Need Help Please (tech job question)

Hey, I am sitting here desperately searching for classes to take next semester. I go to a junior college and it seems like everyone knows what field they are going into. I know what I want to do but I need some help because I really have no idea how you would classify it or what you would call it. I like technology and I am obsessed with inventing and innovating ideas. I like the designing aspect but I also like the process of creating something beneficial and something to better our society. PLEASE can someone help me. What would one call such a job?

Inventing something new requires that you know and understand things that currently exist along with a lot of basic science so that you aren't chasing your tail retracing someone else's work. Most workers in research labs, where most new things are invented, are engineers.

Ok, thanks for making me sound like an idiot. I actually hate math and I hate science so an engineer... I don't see it anytime soon. I like understanding how things work but I just naturally see ideas to improve existing tools. I am not sure if I would define that as knowledge but possibly a good imagination. I think anything is possible so I never limit any idea if that makes sense.

"What the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve."
- Napoleon Hill

Industrial Design may be your bag...mostly it's integrated with art curriculums. It's hard to teach inspiration though, so that's why you're not seeing any classes to show you how to go about coming up with the next "Clapper" or anything....

Originally posted by Gazrok
Industrial Design may be your bag...mostly it's integrated with art curriculums. It's hard to teach inspiration though, so that's why you're not seeing any classes to show you how to go about coming up with the next "Clapper" or anything....

Thanks man, I will look into it.

What options does your junior college have that you can take? Which options interest you? It's easier to give advice -- and you'll probably get better advice -- if we have more information...

Gazrok's advice is good -- it's one way to get into inventing stuff without having to learn the math/science to be an engineer; if you've got a knack for designing things well the world will beat a path to your door. A friend of a friend is now a car designer @ GM; if that sorta thing interests you I can find out what he did to get that work, but I don't know off the top of my head exactly what he did. I'm pretty sure, though, that his job is mostly designing the look of cars, and leaving "getting the car to work" to the engineering staff.

Also, it's not super glamorous sounding, but you might look into some of the more technical industrial arts/skilled machine shop/metalworking type of thing. Like I said, it's not super glamorous, but you'll learn how to make things out of metal, which is cool stuff if that's your thing:

dir.yahoo.com...

The last thing an inventor needs to know is how it's already being done.

That will bamboozle any creativity he has.

No, go do something nobody has yet been able to do, and then worry how other people can't do it so you can define it for the venture capital boys.

Education is no prompter of creativity; necessity is.

I can now convert language into numbers so that all synonyms can be placed on the same page.

Whoopee. That and a buck fifty will get me a cup of coffee somewhere.

But I can write in numbers!! Wow!! an Invention!!

[nobody wants it.]

[edit on 17-11-2004 by Emily_Cragg]

I see your point Emily_Cragg, however as was stated, there is no point spending years struggling with a problem which has already been solved.
Knowledge does not kill creativity. Why should they be mutually exclusive?

As a side note I took an innovation class last year, it was pretty useless. They told us "invent something, make a model where relevant and draw up your business plan." You can�t be taught to be creative; however you can be taught how to help turn your imagination into reality.
It wouldn't hurt to take some entrepreneurial classes?
Practical classes working with metal and wood could also help, as suggested.
Read the prospective and see what seems to offer the most, however at the same time make sure that you take classes that help improve your employability, should the inventing not take off.
Good luck!

[edit on 17-11-2004 by Procrastinator]