Is Engineering still a valuable degree in Ireland?

boziey

Currently doing my leaving cert and really undecided about choosing my course.

I find it difficult to pick engineering as a career seeing the long hours (40ish) a week in college and still moderate salary for the amount of work put into the course in college.

On the other hand I could be going with a financial math course or computer science course with half the hours a week roughly and earn a salary way above that of engineering without a masters.

I know I should not be basing it on money but I find it ridiculous to work so hard to enter a seemingly saturated market.

Would like to hear any opinions thanks

KeithTS

Firstly, of course salary has to come into the equation but an engineering degree isn't for everybody and if money is your primary influence rather than having some kind of interest or passion in the field then engineering isn't for you.
40+ hours a week is relatively easy if you enjoy it, if you don't, then you won't stick it out. It's pretty simple really.

Secondly, what type of engineering?
I've heard bad things about civil when it comes to opportunities and salary over the last few years but others can speak more about that.
In the electronics field there is a good amount of work (a lot of which is software based) and it's decently paid, circa 30k straight out of college for most of the people I know. If you're good there is money to be found.
It doesn't compare with working in investment banking but the job can be very rewarding in other ways and there is a lot of opportunity to move around different sectors.

Mandzhalas

Dont make the same mistake i did years ago. Chooce career that you would enjoy, not which is easiest to study or pays the most. I have wasted yeqs studying business only to realise engineering is what i love.
When you get older you realise that being happy everyday is most important thing, no matter how rich you are

boziey

Thanks for the feedback, I find Biomedical Engineering and Energy System Engineering really interesting but might end up doing mechanical or electronic depending on which I enjoy more in first year just so I won't be limited to work in one sector.

I know myself that I will really enjoy Engineering and I find it a lot more appealing than the other 2 courses I'm weighing up, But would still like a good reward for all the work I put in money wise

godtabh

If anything else an engineering degree will give you a good foundation degree to work in other areas. A lot of banks for instance like engineers for their ease with numbers and problem solving ability.