I currently work in Milwaukee Wisconsin as
an electrical design engineer. I can't say in what
industry due to it being "the only one in the state"
-- I hate it.

Prior to this "terror jump" in jobs,
i was working in a small board house in Menomonee
Falls Wisconsin, this was perhaps the worst job i
had ever had in my life. You see, I dug ditches,
bartended and worked in meat packing plants prior to
the trek of corporate hell. On that particular job
I had a boss who was less than affectionately known
as "the hack". He was one of the worst engineers i
had ever met in my career, and he had a violent
streak a mile wide. If you dared to stand up for
yourself, you were destined to work on the milling
machine ( I did this for 8 months) making test
fixtures for industry. When confronted with a
project that would require me to commit patent
infringement and copyright infringement, i hemmed
and hawed a little, which then prompted the owners
son to threaten to "punch my fucking head off". I was waking up 4 days a week blowing
chow like a dying dog.

I jumped from that job when
i spoke to a friend in a tavern about getting the
hell out -- i'll never forgive him for getting me
into the pile of shit i'm in now.

Nothing about the
industry practices of engineering makes me happy, I
have been doing it for 10 years and have yet to find
an employer in this state that is capable of acting
at an age higher than 4 years old. In five years i
have no idea what the hell i'll be doing, if i'm
lucky i'll be dead.

Have to admit I know what it's like to have an unsavory character for a boss, but surely the profanity isn't necessary, even when quoting somebody. Don't get me wrong. I'm not one of those people who complains about complainers and thinks it makes everything all better. I was under the impression that the electronics field is wide open, that there many different kinds of jobs. Is that not really true? Or do the insufferable employers you deal with oversee all of those jobs?

It is obvious you are not an EE. I've been in hell practicing as one, but I never complained in that manner. There are good things about this profession that certainly out-weight any bad assed bosses out there. Switch on your light bulb if you have one. "NAAWATAM!"

I have a limited exposure to manufacturing jobs but enough to understand what you are talking about. While taking a history class, the instructor suggested that companies are more of a Socialist model than not. There is a pecking order that is more important to employees than anything else, particularly the employees who have scaled the ladder a little or a lot. If you are doing your job well, it could be misconstrued as a threat to a supervisor in your department. The things that happen in a business setting are contrary to what we are told when attending college. Not much advise if given as to what you'll discover in a real job setting. If they can, people will mess with you and your job whenever, and however they can it seems. I really don't know what the answer is for you or anyone going through these widespread antics except to perhaps discuss these experiences with a new company upon starting your career with them. IT is most apt to be the point at which they'll be listening to you the most..., before they hire you. Whatever you do, good luck.

I was ever interesting in systems engineering but you with you stupid story I felt , now I think that systems engineering is a piece of ........s

You aren't actually an engineer. But you don't need me to tell you that, you think that purporting to be someone other than yourself is funny, or amusing - right?
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Well you're wrong, kiddo - The AIEE is very strict about its codes, and I have tipped you off as an imposter.

fuckin' ell mate. you should write about your experiences. They made me laugh.

i am so flippin' confused... someone write whats going on and add the comment here...:S

i think you have serious problems

At the risk of being labelled another bad attitude generalist I have to agree that the whole EE field has gone to hell!<br />
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Anyone out there considering this profession should think again. I am not one of those people in the wrong field either. I have always been interested in Electrical/Electronic Engineering and still am. The problem is that we are all treated like pieces of meat. Expect high pressure and long hours. Most companies force you to specialize which has the desired effect(desireable for them that is)of pigeonholing you into a situation that makes you less marketable and more likely to stay even if your salary is not adequate. <br />
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The technical challenge has always suited me but I was suprised to find out that the job has much more to do with office politics than actual technical skills.<br />
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Leave your voltmeter and soldering iron at home and don't forget your brown nosing knee pads.