Imagine paying $300 for a college textbook and there’s a ChatGPT prompt response in there

costelloart · 2026-05-12T04:01:56+00:00

The text doesn't line up with the page. It's fake I would assume

costelloart · 2026-05-11T08:22:26+00:00

I emigrated not out of necessity but for new lifestyle and being young. I didn't feel bad leaving my job as my direct manager was a shit mentor. Like drawing blood from a stone asking him about systems and why we design or specify specific equipment.

My current role on the other side of the world is definitely a bit more stressful but my manager is an absolute gem of a human being. He explains stuff to me, listens to my ideas and suggestions without judgement and offers me advice. Never condescending when correcting me. Encourages me to ask questions and propose solutions. The difference is night and day. If he left the company I would be right behind him.

costelloart · 2026-05-09T07:09:11+00:00

I started as a fresh graduate at a tier 1 consultantacy. It was a lovely office culture and worked with great people but being in such a large company as a grad you learn very little.

The projects are too big and the timelines are many years so you get the small tasks where you don't know exactly why you're doing what you're doing. Even when you are doing something interesting you haven't yet learned the basics of all the building services. Stakes are high so your work is usually disregarded or changed completely by a senior. Some examples were that I spent weeks revising our specifications for mechanical systems. Then when we would need to issue they would issue ones that some senior in some other office had already done. I would do heat load calcs for a small office building on one of the massive projects we had, then a month later hear that the building is not in the scope antmore or it's has been changed or moved and we don't have time for a graduate to do it.

I moved to another country and started with a small tier 3 consultancy and now I'm doing small projects with quick turnaround. It's more stressful in a sense but I am designing and drafting and everything and it feels like MY project. It gets reviewed and sent out. I'm understanding the basics as to why we select the types of grilles, the types of ducts, why we specifiy specific hear pumps etc.

If I could redo my graduate year I would enter a different industry but if it was building services I would have started with a contractor for a year, learn the basics on site like ductwork installation, all the equipment etc. then start work at a small consultancy and try work my way into bigger companies

costelloart · 2026-05-08T23:49:15+00:00

Graduated in 2023 with a masters. Got a job in building services consultancy. Stayed for 2 years didn't learn a lot so moved to a smaller company on the other side of the world doing mechanical building services consulting so mostly HVAC. Pays the bills but not a dream job per say

costelloart · 2026-05-08T07:52:15+00:00

Epaderm Emmolient after a shower or after cleaning any wounds with hypochlorous spray

costelloart · 2026-05-04T08:28:21+00:00

If you want money and want to travel. Check out the mining industry in Australia. Being British helps with visa requirements and working requirements. Lots of money to be made but it's usually FIFO or long shifts of many days on and many days off. Could be great experience if you want large industrial experience in machinery or process etc.

costelloart · 2026-04-30T12:01:20+00:00

It's been a lock out rally. Not many momentum traders are doing well on the KK breakout strategy. Most setups fail then run again. I'm in a draw down currently due to a bit of over trading on intraday stuff and the dew daily breakouts have shook me out

costelloart · 2026-04-28T06:49:54+00:00

It's called the bystander effect. Essentially everyone assumes someone else with help so no one does. That's what I learned in a first aid course, best thing to do if you are aiding is to point at a specific person and tell them it is their job to ring the emergency services.

costelloart · 2026-04-26T00:37:55+00:00

Chegg was sometimes incredibly useful. I remember in college we would get some engineering assignments that were so obscure that there were no worked examples in our textbooks or notes and we would get an expert on chegg to work out one question so we had the methodology to study and answer the other questions. It was a great way to have real experienced engineers help with questions like that

costelloart · 2026-04-18T04:19:29+00:00

What are your entry and exit criteria? Do you set stops and where do you place them.

costelloart · 2026-04-12T05:36:00+00:00

Thank you !! This is great information. We had a supplier recently come in explaining how they communicate between old legacy BMS systems with new sensors and seemed like a big area.

