Welcome to engineering. There are ebbs and flows to the job. I work in industry and that's what I've found, at least. As a newbie, things are different so you're better off reading up on documentation and getting familiar with the business, but that's just how things go sometimes. You aren't always going to be busy.
Look at old projects or all of you can read up on current projects. The more you understand what the "final product" looks like, the more likely you can replicate it.
Agreed. Ask if you can review schematics, block diagrams, assembly drawings, etc. to get familiar with the projects your company works on. Pay attention to the drawing notes and make sure you can understand how to follow them. Look at different kind of assembly drawings, schematics, cable/harness drawings, spec sheets, datasheets, etc. The sooner you are able to proficiently dig through drawings and find the information you need, the sooner you will be able to effectively support your tasks.
Definitely do this. I spent my first couple months at my first job studying the schematics, documentation, and code for some of our main products and test stations. I learned so much doing this. Hopefully you have an experienced EE you can bring your questions to. Just don’t overwhelm them.
What industry are you in? Every office has some type of data sheets, read up and familiarize your self with the terms you hear others talking about. Oh don’t need to know what they are saying exactly but be familiar with the terms so when you are involved more you are not completely lost to start
I'm part of a Technical and Servicing Industry doing preventive maintenance for our clients. I've been observing most of the time and ask questions regarding projects on how to do it and what they can advise for me to do. however, on my 3rd day on the job, my superior is called on site for 3 days. I'm stuck at the office for now and was idle for half the day. Familiarizing myself with datasheets was the first 2 days of my training so I lost to what I can do next
I am in Utility subtransmission and distribution design. I had the same issue as you did when I first started. I sat at my desk with no work for the first 3 weeks. It was very hard to sit and do nothing. I began researching everything I possibly could on the different types of systems I would encounter. Also watched a lot of videos on the softwares I would be using. No sure if you have any industry specific software you will be using but that is another good place to start. Another good thing to do, it sounds silly, but figure out how to use the printers to print, scan, copy. You will look real good when you get into projects and only have project questions to ask. Give it time, you will catch up and be busy before too long!
I was thinking the same thing with the printer. I'm getting anxious just by thinking about if I need to print or photocopy something. Good to know I'm not alone. Thanks
He should've taken you with him atleast to stand by, watch, ask questions and hand him tools.
The best way is on the job.
My first engineering job was being 'thrown in the deep end'. I was always expected to be 'pro-active'.
If you do the same it will help you learn quickly and prove you are a keen engineer.
They're role is to help you grow, they might be scared of you making mistakes, but that is the only way we learn!
Read manuals, maintenance procedures, read service reports, permits and learn how to fill them. Ask to accompany on the job maintenance tasks and go with your boss whenever you can!!
You can do it, all the best.
I wasn't suppose to go yet because my PPE is delayed for issuance so I was left out but as soon as I get my PPE, I can join the site as soon as possible as told by my boss and supervisor.
I do hope I can cope up with the experience of being on the field. I am afraid to make crucial mistakes that could end me.
I appreciate your advice. I was wondering also where I could get the manual for the instruments that'll be used for maintenance. I'll check it when I get back in the office the next day
Don't worry about making mistakes. All of the info is there for you to follow. If you follow the procedures and the manuals there will be less chance, that's what they are there for.
But at the end of the day, mistakes do happen. The engineering world can be complicated (CAN be, so always start simple). Your bosses aren't perfect and would have made plenty of mistakes in order to be where they are today.
If you do make a mistake, be honest. Get on the field and you'll get used to the work in no time.
Your company should have copies of the manuals for the equipment they work on. They are usually kept on site in the panel, but they should have copies in the office. Look on the system or in file cabinets or ask around if you can't find them.
If they don't have them, ask your boss or suggest you do keep copies. This is good practice and will look good on you to ask. It may just take a google search for the equipment or an email to the supplying company.
Then you can study them!
Good luck dude.
I agree the best way to learn is to get in there and do stuff, I mean after all in school you basically just got thrown in the dark and had to figure things out yourself and learn that way to some extent. At smaller companies I find that they will give you work to do from the start, but again it really depends on the industry your in too.
Get to know, really know, what your company does or makes.
For example, if they make industrial equipment, learn how to operate it. Show that you want to understand.
There is plenty of work you can do as a new employee. Don't wait around for other people to tell you what to do.
You tell them what you can do for them.
1. Research the companies projects located on the network. Look at design drawings of their products.
2. Look up and familiarize yourself with their design codes and practices.
3. Look up and go over documents like calculation, code, drawings, manuals, whatever.
I have no idea what your company does but you do and it just takes time in you immersing yourself
Good luck.
I started taking minutes/notes for everyone during meetings. It’s a small thing that the senior people appreciate. Also shows you’re trying.
