to be a substitute drama teacher
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03-23-2017, 02:35 PM
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Fort Sask, AB
Posts: 4,924
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Urban directionary describes Power Engineer just about right.
TBark
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03-22-2017, 05:56 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 1,795
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Walmart engineer ... door greeter ...lol ..always amazing me when I see one ... good on them
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03-22-2017, 06:43 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 162
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Im a 2nd class power engineer, trained on the control room and all plant areas. I recommend an electrical/instrumentation ticket over operating.
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03-22-2017, 09:34 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 11,858
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Quote:
Originally Posted by huntsfurfish
Start at the top. Eliminates the climb.
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Agreed - be a career student, get a engineering undergraduate degree, a few professional designations, then an MBA and become a boss.
You don't need to know squat. Execs love hiring highly educated people with zero experience and zero ability to apply in any real life situation.
Become an executive in your late 20's.
Make way more money compared to Senior Managers in the company with 30 years of experience who have more knowledge in their little toe compared to what you know now, and what you might learn the rest of your life and be their boss.
That's the best hatched plan. Trust me - it's real.
Worked for me ...... now go get me my cup of coffee or else your fired!
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03-22-2017, 11:07 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Quesnel BC Canada
Posts: 5,603
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EZM
Agreed - be a career student, get a engineering undergraduate degree, a few professional designations, then an MBA and become a boss.
You don't need to know squat. Execs love hiring highly educated people with zero experience and zero ability to apply in any real life situation.
Become an executive in your late 20's.
Make way more money compared to Senior Managers in the company with 30 years of experience who have more knowledge in their little toe compared to what you know now, and what you might learn the rest of your life and be their boss.
That's the best hatched plan. Trust me - it's real.
Worked for me ...... now go get me my cup of coffee or else your fired!
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Pffft,,,run for public office, provincially or federally, get elected for a couple of terms and you retire early set for life. 
Panel jobs are great once you get older [I'm on the five or less year countdown right now]...not so much fun if that is all you have to look forward to doing for 20/30 or more years till retirement.
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03-22-2017, 11:16 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 413
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City bus driver , $30 bucks an hr , no layoffs , your own boss most of the time , pension plan, union benifits , great job , clean uniform supplied , meet lotsa girls , can stop for coffee and donut anytime you want , cant get much better then that , nice raise every year , free bus pass , ther ya go , and l think their hiring now too.
Get application online , city of Calgary carreers
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03-22-2017, 11:22 PM
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Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 188
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I am a plumber. I'm good and I'm cheap. PM for details.
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03-23-2017, 08:32 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Vermilion ab
Posts: 2,289
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EZM
Agreed - be a career student, get a engineering undergraduate degree, a few professional designations, then an MBA and become a boss.
You don't need to know squat. Execs love hiring highly educated people with zero experience and zero ability to apply in any real life situation.
Become an executive in your late 20's.
Make way more money compared to Senior Managers in the company with 30 years of experience who have more knowledge in their little toe compared to what you know now, and what you might learn the rest of your life and be their boss.
That's the best hatched plan. Trust me - it's real.
Worked for me ...... now go get me my cup of coffee or else your fired!
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^^^^^^ This is a career path that could lead you to the prime ministers office one day.
__________________
Bring on the Anarchy already !
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03-23-2017, 09:07 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Central Alberta
Posts: 593
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Learn about solar installation....seems to be on the rise. Put Environmental in your title...... Solar Electrician Environmental Technician...that sounds good...
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03-23-2017, 10:23 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,169
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I think power engineering has some legs left in it. Still a swathe of older guys to retire and there is a few plants going up here and there. Where i am at management is all old more or less and they are done in the next few years and there are floor level older people leaving soon aswell.
I think the days of going to school and getting a job sound like they are done but it seems like some one with other work experience plus a steam ticket still has a chance.
The environment is different now though....companies are extracting their revenge on the floor level guys after years of people leaving for signing bonuses elsewhere etc. That is pretty much all the one manager where i am at talks about is the piles of resumes they have for people who want our jobs, and how lucky we are the company didnt hire too many people during the good times, lol.
Maintenance is suffering these days and the oil and gas sector is probably pushing the envelope on questionable fixes.
Having worked in both process and utility plants i would say the utility plant isnt a maintenance priority. And process is fairly gnarly when things arent going well or catch on fire, or start leaking and there is a big pool of flammable material all over the ground.
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03-23-2017, 05:48 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: At the end of the Thirsty Beaver Trail, Pinsky lake, Alberta.
Posts: 24,620
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Well,it starts with a fourth class ...don't stop there though...third class...all with steam time...a few papers written in the 2nds and doors open....unlike what is mentioned here about not getting work....meh...very versatile trade just have to have the ability to work in Canada not just here in the oil industry...trust me I know two young people that went this route right out of high school and are doing very well, I mean very well!
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Be careful when you follow the masses, sometimes the "M" is silent... 
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03-23-2017, 06:02 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Wakaw SK
Posts: 789
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Sure, I know a couple guys that hit the jackpot right out of school too, but I also know a whole pile more that cant find anything. Sure there is always a chance things will go great right out of college, but to dismiss the fact that every 2 bit college across Canada is spitting out PEs is just not a good idea.
OP if you do this sign up for a 2 year program that will give you half your papers on your 2nd upon leaving. A 4th is useless now, and a 3rd is also not a shoo in like it used to be.
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03-23-2017, 06:10 AM
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Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 91
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you missed the boat by 5-7 years, 500 coming out of school a year trying for 200 openings, maybe
great career but unless you have a in somewhere itll be 2 years of school and a fancy piece of paper to hang on the wall while you work elseware.
soon (they've been saying that for 5 years now) a batch of the old guys will retire and the openings will be there. to many of the "old boys" I work with 60+ lost to much $ in the last couple crashes so there still sticking around trying to make it back
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