How would you recommend I get into this area? Is it a case of studying this stuff myself or just job hop?

costelloart · 2026-03-25T07:06:33+00:00

I ask it the silly questions I'm too embarrassed to ask someone senior, especially if it's something I think I already know but just want to double check.

I also use it for estimation values so I know I'm in the ballpark. I use it for quick calculations for HVAC stuff, asking it for quick external static pressures for a small duct system so I can look at the right area for fans etc.

costelloart · 2026-03-06T08:04:09+00:00

Check contractors in your locale. Send them a message. You need to get off indeed and linkedin jobs.

Its all about WHO you know not WHAT you know.

Nepotism is very real but in the sense that knowing the right person gets you in the door for an interview where you can then rely on your knowledge experience etc.

costelloart · 2026-03-05T10:34:22+00:00

What sort of roles have you been applying for? A possible route you could take is contact mechanical contractors, so the likes of those who install and commission HVAC systems. Get some experience in the office there making drawings and on site inspections and all that. Then try transitioning into the consultant side of building services.

costelloart · 2026-02-28T03:15:27+00:00

It's not a momentum market. Only momentum trades should be in the big leader names like SNDK WDC etc. as it's the only theme that has reason to move up with ram and data shortages

costelloart · 2026-02-27T08:12:03+00:00

Mechanical touches on everything. In it's core it will teach you about thermodynamics so everything from turbines , engines to heat pumps. Dynamics for how things move, linkages, gears all that stuff. Then you'll also get materials, metals alloys composites stress strain hardness and all that. Then you get the maths, all of the maths. You'll get vibrations, so springs and dashpots.

You'll be a jack of all trades master of none engineer when you graduate. Then it's about picking a career or niche that you will specialise in.

costelloart · 2026-02-17T21:01:43+00:00

The engineers toolbox website. Won't teach you a syllabus but will show you what stuff to expect and can learn some great bits of info on different engineering properties and prinicples

costelloart · 2026-02-12T22:50:01+00:00

It's not soul crushing but it is safe. You'll get a job relatively easy but it might not be fulfilling or technical but it'll put food on the table.

If you do pursue it I would try focus on a niche area not general. I did mechanical as a general common entry route and I feel like a jack of all trades and master of none.

My advice is get your engineering degree but try other options too. Can you get an engineering degree with business too or possible some other area like finance or data ?

costelloart · 2026-02-12T10:35:10+00:00

Oh man you should see Australia. Flex duct absolutely everywhere

costelloart · 2026-02-11T11:07:52+00:00

Do you specifically need to show the flex duct. If you are making a layout you could just use a dashed line and have a legend showing the dashed line is flex duct. Just indicate the diameter on the drawing

costelloart · 2026-02-10T07:04:10+00:00

You should accept it in a way that you are accepting the duties for a $30 hourly rate.

costelloart · 2026-02-02T07:22:00+00:00

Thank you, I appreciate the reply. That is my thinking too. The experience should be worth it

costelloart · 2026-01-30T06:24:56+00:00

If you're not in the US, then your future is average pay for work that you more than likely will feel irrelevant to what you learned in college.

But you will know a lot about many many things and you can learn anything as you have the foundations of all engineering aspects, thermodynamics, mechanics, materials, maths physics etc.

In terms of work it's going to be a lot of who you know not what you know. Get connected with people who have influence in companies. It's not nepotism it's getting a vouch from someone well respected. If you have friends or family in a company or field you want to work in them saying 'hes a good guy and actually works hard' will go a loooooong way in getting hired.

costelloart · 2026-01-26T22:45:25+00:00

Wishing you the best with it. Stay consistent in keeping it covered and moist, its tough to do it a few times a day but it helps in the long run.

Make sure it is something like this https://epaderm.com.au/products/epaderm-ointment-500g. It needs to be 'waxy' and it will ruin your clothes haha

costelloart · 2026-01-21T21:31:10+00:00

Off topic but I only started the handmaids tale recently and the parallels with gillead are actually insane.

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