[AT] tractor related employment preparation

[James Peck]

About 50 years ago, I know of a person who was enrolled in a Mechanical Engineering program at a university that an AT list member uses an email address from. They had a 4th year course called Colloquium in which topics related to getting a job and working were discussed. One speaker discussed the effect of Sputnik on the US educational programs. It was a concern that the Soviets were going to put weapons into orbit and be able to gain military superiority over the west. Little rocket man is still at this.

An effort was launched to catch up to the Soviets. Along the way some needs for changes in the US education system were made. Some survive, some do not.

That student was told that some of the engineers involved in the space program were deemed to not have enough scientific and mathematic ability. Engineering programs were made more scientific to address the issue.

4 year engineering technology programs were introduced to meet the need for practical engineering education.

2 year technology programs were introduced for people that needed training but not necessarily at the 4 year level.

That same man had been placed in a 3 track junior high class. His track had studied binary, octal, and hexadecimal in the distant 1960 past. Tracked junior high programs are long gone.

It looks like the way is being paved to require an MS Engineering degree to allow Professional Engineering licensing.

One speaker advised spending less than you earned and ending your life in good financial shape. One student advocated the spend it all now approach. I'd like to know how that worked out.

[ Stephen Offiler] What appears to be happening is a shift in the approach to engineering education.  To use James' example at UMass Lowell there is no BSME degree offered at all.  They list AS and BS in ME Technology only.  Then they list ME degrees at the MS and PhD levels.  I can't prove it but suspect there could be an underlying move to keep students paying tuition for 5-6 years instead of 4.

[James Peck] The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology accredits the BS Electronic Technology program at UMass Lowell.

https://www.abet.org/

[James Peck] University of Massachusetts at Lowell? Stephen can drive over and verify this in person.

https://gps.uml.edu/degrees/undergrad/online-bachelors-mechanical-engineering-degree.cfm

[James Peck] https://harrisburg.psu.edu/science-engineering-technology/me-met/bachelor-science-mechanical-engineering-technology

[Stephen Offiler] My only point, which is not addressed in either of the links provided, is that engineering technology is a 2-year program while engineering (to the Bachelor's level) is a 4-year program.  To be perfectly clear, I mention this in direct rebuttal to James' previous comment which implied engineering technology degrees are 4 years.  That said, my knowledge and experience is in the mechanical engineering field.  Perhaps there are other branches (Aerospace?  Chemical?  Nuclear?) where the techs have 4 year degrees.

[ James Peck] Neither a 2 nor a 4 year degree in liberal arts or basket weaving would gain you admission to the third year of a 2+2 engineering technology program.

https://www.communitycollegereview.com/blog/2-2-programs-going-strong-at-community-colleges-nationwide

I have known BSME graduate engineers who took 2 year Electronic Technology programs.

[Stephen Offiler]  Four-year engineering technology programs?  It's been a while for me (BSME '84) but the technology programs I am most familiar with are two-year.  I suppose, if you spend a couple years in Liberal Arts and Basket Weaving, then you buckle down for the next two, it would be a four-year program.

[James] <snip> The public was not aware back then of the process of getting an associate degree that qualifies you to be an entry level mechanic and then getting a four year degree in Engineering Technology by taking the 3rd and 4th years. I was not at the time or I would have done so. <snip>
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