By G.S.Crisi 
Date 02-19-2012 14:17
Edited 02-19-2012 14:28
They're two different things. Computer is a highly theoretical matter, whereas welding is mostly practical.
Computer engineers spend, if not all, most of their time in air conditioned, carpeted electronic labs and offices provided with free coffee and cold water. They wear white aprons.
On the other hand, welding engineers spend, if not all, most of their time in job sites or industrial plants that are cold in winter and hot in summer. Often they (the job sites and industrial plants) are bad smelling, or noisy, or dirty. They (the welding engineers) must get their hands dirty and climb up to refining towers 50 meters high using the stairs, there is no elevetor. They wear blue overalls.
Brazil is a tropical country and winters are mild, but summers are damn hot.
BUT, I wouldn't exchange being a welding engineer for a computer engineer.
Do you Gentlemen agree with my description?
Giovanni S. Crisi
Sao Paulo - Brazil
Hi
You already got a couple of good answers, but thought I would add my opinion, seeing as I am a welding engineer that also does quite a bit of computer programming.
There are only a few universities in the world where you can actually study welding engineering as a bachelors degree. Mostly welding engineering is a post graduate course, and even then, you need to have quite a bit of relevant experience before you can be registered as a welding engineer. Most welding engineers get there by first studying mechanical engineering or materials engineering or something similar. There are quite a number of welding engineers that have "worked their way through the ranks" from welder, and then studying part time to get their theoretical qualifications. This is primarily because becoming a good welding engineering is based on practical experience, leading to the ability to make good "engineering judgements".
Mostly specialisations means that you learn more and more about a narrower and narrower field. Welding engineering on the other hand is one of those "specialisations" that is actually a "generalisation", because you need to broaden your knowledge base. Typically the welding engineering knowledge base covers: Metallurgy; Design engineering; Materials production methods (e.g. forging; casting; rolling etc.); Weldment manipulation knowledge (e.g. workings of lay barges and other off-shore equipment) Welding process knowledge (Including developments in automation etc.); Welding & Fabrication codes knowledge; Non destructive testing knowledge; Quality assurance and control. I have probably forgotten some here, but I think you get the idea, that a lot of these areas would be difficult to really get to know well as an undergraduate student. This is why most welding engineers are not all that young!
You can quite easily study computer engineering as a bachelors degree, and shortly after completion of your studies be a pretty good computer engineer. Obviously you will have to sharpen up on any particular areas that your career takes you, but that will more often than not be a "specialisation". Given the rapid pace of computer advancement, there would be some argument that extensive experience is not necessarily such a benefit here, because a lot of the stuff you did 10 years back will probably not be that relevant, so a young computer engineer will not really be that far "behind in ability" to an older computer engineer. (Obviously there are some things to which this does not apply.)
The point of the explanation above: It generally takes much less time to become a good computer engineer than a good welding engineer.
While it is true that in general a computer engineer will work in a "cleaner" environment than a welding engineer, this is not necessarily the case. Initially you will need a lot of "on the ground hands-on" experience as a welding engineer, but there are many "office job" roles later on. I spend probably 90% of my time in an office, with the rest out in the field. Some computer engineers working in the process control field will spend significant amounts of time in grubby environments trying to make the necessary process control hardware and software do their jobs. In which direction, regarding working conditions, you want to migrate once you have your experience, is largely up to you.
As I have stated, I do quite a bit of programming, although I am by no stretch of the imagination an expert in this field. I write applications to help me with my work. A computer programmer will make nicer looking applications, and will do it in less time, but s/he can not do it without me actually telling them how it needs to work, so it is actually just faster for me to do it myself. The point I want to make here is that if you like messing around with computers, then you can do that in almost any job you do. A computer engineer will generally be providing other people with the tools they need to do their work, and will need to rely on them to make their requirements known, while somebody that is a "user of the tools" actually has the control, because they know where the needs are.
I want to also confirm what others have said regarding the money. Rather do something you will enjoy. If you are good at something, and you are willing to work hard, or apply some initiative, you will make decent money whatever you do.
I have not tried to sway your decision in any particular direction, but hopefully if you read the explanation above your decision may become clearer to you. (Based on how you perceive yourself, and your strong and weak points.)
Regards
Niekie
Just to reinforce what Neikie has mentioned, I once posted at the door of my office a list of disciplines that a welding engineer becomes involved in even if at a rudimentary level. The list on my door had over 20 disciplines. I don't even remember them all, but here are a few.
