Electrical Engineering Degree --> Tech Career

Q: My nephew just graduated with an Electrical Engineering degree and has not been able to find a good job. One of those no experience deals. Also I saw his grades and they weren't that great. I was wondering if he was to look for maybe an electronics technician job, would or should he go and take classes specializing in like a technician associates degree? I was thinking hopefully it would get him some handson experience and maybe lead to work in an electronics lab/test environment. Thoughts?

A: -Companies are under no obligation whatsoever to "help" your nephew. A company will hire someone if they can do the job, or take a risk if they have potential and don't expect to be paid the going rate. Since your nephew's grades are bad, the best he can do is to exchange what he can currently do for a low wage and training, which probably will be as a technician. Remember that he can train himself, but it's better for morale and motivation if he can join a course or night-school. It's important that he doesn't become fixated by the black-hole he may be peering into right now. -It is worth noting also that with

the economy such as it is, jobs, even for experienced engineers, can be problematic. The group I am in desperately needs some senior analog designers and we can't hire anyone. Another point, I started really as a technician and never got a degree in engineering (I have other interests). As a matter of fact, my best friend of more than 40 years does not have a degree at all. He has been a lead engineer then an engineering manager and the like for 30 years. In the last 10 years, he has been a CTO of a company and is now the engineering VP of one. I helped him get his first job as an electronic technician 35 years ago. Being a technician is not necessarily a bad thing.