I don't have any delusions of grandeur here.  I know that starting out will be
"slow."  I just want a job where I feel some job satisfaction.   As it sits now,
I don't even feel like an ET anymore.  I do all of the studying on my own to get
some feeling of accomplishment.  I also take jobs repairing electronics of
different types in my spare time as well as doing artwork for cash.

All of the repair for th USPS is done to board level only, and any jobs that
lean toward having any skills seem to be passed out to people who can spread the
cr** to the bosses so that they look as if they know what they are talking
about.  Alot of the ET's in my facility don't have any formal training or
experience.  They just studied hard enough to pass the exam.  Most of our work
leans toward the mechanical and calibration end of things and there is very
little troubleshooting to be done.  If there is, you only have block diagrams
available and usually don't have enough info to get right to the problem.  A lot
of it gets into being shotgun troubleshooting after a certain point (change this
card and see if it moves).

Well, enough of my ranting.  Thanks for the reply - I am really looking forward
to starting school.

Joe

Chris Eddy wrote:

> Joe;
>
> You will need a large portion of patience.  When I persued engineering, I
> thought that I would be designing robots and computers in class.  It was
> nothing like that.  You will spend every waking hour during your junior year
> just trying to get the homework done.  The great thing is that you have the
> associates' knowledge of electronics, which many graduating engineers don't.
> When it is all said and done, you get to work on the coolest stuff on the
> planet (if you choose to).  So when the clouds overhead are dark, have faith
> that you will come out on the other end.
>
> Chris Eddy
>
> Joseph Rutsky wrote:
>
> > I am enrolled in college this fall to start my electrical engineering
> > degree.  I am currently an electronic tech with the Postal Service.  Not
> > much satisfaction in it.  I started studying microcontrollers for fun and
> > it all snowballed from there.  The only line that I am familiar with is
> > the PIC line.
> >
> > Anyway, I hope that the switch in careers will be as satisfying as doing
> > the hobby on my own.
> >
> > Any tips from anyone that was/is in a similar situation?
> >
> > Joe