Where to go from here

fuinseog_

Hi. I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask. I'm due to graduate from a masters in engineering next year. I'm in college up in Dublin at the moment. What I have felt more and more as I spend a lot of time up here is that I really miss the work on the farm at home, working with my father (he works full time off farm), in the muck and dirt, seeing the new arrivals on the farm in spring, enjoying the long may evenings. I just don't know how to go about squaring the circle of getting a job (live in midwest) and having a reasonable quality of life with commuting etc., finding a partner. I wouldn't be too much of a social person so the hustle bustle of the city or travelling wouldn't be something I would be pining after. I know this is a bit of a spiel but if you have any comments based on your own experiences/views etc. they would be very much welcome.

Nekarsulm

Its hard to know, look for an engineering job near home, or head abroad for a spell first.
You don't want to be looking back later saying "I wish I'd travelled a bit, but now I'm stuck here".

Never wrestle with pigs

Push yourself out of your comfort zone for a while and go traveling. Best thing you will ever do. If you feel the same afterwards then move home. Good pharma jobs popping up all over the country looking for qualified engineers if it's mechanical? Buildings getting very busy again if it's civil. Loads of options and not many young people willing to work. What type of engineering are you doing?

fuinseog_

Never wrestle with pigs wrote: »

Push yourself out of your comfort zone for a while and go traveling. Best thing you will ever do. If you feel the same afterwards then move home. Good pharma jobs popping up all over the country looking for qualified engineers if it's mechanical? Buildings getting very busy again if it's civil. Loads of options and not many young people willing to work. What type of engineering are you doing?

Sounds like good advice. I'm doing electronic engineering

Never wrestle with pigs

fuinseog_ wrote: »

Sounds like good advice. I'm doing electronic engineering

Plenty of paths you can take so. Pharma, big dairys like glanbia and Kerry, McHale, etc. Best of luck.

Donald Trump

OP,

I never wanted to travel. Could never understand other peoples apparent blind attraction to just going somewhere else - it just seemed like a "grass is always greener mentality".

However a random chance, added to a shite economy meant that I went abroad for work. And I stayed for a good few years.

Now I see the benefit of travel and I think it's incredibly valuable for a person to have the experience. And if you are a qualified engineer, you'll do it to build a career, not just to go on the piss in Australia for a few years.

You can always come back. Home will always be there.

KatyMac

A while away is no harm to anybody. I spent some time in Germany, working in a children's home. I reckoned that I'd never get the chance to see a wee bit of the world outside of Ireland if I didn't go before I settled in a job and/or farming. Go somewhere, anywhere, outside of this country - even if only for 6 months.
With your engineering qualifications surely you will be able to secure a job without too much hassle.

As for meeting a potential mate! I met my husband on the bog. It was his first time and was a bit of a culture shock to the poor divil! You don't have to be clubbin and pubbin in a big city (or even a little one).

tractorporn

Can't say I disagree with any of the other posters here. I would have been similar to yourself never had the travelling bug but circumstances ment that I ended up studying and working over in England for the guts of 10 years.

Not to be cliche about it but that time away was where I grew up and "found myself" for want of a better phrase. I had always said that I wouldn't farm but that time away made me realise that it was exactly what I wanted and lead me to where I am today.

I would say tho that if you do head off make some form of plan even if it's only in your own head, for instance that I'm going to go work for 3 years and come home with good experience and a few quid in the back pocket. Otherwise I think you could end up wandering aimlessly until you run out of money.