I've recently graduated college (< 2 years) and in that time have taken up a job which does not do nearly as much embedded design as I would like. Does anyone have any ideas how I can keep up my skills and continue to learn while I'm in the possition that I'm in? There are always college courses, but not that many that are specific enough. Also, being such an "in-experienced" engineer (according to all the hiring managers out there), the current employer isn't about to spend thousands sending me around the country to training conferences.
I know the feeling, even many years into my career.
Don't take hiring manager's comments too personally. It's their job to get the best deal so they're always going to come up with some reason for making your position weak. If you're young, they'll argue you are too young and inexperienced and if you are older they'll argue you are too old, expensive and set in your ways. If I hear those arguments I ask them what is their perfect narrow age range and why did they not put that in the job spec. I ask how much they want to pay, and that if they're paying they dictate how things get done. It gets over the message that I've heard these arguments and let's get on to the real business of whether I can do the job.
I try to ask "what would I want to see if I were an employer?".
Well, I'd like to see a candidate who took matters into their own hands and showed initiative. For example, venting the desire to do embedded work by doing some impressive projects from their own minds and pockets.
I know one guy who has a degree in electronics and laughs (nervously) has never touched a soldering iron. not so much as making a crystal set. I said is it any mystery why nobody ever gave him an electronics job? I would not. Would he? Would you?
So you can see why employers value experience over paper.
I'd want to see someone who dug into his own pocket, bought some dev kits and taught himself how to use the things and made something cool with them. It shows initiative, and that you don't wait forever for someone else to do things for you.
In employment, people will present you with problems and ask you to find solutions.
You've got the problem of finding a better job, and made a good first move asking around. A next step might be to ponder what would be a really good project to show just what a cool kick-ass creative guy you are.
No self-driven project will guarantee you a job but they will put you steps ahead of doing nothing.
How about inventing some gadget to help the disabled? That would shows some nobility of spirit which I would find admirable. And it would help disabled people who might not be able to afford engineers at commercial rates.
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