First-hand accounts of how engineering and technical personnel escaped poverty quickly

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This post was last edited by cflt111 on 2016-3-24 08:54. As engineering and technical professionals, we spend decades studying hard, only to face difficulties in finding employment after graduation and earn low incomes. When we earn meager salaries, pay high rent, and face huge financial pressures such as dating, getting married, and buying a house. Low income and high consumption are the common situation for everyone. After deducting various expenses, there’s very little left from the monthly salary; having a home of one’s own is nothing but a fantasy. I used to work as a designer at a company in Beijing; my monthly salary was only a few thousand yuan. The prices of houses near the company’s office building were already tens of thousands of yuan per square meter, and those prices continued to rise rapidly. By the time those born in the 1980s graduated, housing prices in China had already risen to high levels. I, who used to love **, am wondering: What’s wrong with our **? Whose interests do we **represent? I used to simply believe that hard work would enable me to lead a prosperous life, but later I realized that a job could only ensure that I wouldn’t die of hunger on the streets of Beijing. I, who used to love my work, began to hate going to the office and started looking for another path. After much thought, I believe that as an engineering technician, if one wants to escape poverty quickly, there are only three paths: first, obtain relevant certifications; second, find employment through affiliation-------------------------This requires strong learning abilities and plenty of free time, and most importantly, the ability to focus and read books. Second: doing freelance work-------------------------------requires ample free time and extensive connections within the industry. Going abroad to work on construction projects-----------------------requires a healthy body and the support of family members. I thought about it over and over, and in the end I concluded that I only had the third option left. I couldn’t calm down to read at that time, nor did I have any networks for doing personal tasks. After a difficult and tortuous job search, I finally ended up overseas on site as a professional quality engineer. As we all know, when people go abroad to work in construction, the vast majority of them are poor and in difficult circumstances. Before going, I was feeling uneasy. After working for some time, I gradually fell in love with this job for the following reasons: first, the salary is high. My income is three times what it used to be, and I have no expenses at all; I no longer need to pay rent. Secondly, there are long holidays; after working for a few months, one can return to home country for a month-long break, thereby avoiding peak travel times. Third, life is simple (or rather, very dull); there are no dinner parties or drinking gatherings, and one eats in the cafeteria every day. The air is good in Forth. I used the money I earned to buy a house in my hometown and settled my wife and children there. I am still working abroad; I take a month off after working for a few months, and in my free time I get to experience different cultures and customs. I am extremely grateful for my wife’s support and understanding, as well as for all the hard work she puts in to take care of the family while I am away from home for long periods of time. The Chinese economy remains sluggish at the moment, and many companies lack projects to work on. I’ve heard that several of my former colleagues have been laid off; I wonder how they will support their families and pay off their mortgage loans. I don’t know when such a “cold winter” will end. Here, I use my own experiences to encourage my colleagues: seek hope in despair, and life will ultimately be glorious. Once, I didn’t know how to go on with my life; I even thought about suicide. In the end, I got through it, and I’m doing well now. Difficulties are always temporary; always maintain a positive and optimistic attitude toward life!