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Calvin Asks: Do you ever feel like you're out of your depth?

CalvinTheEngineer
I currently work for a medium sized M&E contractor involved in large commercial and residential projects.


Having worked there for several years and despite considering myself to be a competent and knowledgeable engineer, I can’t help shake the feeling that I am out of my depth.


Whilst I understand a great deal across many different areas, there is still so much technically I am unsure of. Jack of all trades, master of none springs to mind.


My main concern is that this gap in knowledge will inevitably cause a serious issue somewhere down the line and put someone’s life, or a building at risk (for instance incorrectly sizing life-safety systems).


I suspect it is just a case of grinding it out and eventually things will start clicking into place. I am always expanding my knowledge both  in and out of work so feel I will get there soon enough.


Does anyone else get this feeling?


Despite the stresses I enjoy building services engineering so don’t want to call it a day just yet.


Stressed out in Salford

 
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    Do you ever feel like you're out of your depth?





    Oh yes. A few times a year probably, when a project comes along that requires knowledge I do not yet have. The trick is to be able to know where to go to fill the  gaps quickly - who has worked on one of these systems before, would they spare some time to discuss it ?  Can we go an visit one that already exists to look round? Do the makers of the components publish application notes or can we call their folk in to discuss those bits of the design with us - they may even offer a design service that is cheaper than the cost of us creating a cock-up . If we are designing something that really has never ever been done before then we throw everything at it, lots of peer review, failure mode analysis, allocation of risk budget, evaluation of samples, manufacture of prototype A models, lots of testing to destruction. But it is great fun, though occasional sleepless nights and occasional overspend /late delivery.

    (this sort of post is partly why I do not use my real name on here.)


    And of course, we are not always right in the sense the solution is perfect, but it has to be good enough to work properly , the next one can be better optimised.

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    Do you ever feel like you're out of your depth?





    Oh yes. A few times a year probably, when a project comes along that requires knowledge I do not yet have. The trick is to be able to know where to go to fill the  gaps quickly - who has worked on one of these systems before, would they spare some time to discuss it ?  Can we go an visit one that already exists to look round? Do the makers of the components publish application notes or can we call their folk in to discuss those bits of the design with us - they may even offer a design service that is cheaper than the cost of us creating a cock-up . If we are designing something that really has never ever been done before then we throw everything at it, lots of peer review, failure mode analysis, allocation of risk budget, evaluation of samples, manufacture of prototype A models, lots of testing to destruction. But it is great fun, though occasional sleepless nights and occasional overspend /late delivery.

    (this sort of post is partly why I do not use my real name on here.)


    And of course, we are not always right in the sense the solution is perfect, but it has to be good enough to work properly , the next one can be better optimised.

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