Right now, I am majoring in Electrical Engineering Technology (EET). I'm attending a local community college and will be getting my Associates Degree this May. I'm am also currently interning at Letterkenny Army Depot (LEAD). Yes, it is a government paid job, and yes, I am currently receiving federal benefits.
I like the job, it's not hard, I work at my own pace, and everyone there (including my supervisor) are really laid back. I use to work on Hellfire, now I'm working on Tow Cobra, and this summer I'll be one of four guys in the new Longbow clean room. Thats about all I can tell you about the job, can't get too specific because its all confidential. Right now as an intern, I make $17. IF I start full time after I graduate, I will be starting at $20/hr at WG-8 Level. After I get hired, I am able to apply for other positions up to WG-11 which is $23/hr. Also, because it is a federal job, my wage gets adjusted every year in March with inflation (this year, i'm getting a 3%)I also get yearly bonuses of up to $1,000 (this year we got $1,500 because we did so good in production that they were able to give us more). Along with that, I get 6hrs of anytime leave and 4 hrs of sick leave every 2 weeks (after 15 years, it bumps up to 8hrs anytime leave). I also get paid 11 national holidays and overtime is at 1.5. Also, I get great medical benefit options, life insurance, dental, etc... They also have a retirement plan called the thrifts savings plan. I figured that if I put in 10% of my checks -into this, I will get over $1 million in return when I retire after 40 years of service.
This to me, sounds very good, but I have other options and can't make up my mind.
I have a great opportunity to go, this fall, to Penn State Main Campus to study Nanomanufacturing Technology (NMT) and get this....AT MY COMMUNITY COLLEGES TUITION WITH FREE HOUSING through a special state grant! Here we get to learn how to manufacture chips, such as the ones made by Intel and such, along with other stuff. This will also yield me another Associates degree in NMT.
After this, I could also continue my education at PSU of Harrisburg and get a Bachelors in EET. Getting my Bachelors is something that I've always wanted to do. It also means a lot to my parents, because they never had a real education (we're cambodian, and they went through that whole Khmer Rouge thing; google it if you don't know what it is). My dad has come a long way, and we live a comfortable middle class life. My dad has been really pushing me to getting a Bachelors.
Here's why I can't make up my mind...
A. Should I just get my Associates in EET and work at my job full time. (Will graduate in May)
B. Should I get my Associates in EET, quit my job, and get Associates in NMT, then get my Bachelors in EET?(Will graduate in 2010 or 2011))
C. Should I get my Associates in EET, take the job and ask for leave without pay(don't know if they will agree to this) to get Associates in NMT, then go back to work and go part time for my Bachelors. (Don't know how long it will take me till i graduate)
Things to consider....
If I go do NMT, I can't work because its too far away to drive back and forth.
Once I quit my federal job, it will be very hard (impossible) to get back in the system.
A Bachelors degree in EET may find me a better paying job, but the government has such great benefits.
I'm leaning towards option C, but its more time and money.
Help me out
(If you read this far then you must be bored)
I like the job, it's not hard, I work at my own pace, and everyone there (including my supervisor) are really laid back. I use to work on Hellfire, now I'm working on Tow Cobra, and this summer I'll be one of four guys in the new Longbow clean room. Thats about all I can tell you about the job, can't get too specific because its all confidential. Right now as an intern, I make $17. IF I start full time after I graduate, I will be starting at $20/hr at WG-8 Level. After I get hired, I am able to apply for other positions up to WG-11 which is $23/hr. Also, because it is a federal job, my wage gets adjusted every year in March with inflation (this year, i'm getting a 3%)I also get yearly bonuses of up to $1,000 (this year we got $1,500 because we did so good in production that they were able to give us more). Along with that, I get 6hrs of anytime leave and 4 hrs of sick leave every 2 weeks (after 15 years, it bumps up to 8hrs anytime leave). I also get paid 11 national holidays and overtime is at 1.5. Also, I get great medical benefit options, life insurance, dental, etc... They also have a retirement plan called the thrifts savings plan. I figured that if I put in 10% of my checks -into this, I will get over $1 million in return when I retire after 40 years of service.
This to me, sounds very good, but I have other options and can't make up my mind.
I have a great opportunity to go, this fall, to Penn State Main Campus to study Nanomanufacturing Technology (NMT) and get this....AT MY COMMUNITY COLLEGES TUITION WITH FREE HOUSING through a special state grant! Here we get to learn how to manufacture chips, such as the ones made by Intel and such, along with other stuff. This will also yield me another Associates degree in NMT.
After this, I could also continue my education at PSU of Harrisburg and get a Bachelors in EET. Getting my Bachelors is something that I've always wanted to do. It also means a lot to my parents, because they never had a real education (we're cambodian, and they went through that whole Khmer Rouge thing; google it if you don't know what it is). My dad has come a long way, and we live a comfortable middle class life. My dad has been really pushing me to getting a Bachelors.
Here's why I can't make up my mind...
A. Should I just get my Associates in EET and work at my job full time. (Will graduate in May)
B. Should I get my Associates in EET, quit my job, and get Associates in NMT, then get my Bachelors in EET?(Will graduate in 2010 or 2011))
C. Should I get my Associates in EET, take the job and ask for leave without pay(don't know if they will agree to this) to get Associates in NMT, then go back to work and go part time for my Bachelors. (Don't know how long it will take me till i graduate)
Things to consider....
If I go do NMT, I can't work because its too far away to drive back and forth.
Once I quit my federal job, it will be very hard (impossible) to get back in the system.
A Bachelors degree in EET may find me a better paying job, but the government has such great benefits.
I'm leaning towards option C, but its more time and money.
Help me out
(If you read this far then you must be bored)
