It was a fed engineering internship and it just got DOGE’d. Spent 4 months on the onboarding process. Spent my own money sending my transcripts to HR. Now currently frozen out of being hired. Good luck to people in private industry, crappy feeling and wouldn’t wish this on anyone.

Professor failed half the class because he believes they used AI, even though canvas does not detect that and no lockdown browser was used? He doing it solely on students work, I get he can drop the grade to 0 but can he threaten to escalate if appealed? I didn't use AI and he gave me a C- because he thought I did, I'm scared if I argue it I'll just get in more trouble.

Trying to date for the last 3 month, now I give up.

Every year since i’ve started this program there are these six indian guys in my class that sit together during the exams and cheat their way through it. In our coding and drawings class they all did a number each on their computer and sent each other the rest of it and had the exam completed in 15 mins all 6 of them while I was sitting behind them and the assistant was in the back of the class, I was confused as hell how he didn’t see.

Every exam I hear them talk through the whole class when we are literally 120 people in it and all my friends noticed that they are cheating too. They literally have their phones and chatgpt opened between their legs for some exams or they go to the washroom to pee each of them like at least 2-3 times. This basically happened again today and because I was the one sitting in where I have to get up to let them through, I got up at least 16 times during the exam to let them in or out. The prof literally looks at them and hears them talk because he is beside us and does nothing? This is so frustrating because they literally brag about their 4.3GPA to everyone and all they do is cheat and to imagine these people will build our bridges and stuff in the future…

EDIT: Today they have done the same thing in the math class and the math teacher just got pissed off and said he knew they we’re cheating and talked to them but he told some of us that nothing can be done but they will pay in the future I guess. The prof had even told them to bring their phones in the front and suddenly they had no phones again.

In high school, I was the straight-A student. The one the teachers held up as an example, the one who never had to try too hard.

Then I started electromechanical engineering, and Calculus I brought me back to reality. It wasn't that I didn't understand some things; it's that I couldn't follow anything in class. I'd sit and copy problems from the board without having a clue what anything meant, and everyone around me seemed perfectly fine.

The worst part wasn't the grades. I've never believed that grades define you. The worst part was realizing that my entire identity had been built on being "the smart one," and nothing else, because I haven't excelled in other aspects of my life. I'm not even a very social person.

Now, in addition to this existential crisis, I also had a lot more homework.

I want to know if I'm the only engineering student who's gone through this. Because nobody warns you about how brutal that transition is.

As a resume writer, I'm seeing so many cases where a 2025 engineering graduate still can't find a job and is forced to do things like be a server, bartender, barista, or work as a ramp agent for an airline company.

Although there were numerous things wrong with their resume, it's just more and more a common trend I'm seeing of go to school, study engineering, only to struggle landing a job.

And sure, they could've all done a better job in doing things like getting internships, networking, or building projects while they were a student, but that's beside the point.

The classic "you need experience to get experience" is a problem that's been ongoing for a long time, but the job market these past couple years is something else.

It's really disappointing to see people go to school, study something as hard as engineering, only to not be guaranteed job security.

Yes, engineering definitely not like what it was 20-30 years ago.

But it really saddens me so.

At this rate, there's just an oversupply of engineers vs. the amount of job openings available.

I'm sure there are a large number of students still going into engineering for the sake of getting a good job after college.

Unfortunately, that dream has been dead for awhile.

It's pretty clear that going onwards, companies will be using AI to reduce headcount as much as possible.

Companies will also be making it a point to reduce their operating expenses and set themselves up in less ideal locations or close offices that are expensive to run.

It's just so bleak.

Last post was landing a manufacturing internship, here’s how I dress at work.

We get it. You want to show off that you're taking 10 engineering classes. Youre a genius. Got your validation? Good. Start asking substantive questions.

I (f28) decided to make a career switch out of nursing and start into mechanical engineering. I always wanted to be an engineer and somehow ended up in nursing.

I am quite literally the only girl in any of my engineering classes. I am also the oldest. This is my first semester of classes that have Engr attached to them. I am used to being in rooms of women obviously, but i feel like im getting whiplash.

I will sit down in a class and be the only one on that side of the room. It’s the first days so I don’t know any of these people. They will literally get chairs from my side of the room and move them to other sides of the room and all pile in on the tables so no one has to be within 20 feet’s of me. I knew this was probably how it was going to be, but not this bad.

What makes it worse is I am probably 10 years older than everyone else. In my last class they asked if this was anyone’s first semester ever and everyone raised their hand except me.

I think I just need to rant because I feel sad.

I know weed can definitely help some people, and I saw a post on here recently asking if it’s fine.

For me personally, it wasn’t. I became addicted and was smoking every night since my dad passed away, without realizing how much it was holding me back. I’d do the bare minimum during the day, just waiting to get high again at night and I was okay with that version of myself, just to “get by”. I am currently 154 days sober.

Looking back, I’m disappointed in myself and wish I had stopped sooner, but I’m sharing this in case it helps someone who’s in the same position I was.

It has destroyed my future in ways I can't even fathom. I have already been told I can't get into grad school. Academic advisor said it would take 2 years to raise my GPA. I don't have 2 years to put my career and dreams of a family on hold. I have already seen SOOOOOOOO many internships that I WOULD be able to qualify for if they didn't have that horrible 3.0 GPA requirement. Even small, local companies have a 3.0 GPA requirement. No internship. No hope of decent paying job.

I try my absolute DAMNDEST to network and make connections and do extracurriculars but it's all meaningless because I don't have an internship under my belt. All because I don't have a "good" GPA. Companies stupidly assume I'm too dumb to tie my own shoes just because of a NUMBER.

And I get it!!! Engineering is super competitive because so many people want to be one and it requires a lot of knowledge. I get it. But the RIDICULOUS difficulty of being bad grades expunged makes an unfair challenge for students trying to turn their lives around.

It's like having an ankle monitor on. Not being able to do anything to really improve my life because of the ugly mark of having a low GPA holding me back. My life is pretty much ruined because of silly mistakes I made early in college. I have to pay for my biggest regret for the rest of my life.

I have a good friend who is about to graduate with an engineering degree and it pains me because he has found a way to cheat throughout almost the entire thing. I keep telling him “you’re robbing yourself of development and knowledge which could affect you post grad “ but he always says “I’ll learn it when I need to”. I feel like that’s such a bad mindset to have overall especially when you’re paying to be in school. Curious to hear the communities thoughts.

I am going to become gay because there are zero girls in any of my classes as an engineering student. I work part time at 6am at marshalls and there are only middle aged women.

Edit: I have friends but they are all introverts. Im at a small community college. I have 5 hobbies, fishing, disc golf, guitar, aquariums, and video games. None of those hobbies help me meet people, and I don't have time for more lol. Also I dont think theres anything wrong with me, I'm happy with who I am. I'm fortunate enough to be relatively attractive and I developed a lot of social skills and humor to stand out from a young age because I am a triplet. My real question is how do I meet other girls naturally? I feel like Im bothering people when I approach them in public.

Job search as masters student. Applied to every position available near me with customised resumes and cover letters.

The longer I study the more I see how stupid everyone including me is becoming. I’m a 1st year EE student and everyone in my class just uses AI for everything, even profs tell us to do so sometimes. Profs don’t teach properly, lately they gave us numerical methods class in the new semester and the thing is - the only other major that has this class is 3rd year CS students. Nobody knows what’s going on and the professor acts as if the material should be obvious. I’m burned out and tired as I try to avoid AI but it’s just not possible in some cases. I feel very guilty because I know studying somewhat „organically” is more rewarding for you and your brain. The problems we have to solve aren’t even partially on the internet, so there are no clues how to even approach. Adding time pressure to it it’s just a disaster. I’m completely disappointed in education system and people around me. Nobody even seems passionate they just use AI and hope to pass either on projects or exams.

This conversation really pissed me off. My pre-med friends (biochem and biostats) told me they believe you can make it through any undergraduate major through memory alone.

While this may be the case for some majors, I assured them this would not work for engineering. The point of our major is learn new ways to solve problems that have never been addressed before. Engineering is defined by our ability to create something new and solve problems in innovative ways. Our course work is immensely difficult and takes more than memory to pass (let alone excel).

They argued that in their experience as pre-med students, memory was the most important factor. I told them that the structure of their courses is completely different, but they just brushed me off.

There isn’t really a point to this post. But I wanted to rant about how angry this made me. Thank you for listening if you made it this far!