Electrical Engineering (power sources and weld station capacity)
Ceramic Engineering (Fluxes and coatings)
Metallurgical Engineering (material chemistry and microstructure)
Corrosion Engineer
Mechanical Engineering (testing and material properties)
Code Compliance
Physics (fundamentals of welding processes)
Industrial Engineeering (shop flow, production efficiency, and equipment)
Human Resources (welder ability, training, and qualification)
Non Destructive Examination
So, if you enjoy the challange of being somewhat of a 'Jack of All Trades", this is the field. And as time passes you will realize that it keeps getting bigger and bigger.
Js55
You and Neikie have given excellent replies to the OP. I noted one thing missing from your list of academic disciplines. You are missing a Foreign Language - CALCULUS- The language of engineering!
If one cannot grasp and master the "language of engineering", even rudimentary success in several of those other disciplines is not attainable.
I do not mean to sound like the wet blanket and discourage anyone from bettering themselves through educational pursuits. I DO think that some realism should be thrown in the pot, so that the candidate does not waste five years getting education, when that time could pay off better as "Experience" and excellence in welding. One can make a good living and have a lot of satisfaction as a good welder, or as a welding technician, / welding supervisor. It is good to set your own personal goal very high
Finally, neither of those engineering degrees guarantee you continued employment in today's business climate. You may find yourself moving to get employment several times in a 20 or 30 year career, with age counting against you even though you have great mastery of the trade. Even the utilities do not guarantee lifetime job security anymore! Good welders are like automobile and diesel mechanics. They will always have work, even if they have to take a severe pay cut from time to time. Often they will have to travel to keep themselves employed, so in that respect they are no better off than the engineers.
The one advantage to an engineering career is that your body will not get worn out as fast as the welders body will. So, when you get past 50, you don't have to worry about your agility and eye sight like the welder does.
Joe Kane
Joe,
For sure on moving. I have had residence in 5 states from coast to coast to coast to coast.
Though I moved not to maintain employment but to upgrade my situation.
All good replies. But Lawrence said it best. Do what you love. I am not an engineer, although with my current certifications I usually work hand in hand with them. I loved welding. I loved being a welder. I love being an inspector. I currently am in Qatar and I'm heading to Thailand for a short gig soon. Do I make good money? Yes. Are there more computer engineers out there than welding engineers probably. Have you considered being a metallurgist?? Very high demand. But I digress. A man who does what he loves will never work a day in his life. . . . I took the road less travelled. A lot of people told me to get a haircut and get a real job when I was a welder. I'm sure glad I didn't. Money is a consideration, but as you get older what you really love is what matters. . . . like a lot of guys this career has cost me a lot. Being a road whore ain't easy, but it's easier when you love it. I wouldn't trade a minute and I can't wait to see what's around the corner. Maybe I'll see you down the road somewhere. . . . it's a small world. You could probably see a lot more of it being a welding engineer. Just my .02. Take it for what it's worth.
Great responses to a good question.
My take on the subject is more about you. What type of person are you? Are you a conformist? Do you like pleasing people by doing what they want you to do? If you answer "yes" to those questions become a computer engineer.
Most welders and welding engineers are independent people that think for themselves and "travel the road less taken" as someone already said. Welders, welding inspectors, and welding engineers are the nonconformists in any group. They are the ones that are always ready to try something new, something different. They are the entrepreneurs that go out on their own because they are like the square peg forced into the round hole. They are the adventurers that are ready to try something new because they haven't done it before. They are the ones in the business meeting telling the Operations Director he is full of cow crap while everyone else cowers and shake their heads in agreement to whatever management says.
You have to decide for yourself what type of person you are and what you want from life. No one can or should make that decision for you. If you are the type of person that lets others make your decisions for you, become a computer engineer. You will be satisfied (but, maybe not as content or happy) with your life.
Last, but not least, what type of work have you done? Even as a high school student you have been involved in some type of activities that you find enjoyable. What provides you with the most satisfaction? Are you the type of person that enjoys making stuff or are you happiest playing video games? Do you enjoy taking things apart to see what makes them tick or are you satisfied that they work without tinkering with them?
I have several grand children. Each of them has their own personalities and interests. I can already see that one of them will be an engineer. He loves taking things apart and putting them together again. He is always building something or modifying some toy that he has. Another is very happy to play at the computer. He spends his time reading, playing video games, and could care less how a toy is put together. Both boys are smart, both are in accelerated learning programs, and both are in the top 5% of their classes. They are as different as night and day, but both will be happy if they pursue a career that parallels their natural interests. On the other hand, neither will be happy if they only chose a career based on salary alone.
My father told me that the happiest men are those that find a way to earn a living doing what they enjoy the most. Unfortunately, for most of us, becoming a Gigolo is out of the question. I tried it, but my wife simply would not allow it.
Best regards – Al
Al, I didn't even notice you were in the last meeting I had with Operations VP. . . . . . . sorry about that. LOL. Great post. Enjoyed it.
Forgive me, I had to make an editorial adjustment.
Al
