A bit of a dilema, seeking advice

[Sephiroth]

I'm studying to be an Electrical Engineer. As a fallback/resume boost I'm taking electrician classes. I'm good at it. There's a program called Skills USA, it's an organization that helps trades students enter the workforce. Part of what they do is hold competitions for the different trades, for their big national competition, the winners get scholarships and job offers. Everyone's pushing me into this, and I'm interested, but an electrician job isn't my real goal, and I don't need a scholarship. There are plenty of great guys in my class that could use the opportunity, and I feel that I might deprive someone else out of benefits and job offers that they could put to better use. On the other hand the whole thing looks fun, would aid in my goal of boosting my resume, and free tools. I'd love to do it, but, for me, it would be more of a shits and giggles thing, while for someone else it's a job opportunity.

Am I right to have these thoughts of apprehension or am I just being too sensitive?

 

[B.J.]

Go for it. Even if you eventually get your EE degree, hands-on experience like that is invaluable, especially since it's related to your degree. You can't worry about others when your future is at stake, otherwise you'd never do anything.

 

[Relayer1]

And I'd let someone else have it. They may well need it more than you do.

There's the two choices you'd already considered.

I'm afraid it's up to you, and very much down to your consience and worldview...

 

[Spot's Meow]

I would personally choose not to pursue it. I wouldn't want to take up the spot of someone else who needs it more than I do. I would rather focus my energy towards something that is more important or useful to me. But I can understand why others might choose differently.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

Like Relayer1 said, it comes down to your conscience and your worldview. If I were in your position, I wouldn't go for it.

 

[SmoothieX]

Go for it. Even if you eventually get your EE degree, hands-on experience like that is invaluable, especially since it's related to your degree. You can't worry about others when your future is at stake, otherwise you'd never do anything.

I'm with him. I'm a civil engineer with the only construction experience I have is the occasional site walk or inspection.

It'd be nice to know a little more when the contractor tries to bullshit you, or have to make a snap decision when they call up saying they burst the water line.

There's plenty of crossover. I've seen construction guys go to work for the engineer as an inspector when he gets sick of breaking his back out there and working in whatever the elements are. I've seen guys go the other way and become an in-house engineer for the contractor. You'll have options.