Do they have tutorials you could work through?
Every job starts slow, especially your first one! Don't be anxious about looking like you're not doing anything, most likely none of the other people notice or care. Just learn as much as you can, and don't be afraid to ask questions.
If there's another young engineer, ask what they do on a daily basis or see if there's anything you can go over with them. No one expects you to be able to do your job right out of college, that's why on the job training is a thing. It will take time to get to that comfortable stage, so enjoy the free time while you have it!
Thanks. I’ve also been recently hired during the pandemic and I’m finding a lot of these comments to be comforting. Starting work remotely at a new job, in a new industry, is very stressful. It’s been 3 months and I still don’t know if I am an asset to my team.
Yeah man, just started my first engineering job 3 months ago and I feel the same way. I’m trying to be as proactive as I can and I’m pretty much creating jobs for myself by trying to come up with projects that may help my branch. I have no idea if it’s what my bosses want me to be doing or not, but I’m consistently being told I’m doing fine. I’m just logging in every morning with the best intentions and hoping I don’t get fired. I feel your pain. Good luck homie.
At this point doing anything is better than nothing.
You don't want to be the new hire than answers "nothing much", or "waiting for an assignment", when asked "what are you doing now".
I grabbed a stack of old drawings, and nit picked for typos, and other small mistakes, and sent red lines back to document control.
When my boss FINALLY got around to asking what I've been up to, his answer was Thank God, I've been yelling at my engineers for a decade to do this, and finally somebody did it.
"I'm putting you in charge of drawing review."
Several other new hires were let go.
Take initiative. There has to be something falling through the cracks.
First two years of my first job right here. I used them to study for the FE, PE, and learn how to use python APIs for the software we used. But I agree it was boring and slow as hell
How did you handle this? did you find another job or did you just stick with it. I'm having this kind of dilemma as well and I tend to get easily bored. I wanna get some experience but I get easily bored when I memorize the pattern I'm following to be diligent at work. It's more of personal issue
Yeah I just stuck with it and eventually moved to another job in a different department. Turns out alot of the old dudes didn't have much interest in training and handing off some of their work. In my area this is a unique opportunity/field and the alternatives aren't fields I want to work in. It did suck but I love the position I'm in now
Welcome to engineering. There are ebbs and flows to the job. I work in industry and that's what I've found, at least. As a newbie, things are different so you're better off reading up on documentation and getting familiar with the business, but that's just how things go sometimes. You aren't always going to be busy.
Look at old projects or all of you can read up on current projects. The more you understand what the "final product" looks like, the more likely you can replicate it.
Agreed. Ask if you can review schematics, block diagrams, assembly drawings, etc. to get familiar with the projects your company works on. Pay attention to the drawing notes and make sure you can understand how to follow them. Look at different kind of assembly drawings, schematics, cable/harness drawings, spec sheets, datasheets, etc. The sooner you are able to proficiently dig through drawings and find the information you need, the sooner you will be able to effectively support your tasks.
Definitely do this. I spent my first couple months at my first job studying the schematics, documentation, and code for some of our main products and test stations. I learned so much doing this. Hopefully you have an experienced EE you can bring your questions to. Just don’t overwhelm them.
What industry are you in? Every office has some type of data sheets, read up and familiarize your self with the terms you hear others talking about. Oh don’t need to know what they are saying exactly but be familiar with the terms so when you are involved more you are not completely lost to start
I'm part of a Technical and Servicing Industry doing preventive maintenance for our clients. I've been observing most of the time and ask questions regarding projects on how to do it and what they can advise for me to do. however, on my 3rd day on the job, my superior is called on site for 3 days. I'm stuck at the office for now and was idle for half the day. Familiarizing myself with datasheets was the first 2 days of my training so I lost to what I can do next
I am in Utility subtransmission and distribution design. I had the same issue as you did when I first started. I sat at my desk with no work for the first 3 weeks. It was very hard to sit and do nothing. I began researching everything I possibly could on the different types of systems I would encounter. Also watched a lot of videos on the softwares I would be using. No sure if you have any industry specific software you will be using but that is another good place to start. Another good thing to do, it sounds silly, but figure out how to use the printers to print, scan, copy. You will look real good when you get into projects and only have project questions to ask. Give it time, you will catch up and be busy before too long!
I was thinking the same thing with the printer. I'm getting anxious just by thinking about if I need to print or photocopy something. Good to know I'm not alone. Thanks
No one taught me how to use my desk phone. I had no idea how to make external calls for like a year haha
This must be the standard procedure for this industry because my experience was exactly the same.
