After graduating English with Secondary ED, I taught hoodlums in alternative school for 5 years. Deemed a punk whisperer, I couldn't get the boss to move me to the high-school. I took a summer job as an HVAC controls technician. It payed more and advanced quickly. After 5 years, I was designing systems and programming PLCs. That brings us to 1994. So, I get what you're saying. People doing the same job had engineering degrees. You don't need to be an engineer to do industrial controls systems.
The increased income allowed my wife at the time to go to law school. Once she was out and working, I began engineering studies. Since graduating, I've worked on CNC machining centers, military camera systems, and food packaging equipment with established companies. In the last 15 years, I've worked with startups developing water treatment machines, bio-detection instruments, nano-particle deposition systems, and so on. There is plenty of engineering work that tap and challenge the skill set.
TLDR: For the most part, I design and program microcontrollers boards and associated instrumentation. Unlike punk kids, they do what you tell them, which is quite satisfying.
Many fellow Americans consider where I live a 3rd world state, relatively speaking. We like it that way. I think you should keep learning, gaining skills, and try to find a place to use your education.
The increased income allowed my wife at the time to go to law school. Once she was out and working, I began engineering studies. Since graduating, I've worked on CNC machining centers, military camera systems, and food packaging equipment with established companies. In the last 15 years, I've worked with startups developing water treatment machines, bio-detection instruments, nano-particle deposition systems, and so on. There is plenty of engineering work that tap and challenge the skill set.
TLDR: For the most part, I design and program microcontrollers boards and associated instrumentation. Unlike punk kids, they do what you tell them, which is quite satisfying.
Many fellow Americans consider where I live a 3rd world state, relatively speaking. We like it that way. I think you should keep learning, gaining skills, and try to find a place to use your education.