ITT ABET accredited?

[IE Steve]

I recently graduated with a degree in IE from a large state school (ABET accredited) and I am currently in the masters program for IE.

My father was talking to me the other day saying he worked with a guy who had a son who was in a similar situation as me. But he went into the army for a few years after HS then got his "degree" from ITT in Electrical Engineering and got a job at Honeywell making $26/hour full time.

How can this be when he finished his EE program within 2-3 years, is it really that easy to find a high paying job with a ITT degree? Why did it take me 5 years to graduate compared to his 2-3 years to graduate?

My dad is riding me now and really wanting me to get a job thinking I can make much more. But jobs are not as easy to come by as he thinks with my limited work experience.

Any info would be appreciated. .

 

[Freon]

Is it a "Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering" degree, or an "Electrical Engineering Technology" degree? There is a big difference.

http://www.abet.org/engineering-vs-engineering-technology/

 

[Supe]

ITT is not ABET accredited. Their programs are all Technology programs, not Engineering programs, and even the term "technology" is pushing it compared to most 4 year colleges/universities.

The fact is, they will train you for a very specific function, which makes it easy to find a job doing that function. Consequently, it's going to be very easy to plateau in your career, with little room for advancement.

Also, in the grand scheme of things, $26/hr is not a high paying job.

 

[IE Steve]

Yeah he said something about testing electronics.

I just don't see how its possible to land such a high paying job straight out of a non-accredited college in your early 20's

 

[snickerd3]

Huge difference btwn the two. engineering vs engineering technology (which is what ITT would provide). People tend to leave off the technology part.

What supe said, the guy is basically a classroom trained grunt worker instead of on the job trained grunt worker. YOu might start out a little lower but have the potential to make more and rise within a company

 

[wilheldp_PE]

It's either a BSEET as others have mentioned, or it may even be an associates degree instead of a bachelors degree. Either way, it is absolutely not ABET accredited.

 

[Judowolf PE]

ITT does not have an BSEET, they have an associates in EET or a BS in electrical comunications Tech or something like that, they create tech workers, which if you're hands on and don't want to invest 5 years and do the registration thing, then it's a good option. I don't see how these people can go around telling folks they are engineers, it's like a LPN going around saying they are a doctor

 

[IE Steve]

Yes but if its not ABET accredited then why are employers accepting his degree and why is he getting such a high paying job at a young age?

Makes me wonder why I worked so hard to be an engineer if he has the same title with a high paying job

 

[Supe]

Because he's probably not doing any actual engineering work?

 

[snickerd3]

they are accepting it because short term that is all they need...manual labor they don't have to spend time training in the field. While $26/hr seems high now, he will likely still be making $26/hr yrs from now. If it is also a union job $26/hr doesn't really seem out of the ball park.

 

[wilheldp_PE]

Yes but if its not ABET accredited then why are employers accepting his degree and why is he getting such a high paying job at a young age?

Makes me wonder why I worked so hard to be an engineer if he has the same title with a high paying job

That's really not an incredibly high paying job. It's roughly my starting salary out of engineering school...11 years ago.

If an electrical tech has the same title as jobs you are applying for, then you are applying for the wrong job...especially since your degree is in Industrial Engineering. I presume that the problem you are having is that entry-level IE jobs are hard to come by, and they tend to pay less than entry-level jobs in other engineering disciplines. I know that UPS in Louisville hires a ton of recent grad IEs, but they pay very little until you complete a 6 to 9 month training period. Electrical Engineers are usually towards the top of the engineering payscale, so I don't find it surprising that an electrical tech is starting at a higher salary than an IE.

 

[Judowolf PE]

engineering tech will have a decent starting pay like you said, but there is no real increase other than COA or management to go to afterward

 

[IE Steve]

Yes but if its not ABET accredited then why are employers accepting his degree and why is he getting such a high paying job at a young age?

Makes me wonder why I worked so hard to be an engineer if he has the same title with a high paying job

That's really not an incredibly high paying job. It's roughly my starting salary out of engineering school...11 years ago.

If an electrical tech has the same title as jobs you are applying for, then you are applying for the wrong job...especially since your degree is in Industrial Engineering. I presume that the problem you are having is that entry-level IE jobs are hard to come by, and they tend to pay less than entry-level jobs in other engineering disciplines. I know that UPS in Louisville hires a ton of recent grad IEs, but they pay very little until you complete a 6 to 9 month training period. Electrical Engineers are usually towards the top of the engineering payscale, so I don't find it surprising that an electrical tech is starting at a higher salary than an IE.

So according to you a tech will out-earn an Industrial Engineer? Even in the long run?

 

[Judowolf PE]

^I don't believe that is what he is saying at all...he is saying that an "electrical engineering" tech may make a similar or higher starting salary than an IE, but their wages will stagnate and the engineer's salary should constantly increase as you gain experience and hopefully registration. EE's start out near the top of the pay scale and thus an EE tech will start a little higher as well

 

[snickerd3]

^this

 

[wilheldp_PE]

Yes but if its not ABET accredited then why are employers accepting his degree and why is he getting such a high paying job at a young age?

Makes me wonder why I worked so hard to be an engineer if he has the same title with a high paying job

That's really not an incredibly high paying job. It's roughly my starting salary out of engineering school...11 years ago.

If an electrical tech has the same title as jobs you are applying for, then you are applying for the wrong job...especially since your degree is in Industrial Engineering. I presume that the problem you are having is that entry-level IE jobs are hard to come by, and they tend to pay less than entry-level jobs in other engineering disciplines. I know that UPS in Louisville hires a ton of recent grad IEs, but they pay very little until you complete a 6 to 9 month training period. Electrical Engineers are usually towards the top of the engineering payscale, so I don't find it surprising that an electrical tech is starting at a higher salary than an IE.

