I have been in the industry for 33 years, and have seen the job and terms decline in the industry over that time. Like most others here, I would not advise my children to become an engineer. Maybe a pilot? If we had kept some relationship to pilots conditions/pay then maybe things would be different. I had very good training in my apprenticeship, for which I am grateful, however that same level of expertise does not exist with the same company in this day and age.
I have had a reasonable life from the industry, but not everyone wants to work in the countries and situations I have either. It is not very marriage freindly. Only a very few have the good type of job that spannersatcx has, most of the rest just exist to pay the bills from month to month. We joke about AIDS (Aviation Induced Divorce Syndrome) but it exists in large amounts.
Go with IT!!!
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When all else fails, read the manual!