Lesson 4c

Engineer - The first, most noticeable benefit is the respect the title of engineer gets you. The public puts a lot of trust in you and your knowledge, which many assume to be infinite for your area of expertise. If I approach a group of workmen and tell them "don't do it that way, do it this way" then they'll listen to me just the same as if their boss had said it. This can be a problem. I must make sure that casual opinion is not mistaken for an expert's direction. Money? Lots of it. A lot of corporations don't give the traditional pension. They like to use "cash balance" plans, which basically means they'll put an investment in your name to some account, but once your earnings run out, they run out. No lifetime guarantee. This varies with the company. Still, compared to other jobs, there are very good benefits.

Technician - Two major advantages to becoming a technician are job availability and security. There is a great demand for vet techs, most of whom are employed at private clinics. Pet owners continue to pay more each year for their pets' health, creating a larger requirement for more veterinarians and also more vet techs. Participation in preventative care, such as neutering and spaying, and dental care, continues to increase. As of 2005, fewer than 3,000 veterinary technologists and technicians were graduating each year, which did not come close to meeting the demand for 2006. Employment is stable during economic recession, and layoffs are unlikely. An additional financial consideration is that discounts for pet health care and other services such as boarding often are offered from the clinic at which the tech works.

Architect - You're in charge typically of the design team, directing what is built and how. You get to build the way you want. Architecture is a demanding profession, but it can also be a very interesting, creative one. As architects gain more experience, they become more involved in actual design work rather than technical issues and routine construction documents.Architecture is also never a boring career because of the variety of tasks it demands. No project is ever the same as the one that came before. Architects are also constantly dealing with different issues, such as meeting with clients and contractors, drawing plans, looking at estimates, or working out last-minute details and requests.Even though many architecture schools have heavy math requirements, many architects say that very little math is actually involved in their day-to-day routines. Anything that requires advanced levels of math such as calculus is usually handled by engineers or other specialists involved with a project. General overall intelligence, good drawing skills, an inquiring nature, and excellent listening and speaking abilities are actually the most important qualities for architects to possess.