Milwaukee School of Engineering - EMF Yearbook (Milwaukee, WI)

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 m u X'4-TEE 1920 EMF JST Aimtrr to tin (graduates Although the following comments arc given primarily for the ‘‘Gradu- ating Engineers,” the graduating “E’ectrotechnicians” and “Electricians,” will no doubt find it of interest to them also. The writer has had a number of years of experience in the electrical field and believes he is in a position to write an article of this nature. W hether or not he succeeds in his attempt will be left to your own good judgment. Before I go any further, I believe it would be appropriate to mention that this article is based on the writer’s experience after leaving school several years ago. As a matter of fact I have found my experience to be a typical one of the college graduate entering the electrical field, as a means of making a live- lihood. The first thing it is necessary to do after leaving school is to find em- ployment. Some of us have been more fortunate than others in being em- ployed on a part time basis, while attending .school. To those who have been so employed my advice would be to remain with vour old employer. This will depend upon the circumstances in each individual case. If you have found your work of an interesting nature and if the opportunities for ad- vancement are good, it would be unwise to leave the employer who accom- modated you by giving you part time employment. Every one of us, although interested in electricity as a whole, has developed a liking for some particular branch of the field, be it motors, con- trollers. scientific investigations, etc. Those who have been less fortunate in not being employed after school will find it to their advantage to become connected with the manufacturer of the line in which they are particularly interested. You will find that to be your least difficulty. We will take it for granted that your services have been engaged. It is a common mistake for college itfen to demand large salaries immediately after leaving school. The majority of them learn in a very short time, to their advantage, that they are practically worthless to a manufacturer until they have been trained in the particular field they enter. For this reason you will find that you will be required to work for a small compensation until you are broken in. The time required to break in a new man depends entirely upon the individual. As you become more and more familiar with your work you will find that your compensation has gone up proportionately to your increased value to your employer. The majority of the fellows realize that the amount of compensation they receive depends upon their progress. The writer knows of a few cases where compensation is still based on medi- eval methods. Cases like these, however, are few and far between. It requires but a short time to learn that the investment you have made (attending school) is a paying one. Mr. O. W. Werwath has a very valuable saying, and if followed you will find it to be of great benefit to you. I am quite sure you have all heard it but for those who have not, I will repeat it here: “DON’T SLEEP WITH OPEN EYES.” You will receive a very valuable education by following the advice given in the above five words. You should realize that it is absolutely necessary to learn the smallest details of the business in which you become engaged. Page Forty-tight

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 ZT Jk ==3£% i:fflE 4920 EMF- It is of utmost importance to continue to study after leaving school. Read the trade papers in order to follow the progress in the art. The best way one has to acquire knowledge after leaving school is by reading. Most of us arc affiliated with the engineering societies. To those who are not so affiliated I would suggest that you become so at once. In this way you are able to meet the men of the industry and to learn from their experiences. We should all be interested in development and for this reason the writer be- lieves we owe it to the profession to become connected with the American Institute of Electrical Engineers. Regardless of what problem vou are given to solve, never lose interest. The most that can be expected of you is that you do your best. It is not out of place to state that you will find problems that you cannot solve. Never give up without trying and do not become discouraged if you fail to find the proper solution. Conscientious endeavor is always appreciated. You will find as a rule that if good common sense is used you will be able to solve 95 out of every 100 problems without much difficulty, and that the remain- ing cases will readily be solved by consistent endeavor. It is of utmost importance to be loyal to the firm you are engaged with, if you expect to progress with it. Always look after the interest of the com- pany. Have confidence in your employer and he will have confidence in you. Occasionally one will find that his immediate superior is endeavoring to hinder one’s progress. You should realize that not even the boss, so to speak, can keep you from advancing, if your work is entirely satisfactory. Your progress might be temporarily stopped, due to actions of a superior who is less loyal to the firm than you, but such a condition cannot be permanent. Remember that the firm’s progress depends on your progress and that your progress depends upon the progress of the firm. It is a common failing among men in general to shift around from one job to another. Just about the time they become thoroughly familiar with their work they leave. Such actions might be winked at if done solely for the purpose of obtaining a varied experience. On the whole it is a very bad practice to shift from one job to another. By doing so one soon earns the reputation of being unreliable, which under no circumstances is a desirable reputation to have. The writer had occasion to travel considerably and call at the different manufacturing plants in the eastern part of the United States. It was a common experience to be offered attractive positions. However, I had confidence and was loyal to my employer and I believe my action in not accepting any of the offers was fully repaid. In conclusion T will state that it is just as important to know when to sever relations with an employer as it is to know when not to leave his em- ployment. In the writer’s case it was on account of the desire to return to school that he left his employer. It is not out of place to mention that the writer was informed that his position would be held open for him with an increase in salary if he decided to come back upon completion of his work at school. FRED W. DOPKE, President, Class 1920.