I am 25, have an undergrad in Civil Engineering, passed my FE no problem, and have been working for a road construction company in the survey and engineering side (therefore I have a pretty solid understanding of conceptual design all the way through actual construction).
My question is, what next? Do I continue my path and get my PE or is it better to get an Masters in Engineering Management? I do well in magement situations and most of my department is in a retirement age so positions will be available soon. However, I am hesitant about being the only woman in my entire division, let alone my department, and how being in a management role might be difficult for no fault of my own. Any suggestions out there?
What’s next? Who knows!? That’s up to you and where you want to take your career. It seems like, in civil engineering, you should at least reach the point where you get your PE, though.
Yeah, this is really up to you. Lots of successful engineers don’t get master’s degrees and still have flourishing careers. You may or may not want one, depending on what you want to do and what people in those roles have. Look at the people who have jobs you want in 5-10 years. What kinds of degrees do they have? If almost all of your managers have engineering management degrees, then you may want to get one.
PLEASE do not let this stop you. There won’t be more women in technology/engineering management roles until we put ourselves out there. It’s always difficult to be one of the few, but the opportunities may outweigh the costs.