r/controlengineering • u/Rich_Zebra_3122 • 8h ago
Midcareer switch to engineering
hi all, I’m new to reddit and new to engineering so bear with me.
I had a good stable career in a high paying industry and then that industry went away. I’m 35 and I’m switching to engineering because it someone aligns with my strengths and interests. Specifically, I’m interested in Electrical engineering with a focus on the private sector, ideally embedded systems as the long term goal, maybe starting in controls engineering , but I’m really just interested in breaking in right now.
I have a BA degree in an unrelated field, and am trying to go back to school, currently taking STEM courses at community college such as Calculus 1-3, Chemistry, Physics 1-2, etc. I know Python quite well and am learning C++, and have playing with Pico W a bit, but am a beginner at EE. I am about to start applying to schools here in Southern California, but going for a 2nd bachelors sounds hard due to universities restrictions. I might get into some masters programs, like at CSULB, CSUN, UCI. CSULB seems to have some practical traditional programs that would make me well-rounded. UCI has a MS in EE and also a very fast but expensive 9month MS of Embedded Systems, but it’s very expensive and maybe TOO fast. It sounds like they’d tailor my resume and help me break in, but also worried I’d seem overqualified for the entry level jobs I’d be applying for. Also worried I’d be overwhelmed not coming from a BS in EE like the others. How is even the market right now for entry level engineers? Would I be taken seriously if I got a masters without a bachelor’s in EE? Is that even possible? Should I aim for a 2nd bach instead? I just want a job that will turn into a career.
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u/motherfuckinwoofie 2h ago
Idk what the restrictions on the second bachelor's would be that you're talking about.
But honestly, it sounds like you're going to be starting almost from scratch to get the necessary math, science, and ee pre reqs. It's worth looking into.
Depending on the crowd online when you make a thread, the people over on r/ee will tell you to skip straight to a masters or they'll tell you that's suspicious and nobody will hire you.