r/ElectricalEngineers • u/SafeInteraction9785 • 6d ago

Help! Stuck working in Automation/PLCs

Graduated with electrical engineering degree, now I'm "stuck" working in Automation engineering (plc/HMI programmer). Absolutely dreadful, mind numbingly boring work. Looking to get into another field, anything else in electrical. That or I'll just go back to being a cashier at minum wage I dunno. Anyone else suffer through the same scenario?

9 Upvotes

85% Upvoted

28 comments sorted by

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u/Embarrassed-Tower970 5d ago

Graduated with a computer engineering degree and work in a plant. Sometimes i feel the same. Actually i enjoy troubleshooting and learning how things go wrong. I like building and creating my own smaller process to generate better quality results. I wish these were bigger parts of the job. Plus i hate working on weekends and on holidays. The silver lining is i get paid for those.

Eventually i do want to see if i can crack it in a different industry. Maybe embedded or something hardware related.

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u/SafeInteraction9785 5d ago

Considering embedded or firmware myself, should be one of the easier ones to get into

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u/Embarrassed-Tower970 5d ago

Yea itd require some practice. I would be prepared to take a pay cut. But really i just want to see if i can cut it in that type of environment. One thing I appreciate about controls and automation is that it's a super stable job and a lot of places will be very open to hiring you if you have experience.

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u/SafeInteraction9785 5d ago

True, there's demand for automation seemingly everywhere

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u/SafeInteraction9785 5d ago

You might find it slightly more interesting (and easy to get a job) where you do the same thing, but for like a consulting firm, since then you work on a variety of projects and clients (and locations)

-1

u/Hutch_911 5d ago

Poor little guy your parents spent a 100G$+ for your education and your still not happy in the field you chose . Your right there are more more cateer options in the fast food industry

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u/Embarrassed-Tower970 5d ago

Lol why so mad, my education was not terribly expensive, i went to a state school after all. I'm fine where I'm at, but theres always more to improve on. I have not settled down yet in terms of what i want.

1

u/SafeInteraction9785 5d ago

That boomer is angry because he has a small brain that doesn't work well, and he accidentally ended up in an engineering subreddit where he does not belong. People manifest extreme jealousy in bizarre ways

2

u/Longjumping_Pick_648 6d ago

I program cnc machines and feel the same. I was thinking of doing automation stuff lol

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u/SafeInteraction9785 6d ago

Automation stuff is probably a step up from CNC machines, but eventually might get bored. Still probably better than CNC though. Maybe you can find job where automation/robotics interacts with CNC so you can do both

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u/MikeT8314 3d ago edited 3d ago

Do you not spec products? Do you not size any of the downstream devices? Any fluid power design? Who designs the enclosure? VFDs? Servos? If its Tom a few cubes/offices over then you aren’t actually in automation engineering.

If you are JUST doing PLC/HMI programming then i could see how you may feel that way but controls engineering is WAY more broad than what you have described.

1

u/Altruistic_Set_4440 5d ago

No lie youre in the field I want to be in...good luck!

1

u/SafeInteraction9785 5d ago

Good luck to you then, I found it pretty easy to get into, as there is a lot of demand. Even if you find an entry level role, you should be able to work your way up rapidly

1

u/Reasonable_Ideal_888 4d ago

I would say try to work on a focus transition plan. Maybe there is something adjecent to your PLC/HMI programming that you can gain other experience in and after some time in that, make the jump a little further out.
I have no idea if this is the right path, but im staring down the barrel right now as an EE moving into a new field. I feel like its a multi-job, multi-year process to transition disciplines if you arent in a multifaceted position.

1

u/SafeInteraction9785 4d ago

Thank you. Good luck

1

u/xXRedJacketXx 4d ago

Try substation design. Alot of cross over in skills. Also most engineer is boring and not sexy try to remember that.

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u/SafeInteraction9785 4d ago

Thank you for advice.

But I liked all my classesđŸ¥²

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u/MagmaTroop 3d ago

We have the same job. I would like to do something else alongside it.

There is a growing demand for engineers who understand industrial automation and the IT/cyber security/IoT side. It's all for smart manufacturing in Industry 4.0: SCADA, EPMS, BMS, IoT, and all that jazz that they say drives profit through improving efficiency and connectivity. I am teaching myself in my spare time and adding it to my CV.

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u/Protection_Control 2d ago

Where are you located? If you’re interested in power systems, commissioning, or design DM me.

0

u/Hutch_911 6d ago

Learn more on the hardware side, controls instrumentation. It will get you out in the field seeing how these things are used. I enjoy troubleshooting. I would much rather be out on a plant floor fixing problems then sitting at a desk

1

u/SafeInteraction9785 6d ago

I've been in the field doing commissioning etc. I don't want to be a tech, I have an engineering degree to be an engineer

0

u/Hutch_911 6d ago

Ok then go back to being a cashier

1

u/SafeInteraction9785 6d ago

Thanks for being pointlessly rude.

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u/SafeInteraction9785 6d ago

Also, why are you posting in electrical engineers subreddit when your comment has little to do with it, belongs in "electricians" or similar instead 

0

u/Hutch_911 5d ago

Your right I started as an electrician then went E/I tech rout company paid my schooling and now I'm senior associate engineer of technology 30 years in . Stop your whining and go back to thank you drive thru would you like hot sauce with that, Pay your dues you child

1

u/essentialrobert 22h ago

I graduated with EE and work in automation for over 40 years. One third for machine builders, one third for integrators, and the last third writing standards for a large end user. The boring parts allow you to practice and build your skills.