Your Job(s) vs. Your Degree

[iacas]

Just say what you want after you answer the poll.

 

I have degrees in French, medicinal chemistry, and computer science.

Though I still use my CS degrees, and my scientific background (both daily), they're not really close to what I "do" most days.

[saevel25]

My degree is in Civil Engineering. I held a job as a Traffic Engineer and now as a Transmission Line Engineer. Both jobs incorporate different areas of study with in Civil Engineering, at least what they teach at The Ohio State University.

My specialization is more related to Traffic Engineering. My job duties as a Traffic Engineer was more inline with only 1-2 courses I took in college. Mostly with traffic timing. Other than that it was on the job learning. Mostly with required federal and state regulations. 

The Transmission Line Engineering job brings more of the structural engineering aspect of Civil Engineering. A lot of stuff is on the job learning, like NESC and IEEE code. This job does incorporate and require a wider range of Engineering knowledge. 

[DaveP043]

My degrees are in Geotechnical Engineering, a specialization within Civil Engineering that deals with soils and foundations.  My job is designing and implementing specialized earthwork procedures to minimize long-term settlement of structures (or roadways or anything else) that could otherwise occur.  My job involves much more than engineering, I also work on bidding and estimating, I do the day-to-day bookkeeping and payroll, manage projects on-site, and occasionally run the equipment.  Overall, its pretty close to my original degree, plus a good bit.

[dennyjones]

I started college back in 1975, taking up computer science, before PCs were popular.  We were still using punch cards.   I hired into General Motors in 1976 and almost immediately quit school.   Fast forward many years, I went back to school on General Motor's dime and completed degrees in computer science and quality engineering.   Sadly to say, I retired this year and did not put my two degrees to good use.   In a way, it was a blessing.  At one site where I worked, the engineering group lost their pensions because of the bankruptcy.   I was fortunate, because at one time, I was in that group.   

My biggest regret (school) was not going away to college and pursuing the medical field.   I had a sponsor to go to chiropractor school but was afraid to pull the trigger because I was married.   

I can't complain, I'm retired, healthy, golf almost every day and am enjoying life.

[CarlSpackler]

7 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

My degree is in Civil Engineering. I held a job as a Traffic Engineer and now as a Transmission Line Engineer. Both jobs incorporate different areas of study with in Civil Engineering, at least what they teach at The Ohio State University.

O-H!

It's an interesting progression for me. I studied architectural drafting in H.S., but worked for several Civil Engineering / Architectural firms. My first degree in college was Architectural Engineering which does come in handy when designing network cabling for buildings and data center layouts, but it is mostly unused. I stopped at the associates level and transferred into MIS since I was the geeky guy in the office who had a knack for making the file servers work. That is what I do today.

[JxQx]

I put Yes though it's more of a kinda. I have a degree in Mechanical Engineering but currently do more of materials/test engineering. My degree does apply for the most part but isn't the most directly applicable degree for the materials end (materials science).

[Elmer]

Degree in early American History,
Minor in sociology (concentrated in workplace, gender and social/economic conditions).

I spend the day reading and interpreting Federal Regulations.
My job has nothing to do with my degree, but has allowed me to endure thick jargon and deep-convoluted writing!

[Zeph]

I got my certificate of apprenticeship in 2007 as has since been working as an electrician offshore. 2012-2015 I got a bachelors degree in electric power, but I haven't used it yet. My current job is better paid, I like this lifestyle and can live wherever I want.

[woodzie264]

My undergrad was a double major in Sports Medicine & Exercise physiology. I worked for 5 years as a Certified Athletic Trainer and Strength & Conditioning specialist. Later I returned to grad school for my Master's in Physician Assistant Studies. I've been an orthopedic PA for 10 years now and won't do anything different until I can retire and work as a starter on a golf course. 

So 2 degrees, 2 jobs.

[boogielicious]

BS and Masters in Chemical Engineering. I have done chemical process engineering, R&D materials engineering, Quality Engineering and formulation, package and process engineering. The last trio is what I am expert in for the last 20 years.

So the answer is yes.

[cutchemist42]

Economics Honours grad, that went with a Stats  Minor. Was going this path because I thought of doing my Masters in it. Ended up getting into real estate appraisal which might end up as another degree.

Currently work in the field for the local government.

[jamo]

I have a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and work as a mechanical engineer. Eventually I'd like to get a masters, likely either in mechanical engineering or something very similar.

[14ledo81]

I completed my plumbing apprenticeship in 2010.  Previously I had worked (for the same company) doing HVAC.  I now project manage/estimate.  While I am not doing the "hands on" items that I learned during my apprenticeship, I could not do what I am doing now if I did not have that knowledge.

[phillyk]

Majored in Marine biology, minor in chemistry.

I'm in WA, so the biggest thing here deals in fisheries and I'm not really into that.  Otherwise, I'd have to go to a graduate school, and I wasn't able to do that.   But I've been playing golf as long as I remember, so I've only ever worked at golf courses.  2 in Chicago area and 2 in Western Washington.  I can't say I really use my education for much.

[woodzie264]

11 minutes ago, phillyk said:

 I can't say I really use my education for much.

If I could make a living in golf, I wouldn't either 

[Kalnoky]

Wow, lots of science/technical degrees here! 

I was a business major. I have always worked in an office doing accounting or marketing, from the summer I graduated on. Sometimes in Corporate America, sometimes in small business. These days I manage a company. So yes, am using my degree and still quoting my professors on occasion.. 

 

[JGus]

I voted "yes" and "3-5", which either answer could probably be argued.

My degree is in Information Systems Management and I received it while in the Army, so at that point in time the answer was no because at the time the degree was more oriented to the IT side, but today I think information systems have become a broader definition.  The degree was more promotion and personal interest oriented than helping day-to-day skills.  Most of my career was in the satellite communications arena and traditional leadership roles.

After retiring, I have held Sr. PM, Director, Technical Director, and SETA roles, which have focused on a wide variety of things, to include deployable Internet Cafe's for the Warfighter, global active directory/domain controller and network operation tools deployments, cloud technologies, big data, data analytics, data visualization, software/application development, cyber, and basically the rest of the IT skill sets.

Edited December 7, 2016 by JGus

[jkelley9]

BS in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.

1st job was a production engineer in a small toll manufacturing chemical plant, batch chemistry.

2nd (current) job is process engineer for a smaller (but huge globally) chemical manufacturing plant, batch chemistry.

I would say "yes" to your question, but over my entire degree with the courses I took, probably only 10% of the actual material translates directly to my day-to-day job.

More so, I just have to be critically thinking and be able to visualize things that are or could happen. I rarely do heat balances, thermal whats-it calculations and all that complicated stuff that I did in school (although I can, if needed). Mostly in a small plant you just have to understand reasonably the impact of something. I call myself a "chemical detective" and that's a pretty damn accurate description of what I do day-to-day. But if I need to insulate a pipe or something like that, I go by some pre-set standard on size. I don't capitalize on sizing the insulation to be 0.234534 inches thick for maximum profit - which I did in school. 

Working on my MBA now. I love engineering, but I never want to be bogged down on a design project for some small piece of equipment. I don't mind being a lead design or project engineer on a plant expansion project with thousands of components (which I've done, and love to do) but small things, not so much. I like big picture stuff.