Exengineer
Well-known member
I am seeing a growing trend where I am located. Companies are hiring technologists from two year programs in place of engineers from four year programs for many positions. They aren't doing it for cost savings so much because technologists pay has increased faster than engineers pay. Mechanical Engineering Technology seems to be a hot program, at least hotter than Mechanical Engineering. I think this is happening because companies want people who have more practical and useful skills, something universities are notorious for not providing. Back in 2007 William Wulf, President of the National Academy of Engineering, gave a talk on Engineering Education in the 21st Century. One of the things he said was "The practice of engineering has changed enormously from what it was 40 years ago, and engineering education hasn't changed very much at all." Not a ringing endorsement of engineering as a career choice is it? Recently I saw an ad for a Civil Engineering Technologist that offers the following: Compensation: $52,655 - $65,818 This is a regional government posting and they are looking for someone with at least a year experience. That's not bad pay for someone from a two year community college program. Many engineers with a year experience are getting about the middle pay in that range. People should no longer worship or exalt university engineering programs for being stupefying superior to all other four year degrees, because they are not. Now they aren't even superior to some two year diplomas. What is needed is harsh criticism of engineering departments that don't modernize, that use 35 year old equipment and textbooks that have barely been revised in that time span, that don't even attempt to teach anything practical or hands-on. I am sure there are many of them out there. There are some engineering degrees people have that are worse than none at all. :angry: