What skills are needed to get hired in engineering?

Have you considered enrolling in community colleges courses? These courses are typically transferable to four-year universities and are generally inexpensive (approximately $40-50 a unit, varying by state). A certificate, or even a graduate certificate at a university, is a viable option.

Having worked with AECOM as a consultant for about two years, many of the entry-level positions vary by type. If you are interested in project management in engineering, for example, then a strong background in management, leadership, business (your retail experience) are great skill sets to have, especially if it is coupled with your BS in engineering.

It varies a lot, I think, field to field. Civil Engineering has changed over the last 20 years, but not as much as Computer Engineering, for instance. :) Picking up a few classes on the "hot topics" in your field is never a bad idea, and may be a good networking tool.

It sounds like you were considering sales, which makes sense. Might I also suggest technical writing as a way in? If you have a BA in History you may have more writing skills than a lot of folks in "pure engineering", and general experience gives you the ability to interview the engineers to find out what you need in order to write the documentation. Not to mention finding out all the information about how it really works, and what levels you need to know.

I will say that a lot of my "engineering training" came AFTER I left school. School was great for technical knowledge, but didn't focus (at that time at least!) on the project management, quality issues, testing, and other disciplines are needed on lots of engineering projects. Tech Writing may be a good way for your own experience building.

Best of luck on whichever path... and welcome to the Engineering Swamp! :)

You could look at completing an engineering certificate program at a nearby university. For example Villanova University offers a 3 course certificate in sustainable engineering as "green tech" is becoming a very hot field for civil, environmental, mechenical, and chemical engineers in particular.

https://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/engineering/grad/certificates.html

If you can sit for an EIT exam that might make you more employable, as it would show that you're on your way to becoming a licensed PE.

For networking I'd also recommend joining local chapters of various engineering organizations like Engineers Without Borders or the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Lastly, have you considered a career in government? Although it might not be as high paying as sales, many civil services regulations dictate that employment offers must be extended to the most qualified candidates first (based on exam score, education, and experience) which can help older candidates who might experience age discrimination in the private sector. Hope this helps, all the best!

Kevin,

Good question and lots of good answers already. I would add that it will help if you can get some certifications in your new field. For example, CompTIA offers many certs in the software engineering side. You can take classes to help you pass the exams or you can study. Most certs have books focused on the exam topics.

Best of luck!

Jeff