posted on Apr, 19 2021 @ 06:12 PM
Hey yall, I've got some questions pertaining college/university.
I've never went and I feel like all the information I'm looking for just brings more questions than answers.
If you went to school in Tennessee and used the Tennessee Reconnect and GI Bill and could provide me with some insight on that it would be appreciated
as well.
I'd like to go to Vanderbilt, but if that doesn't happen I'd go to MTSU.
I still can't make up my mind between going for a BS in electromechanical engineering or mechatronic engineering. I've got a lot of work experience
in both already. The issue is that I like how mechatronics is a multidisciplinary field, but most employers I've come across view
mechatronic/automation technicians as glorified electricians. Working in the field I've been able to gain experience in a myriad of things, but I
want to get away from working on boring stuff that's found in food processing facilities and automotive manufacturing plants. I'm tired of working
on conveyor belts, label machines, and scanners, and having to pick up slack from lazy electricians/mechanics.
I'd like to get back into the design and implementation aspect and away from the maintenance side of things, but I've run into a wall where
employers say I have plenty of work experience, but they want people with college degrees.
So, I started looking at schools and it seems most of them have their mechatronic programs geared towards giving people just enough knowledge to give
them a foot in the door right back onto the manufacturing floor as maintenance personnel. If I wanted to do that I would just go back through another
vocational school.
(Speaking of which, in my experience sucks. The last one I went through was Rockwell/Allen Bradley and the certificate I got was useless.)
All this being said I would enjoy the in depth education provided by enrolling in an electromechanical engineering program. I feel like I would learn
more from that, but I feel like I may end up feeling like I missing out on computer science and controls engineering.
Furthermore I was wondering if it would be feasible to pursue a electromechanical/mechatronics BS and then go on to pursue a master's degree in
biomechatronics. I've always been fascinated by prosthetics and human factors and I would enjoy being able to have the opportunity to work in that
field.
So, as far as the financial aspects. I have the opportunity to use the Tennessee reconnect, and I also have a GI Bill at my disposal. So, I can get
about two years worth of schooling paid by the state of Tennessee, and then I can use the GI bill anywhere in the world depending on admissions and
such.
I'm thirty years old so from what I've read I don't necessarily have to worry about ACT/SAT scores, and as far as extracurricular activities go I
could always build a portfolio of things I've designed, programmed, and built. I used to volunteer quite a bit, and I do enjoy it. So, I would
appreciate any input on volunteering ideas that would help bolster my portfolio. I could perhaps find an after school program and take up teaching
kids how to program or something. I guess that's still dependent on Covid BS, but Tennessee has pretty much loosened restrictions for the most
part.
I will admit that I have become kind of rusty on some things as I haven't worked in a related field for about two years since going into security and
all of the events of last year didn't really help as I was unable to do much, but I'm quick to pick up on things. So, I really just need to knock
the rust off.
I appreciate any conducive input.