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IS IT TOO LATE FOR ME TO MAKE A COME BACK?

5 replies [Last post]
Wed, 2007-10-31 11:39
Galing Galing
User offline. Last seen 16 years 2 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 29 Oct 2007
Posts: 47
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Dear Fellow Engineers,

I have a BSME degree with 10+years Schedule/Cost Engineer experience ie. construction, power plants, nuclear, etc.
But that was in the 1980’s. Since then I went to my own business in Sales (not related to engineering) and now retired from it. With my 3 daughters soon going to college! I need to come out of retirement. (NO MORE SALES) I Want To Be Back In "Planning and Scheduling Engineering" Career! My first thought is to get certified in Project Planning Software Programs (to catch up with current tools of the trade - technology).... IS IT TOO LATE FOR ME TO MAKE A COME BACK?

PLEASE HELP ME, with your comments, thoughts, advise, and any response to my situation.

Sincerely,
Tony
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Replies

Sun, 2007-11-04 01:56
#1
DATTATREYA PADHARTHI
User offline. Last seen 5 years 20 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 18 Apr 2003
Posts: 90
Groups: Petro-Chem / Oil & Gas, Regional Representatives
Antonio,

its true,Instead of understaning the project & its process flow people require ready made solutions (Other posts reqesting for WBS & Plans).
Doing a P3 course , they apply for Sr. Planning engineers without having the engg/project experience.
Unfortunately skill sets available in the market are less compared to available positions.

Cheers
Datta
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Thu, 2007-11-01 12:37
#2
Galing Galing
User offline. Last seen 16 years 2 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 29 Oct 2007
Posts: 47
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Carmen A,
I agree with you and you are a true lady with such an inspiring comment. Indeed in the late 1980’s I used to mentor mini-computer mainframe programmers making sure our system has valid and appropriate concepts logically interconnected. Thanks a lot.
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Thu, 2007-11-01 09:59
#3
Carmen Arape
User offline. Last seen 6 years 35 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 26 Jun 2004
Posts: 292
Groups: Petro-Chem / Oil & Gas
Tony,

Read the article Is your planner a monkey?

Lack of knowledge about planning and too much emphasis on software skills is resulting in overruns, claims consultant

Posted by David Bordoli in the attached linked:

http://www.planningplanet.com/forum/forum_post.asp?fid=1&Cat=9&Top=40131

If you are a Senior Planner and you got the appropriate concepts while you worked as a Planner in the past, you should not be a monkey like some new planners.

NEVER is too late to come back when someone has a positive attitude and humility to ask for advise like you did.

Cheers,
Carmen

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Wed, 2007-10-31 20:11
#4
Galing Galing
User offline. Last seen 16 years 2 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 29 Oct 2007
Posts: 47
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Rodel M,
You sir, is a true gentleman. You show signs of strong leadership in your comments and I salute you for that. My non-engineering business entrepreneurship helped me a lot with leadership qualities. Thanks much for your positive input. I agree 99% to what you have noted regarding my situation.
Hey Rodel, Re: Shortage of qualified P&SE professionals in the industry. Below check out this link:
http://www.pmforum.org/library/papers/2006/A_Brief_History_of_Scheduling...
Cheers,
Tony
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Wed, 2007-10-31 18:20
#5
Rodel Marasigan
User offline. Last seen 15 hours 41 min ago. Offline
Joined: 25 Oct 2006
Posts: 1699
Groups: Petro-Chem / Oil & Gas
Hi Tony,

The only best person who can answer that is your self. First you have to believed in your self then prove it to your self. If you believed and have faith on your self that you can do it then I would say it’s not too late at all.

The technology and system my have some changes and more advance since you left on the planning industry but the logic and basic are still the same. Honestly if you have a good background in planning and scheduling, I therefore to conclude that you are more advantage than the new planner/ scheduler because I would imagine that you have a good knowledge of basic from PERT, CPM to Gantt chart. Most of the new comers are not familiar of what the Program evaluation and review technique (PERT) charts are? Or even Critical Path Method calculation and analysis. They just relay on the software but I would imagine that they never check the calculation of total float and free float and how to determine the Critical Path using forward pass or backward pass calculation. So I would say that if something wrong with the calculation of the software they don’t have any clue.

Another thing when it come to construction methodology and activity sequencing some advance method maybe added or you’re not aware but like what I said the logic and the basic are still the same, so I would suggest take an advance course for you to upgrade your knowledge and catch up on what you missing.

After proving to your self then prove to the world that you’re not late. You might get some rejections but don’t take it as a failure and instead take it as a challenge and try and try until you succeed. When you got into it….prove to your self that you not wrong on your decision… then answer your query if it’s to late for you…

Good Luck!!!

Rodel
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