Pros
AE has a good team atmosphere and a wide variety of projects. As a consultant, you get the opportunity to work with many different customers and in a variety of engineering disciplines. I can’t think of a better way to develop into an effective engineer. All of our customers have been great to work with, so it’s been great way for me to build relationships with people in many different companies/roles. Technically I've learned a lot. But I've also been able to advance my skills in the areas of leadership, sales and marketing, project management, communication, teamwork, and time management. Consulting is exciting, fast-paced, and challenging. I like that sort of work environment.
Cons
The economy was really tough in late 2008 and early 2009 which definitely affected AE (as it hit almost every other company during this period). Glad to see things turning around as of late and seeing some growth again. As with any small to medium sized company, many people at AE are asked to wear many hats. This can be challenging but again it's a great opportunity to gain a wide variety of experience and to work with people in many different areas of business.