question for Pickster

[rotornuts]

Well Pickster I noticed on your website today that your a Mechanical Engineering Technician. My wife has taken a job at the University of Alberta in Edmonton and we're in the process of packing up years of life and moving it 800 km north and I've been thinking about going back to school. Interestingly I was heavily considering taking Mechanical Engineering Technology at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology(NAIT)in Edmonton. I was thinking this would go along well with my passion for all things mechanical. Do you think this would afford many oportunities in the alternate energy field. I realize that electrical engineering may be the more logical choice but you can't have an energy system without it's mechanical systems and structures.

What do you think?

I'll thank you in advance for your thoughts and would invite others to toss in there spare change.

[picmacmillan]

In mechanical, you touch on all kinds of areas...i am glad i did it...it was real tough but just about everything i took is applicable...i do know there is a course called megatronics now...it is supposed to be the new age mechanical area...in what we are doing here, i find we don't get to scientific here, but all we need to do is read of everyones success stories in building these projects and we can see that you don't have to have a diploma to do it...i do know from experience that a ticket in engineering will open a lot of doors for you and you will have a real good hands on idea of all the mathematics etc that are used in alternative energy applications...you will use all the maths; geometry, trigonometry, applied mechanics,fluid mechanics, integral and differential calculus....there is also a ton of computer courses such as autocad, catia and unigraphics.....all of these things are used in a day to day working environment...when you get out, you will be prepared to work at whatever is thrown at you...now mind you, you may forget some of the material, but if you learned it once, you can learn it again quickly...especially if you know that alternative energy is the area you want to come out of school and work in, you have a real good advantage to make it happen...you will have the skills necessary i feel to excell in your field.......and i belive this area is going to take off like wildfire in the next 10 years as energy becomes more expensive and depleted...good luck...pickster

[rotornuts]

Thanks pic.

When I read the course outlines for mechanical, electrical and electronic engineering, mechanical is the only one that touches on all the others as wellm aside from automated systems engineering. The course outline for mechanical at NAIT has an electrical component an electronic component as well as a shared first year with mechatronic engineering which is now called automated systems engineering and naturally it contains extensive mechanical related components. The mechatronic engineering was my favorite as it emphisized integration of all three disciplines but they have moved its focous towards automated systems which was the original reason for the creation of a new course as mechanical and electrical systems became so intertwined.

I think I'm going to try for mechanical but I'll have a year of school before I have to decide as I'm in desperate need of upgrading so I'll take the pre technology course first. I'm excited and hopefully out the tail end I'll be able to forge a career out of what has become such a passionate hobby - Alternate energy systems - specifically wind.

Thanks again,

nuts

[picmacmillan]

ya, rotornuts....i truely believe you will excell in this field...you will take yourself academically to a level you did not think possible..as you probably already know, the course outoine has tons of things that apply here,like welding, strengths of materials, electrical of course(plc's)...if you do take this it will give you a lot of self worth and the things you get you didn't expect, like being able to help your kids with their highschool math etc.....keep me posted, i would really like to here how you are making out...and i am sure there is others on here  who have done the same thing, who would like to here from you also....take care..pickster

[rotornuts]

Thanks again pic. I'd like to know what anyone here has done or has thought of doing or  wants to do to make this adventure we call a "hobby" (more like an obsession) into a career. I'll keep you posted. Only three years with upgrades.

nuts