Helislave: you're quite right, waiting never solved anything. If you've got it in your blood, and it strikes me you've looked at this issue long enough to have had an infusion by now
then come on in, the water is luke warm and often murky, but you won't drown!!!
Industry is putting out signals that the latest up and coming "attachment" to one's portfolio in aviation, is the Aviation Management degree.
[As an aside - ab initio plank drivers are being positively immersed in the subject during training].
I saw an ad the other day for students to undergo a full aviation management degree which included a full JAR CPL(IR) and eventually an ATPL.
I think this might be a better vehicle for you if you intend to climb the management ladder.
If you go thru with your engineering degree, it certainly wouldn't be wasted (a very respectable qual) but if your leaning is to actual flying, then it won't be much use. (Unless you want to move sideways into engineering at some time.
Actually getting a helo job with a degree as a bunk up, is a non starter, our (helo) industry isn't as streamlined as the FW world. All we want is hours, lots of them and good quality ones, too.
Jump!!!!!