So according to you a tech will out-earn an Industrial Engineer? Even in the long run?

What Judo said. I'm not saying you made the wrong choice, and I'm not trying to validate your friend's decision either. I'm just saying that your earning potential will be fairly low for the first few years of your career. In the long run, your earning potential is quite a bit higher than an electrical tech. The reason IEs get the shaft a bit is that each company has their own way of going about things. They want to bring in new IEs, train them to think the way the company wants them to, then let them loose to improve the processes. If they can't break you of the processes of ex-employers, or you insist that what you learned in school is better than they way they want it done, they can cut you loose early on without having to invest much money in your starting salary. At least that is how the low starting IE salary at UPS was explained to me.

I have a Computer Engineering undergrad, have worked my entire career as an Electrical Engineer, and got my masters in Engineering Management (which was taught by the IE faculty). Also, my dad has been a professor of IE for 35+ years. Just so you don't think I'm talking out of my *** here.

 

[Judowolf PE]

"Just so you don't think I'm talking out of my *** here."

At least not for this reason...

 

[wilheldp_PE]

Touche.

 

[solomonb]

IIT is NOT an accredited degree program. In fact, they will tell you, if you read the real fine print, that "many of their classes will not earn transfer credit." What has been said is true-- they teach specific, technology related classes that are much more akin to a 2 year associate degree. I do not believe that they even have the caliber and quality of a rich technology degree.

Don't get discouraged about the starting salary--$26/hour is $52,000/year. I would expect that you are doing much better than that as an IE, right? As I recall, you were going to graduate school and getting a dual MSIE and MSEM degree? The salary thing can become quite frustrating at this point. Stay focused on task, get your dual master's degree, take the FE if you have not done so-- if I recall correctly, you told us that you had completed that?

The truth of the matter is that you have 2 more years of school before you hit the road and look for a good job. Yeah, you will take some guff between now and then, however, stay focused on task (gettting dual masters degrees), pass FE if not done so, then we'll help on finding you a great job!!

I was at the IIE conference in San Juan last week. Sadly, I worked on the PE examination and did not get to talk to many of the students attending. Those that I did were in grad school-- however, one of the department chairs from a well known school in the East told me that his grads were doing well.

I repeat, don't get discouraged. Tell Dad that you have a good plan, don't deviate from it. This will work out.

 

[IE Steve]

Yes but if its not ABET accredited then why are employers accepting his degree and why is he getting such a high paying job at a young age?

Makes me wonder why I worked so hard to be an engineer if he has the same title with a high paying job

That's really not an incredibly high paying job. It's roughly my starting salary out of engineering school...11 years ago.

If an electrical tech has the same title as jobs you are applying for, then you are applying for the wrong job...especially since your degree is in Industrial Engineering. I presume that the problem you are having is that entry-level IE jobs are hard to come by, and they tend to pay less than entry-level jobs in other engineering disciplines. I know that UPS in Louisville hires a ton of recent grad IEs, but they pay very little until you complete a 6 to 9 month training period. Electrical Engineers are usually towards the top of the engineering payscale, so I don't find it surprising that an electrical tech is starting at a higher salary than an IE.

So according to you a tech will out-earn an Industrial Engineer? Even in the long run?

What Judo said. I'm not saying you made the wrong choice, and I'm not trying to validate your friend's decision either. I'm just saying that your earning potential will be fairly low for the first few years of your career. In the long run, your earning potential is quite a bit higher than an electrical tech. The reason IEs get the shaft a bit is that each company has their own way of going about things. They want to bring in new IEs, train them to think the way the company wants them to, then let them loose to improve the processes. If they can't break you of the processes of ex-employers, or you insist that what you learned in school is better than they way they want it done, they can cut you loose early on without having to invest much money in your starting salary. At least that is how the low starting IE salary at UPS was explained to me.

I have a Computer Engineering undergrad, have worked my entire career as an Electrical Engineer, and got my masters in Engineering Management (which was taught by the IE faculty). Also, my dad has been a professor of IE for 35+ years. Just so you don't think I'm talking out of my *** here.

Yes it make since, thanks for the clarification. I appreciate the input

IIT is NOT an accredited degree program. In fact, they will tell you, if you read the real fine print, that "many of their classes will not earn transfer credit." What has been said is true-- they teach specific, technology related classes that are much more akin to a 2 year associate degree. I do not believe that they even have the caliber and quality of a rich technology degree.

Don't get discouraged about the starting salary--$26/hour is $52,000/year. I would expect that you are doing much better than that as an IE, right? As I recall, you were going to graduate school and getting a dual MSIE and MSEM degree? The salary thing can become quite frustrating at this point. Stay focused on task, get your dual master's degree, take the FE if you have not done so-- if I recall correctly, you told us that you had completed that?

The truth of the matter is that you have 2 more years of school before you hit the road and look for a good job. Yeah, you will take some guff between now and then, however, stay focused on task (gettting dual masters degrees), pass FE if not done so, then we'll help on finding you a great job!!

I was at the IIE conference in San Juan last week. Sadly, I worked on the PE examination and did not get to talk to many of the students attending. Those that I did were in grad school-- however, one of the department chairs from a well known school in the East told me that his grads were doing well.

I repeat, don't get discouraged. Tell Dad that you have a good plan, don't deviate from it. This will work out.

Great memory! Yes dual masters which will take around 2 more years to complete. I'm preparing to sit for the FE this October and the material doesn't look too bad. I'm looking into either full time work or internships come early November

As always, thanks for the great input I appreciate it. I'm taking all the advise you give me and running with it!

Also thanks to everyone else who replied in this thread!