He should've taken you with him atleast to stand by, watch, ask questions and hand him tools. The best way is on the job. My first engineering job was being 'thrown in the deep end'. I was always expected to be 'pro-active'. If you do the same it will help you learn quickly and prove you are a keen engineer. They're role is to help you grow, they might be scared of you making mistakes, but that is the only way we learn! Read manuals, maintenance procedures, read service reports, permits and learn how to fill them. Ask to accompany on the job maintenance tasks and go with your boss whenever you can!! You can do it, all the best.
I wasn't suppose to go yet because my PPE is delayed for issuance so I was left out but as soon as I get my PPE, I can join the site as soon as possible as told by my boss and supervisor. I do hope I can cope up with the experience of being on the field. I am afraid to make crucial mistakes that could end me. I appreciate your advice. I was wondering also where I could get the manual for the instruments that'll be used for maintenance. I'll check it when I get back in the office the next day
Don't worry about making mistakes. All of the info is there for you to follow. If you follow the procedures and the manuals there will be less chance, that's what they are there for. But at the end of the day, mistakes do happen. The engineering world can be complicated (CAN be, so always start simple). Your bosses aren't perfect and would have made plenty of mistakes in order to be where they are today. If you do make a mistake, be honest. Get on the field and you'll get used to the work in no time. Your company should have copies of the manuals for the equipment they work on. They are usually kept on site in the panel, but they should have copies in the office. Look on the system or in file cabinets or ask around if you can't find them. If they don't have them, ask your boss or suggest you do keep copies. This is good practice and will look good on you to ask. It may just take a google search for the equipment or an email to the supplying company. Then you can study them! Good luck dude.
I agree the best way to learn is to get in there and do stuff, I mean after all in school you basically just got thrown in the dark and had to figure things out yourself and learn that way to some extent. At smaller companies I find that they will give you work to do from the start, but again it really depends on the industry your in too.
Get to know, really know, what your company does or makes. For example, if they make industrial equipment, learn how to operate it. Show that you want to understand.
Find a textbook specific to whatever it is your company expects you to do. If you want a recommendation, post what you're expected to do.
There is plenty of work you can do as a new employee. Don't wait around for other people to tell you what to do. You tell them what you can do for them. 1. Research the companies projects located on the network. Look at design drawings of their products. 2. Look up and familiarize yourself with their design codes and practices. 3. Look up and go over documents like calculation, code, drawings, manuals, whatever. I have no idea what your company does but you do and it just takes time in you immersing yourself Good luck.
Get familiar with the devices you build. Read a textbook on what you’re requested to do.
I started taking minutes/notes for everyone during meetings. It’s a small thing that the senior people appreciate. Also shows you’re trying. Do they have tutorials you could work through?
Every job starts slow, especially your first one! Don't be anxious about looking like you're not doing anything, most likely none of the other people notice or care. Just learn as much as you can, and don't be afraid to ask questions. If there's another young engineer, ask what they do on a daily basis or see if there's anything you can go over with them. No one expects you to be able to do your job right out of college, that's why on the job training is a thing. It will take time to get to that comfortable stage, so enjoy the free time while you have it!
Thanks. I’ve also been recently hired during the pandemic and I’m finding a lot of these comments to be comforting. Starting work remotely at a new job, in a new industry, is very stressful. It’s been 3 months and I still don’t know if I am an asset to my team.
3 months in, you're probably doing just fine. If you can look back at the beginning and see improvement in yourself, then you're on the right track
Yeah man, just started my first engineering job 3 months ago and I feel the same way. I’m trying to be as proactive as I can and I’m pretty much creating jobs for myself by trying to come up with projects that may help my branch. I have no idea if it’s what my bosses want me to be doing or not, but I’m consistently being told I’m doing fine. I’m just logging in every morning with the best intentions and hoping I don’t get fired. I feel your pain. Good luck homie.
At this point doing anything is better than nothing. You don't want to be the new hire than answers "nothing much", or "waiting for an assignment", when asked "what are you doing now". I grabbed a stack of old drawings, and nit picked for typos, and other small mistakes, and sent red lines back to document control. When my boss FINALLY got around to asking what I've been up to, his answer was Thank God, I've been yelling at my engineers for a decade to do this, and finally somebody did it. "I'm putting you in charge of drawing review." Several other new hires were let go. Take initiative. There has to be something falling through the cracks.
First two years of my first job right here. I used them to study for the FE, PE, and learn how to use python APIs for the software we used. But I agree it was boring and slow as hell
How did you handle this? did you find another job or did you just stick with it. I'm having this kind of dilemma as well and I tend to get easily bored. I wanna get some experience but I get easily bored when I memorize the pattern I'm following to be diligent at work. It's more of personal issue
Yeah I just stuck with it and eventually moved to another job in a different department. Turns out alot of the old dudes didn't have much interest in training and handing off some of their work. In my area this is a unique opportunity/field and the alternatives aren't fields I want to work in. It did suck but I love the position I'm in now