Do you think you can ever be too old/outdated to become an engineer?

I am definitely older than most in this forum, but I figured it was worth a shot. I read your story on ECN called "I Became an Engineer: Because of a Sewing Machine" and it was definitely something that spoke to me. I am a creative person. I love any kinds of crafts that I can get my hands on, but I also find that I love tinkering with machines and how they work. Recently, I have been exposed to very experienced engineers in my life, but I feel like they are biased in their opinions toward me, but they are very much the support I need. However, I do need an outside opinion. So, I come here to ask the very question above and what is your take on learning about engineering at an older age (30+)? What are some challenges that you would think one would face? Thank you for your time!

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Nita Patel , Otis Elevator

Answered Sunday, July 22, 2018 at 6:40 PM

Hi Stephanie! I do not think one is ever too old to become an engineer and thirty is definitely not old. :) There will certainly be a learning curve but no different than learning any new discipline at any age. I took up chess in my mid 30s; it was the same. Chess is a game of young kids and I've been beaten by a fair share of 5-10 year olds. I think I lost my first twenty games. However, I didn't give up and am still planning for the fun of it. I've had fun, learned and met a lot of interesting people. At a minimum, I believe you'll have a similar experience. You may struggle through some of the courses that others seem to be flying through since you have to re-learn the basics and then learn what's being taught in the class. I'm sure it will initially be a bit of a challenge but one that I'm certain you are capable of doing. Engineering is definitely a creative career and if you find that you love working with machines, then I think you will really enjoy it. You don't need to make a huge commitment at the onset but get your feet wet to see how it goes for you. I encourage you to try a few starting experiments/classes and give it a shot. Good luck!!