Borrow an Engineer 7

[Gumpmaster]

Here's a new service to match engineering students with companies who need engineering work. You can hire an un-licensed engineering student much cheaper than a licensed one.


News Story

Borrow An Engineer

Any thoughts?

 

[rb1957]

you get what you pay for ...

if you have a simple job, that's well defined, then you can probably get it done on the cheap, since not much engineering is involved; and why not ... I think we all hate the mundane trivia that comes with the job.

another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?

 

[urgross]

You get what you pay for if you are diligent. If you know of cases where the federal government is not competing professional architectural and engineering services solely on professional qualifications, and the federal government is not requiring PE stamp for the work, report it to the contracting officer so that they will know, and know others are aware, that they are violating public law.

 

[dbill74]

The problem with the BorrowanEngineer site is that all the engineers are students, so they have little to no experience and no experienced engineers providing oversight. This is something that is not abundantly clear when you first go to the website.

I can see this being useful for a Sole-Proprietorship needing a one-off item. Or perhaps someone looking to get on Shark-Tank or All-American Makers looking for investment money and needing a prototype or mock-up. But then this appears to be the site's target audience.

I also think the name of the site/company is deceptive and does not properly reflect their 'contractors'. On several occasions their literature mentions apps and websites; I'm sorry if you write software for an app or website you are not an engineer in my book, you are a "developer."

Do I see this having a major impact on the engineering community? No.
If a company is going to be mass producing a product, they are going to need a full time engineer with experience; something BorrowanEngineer does not provide.

 

[allgoodnamestaken]

I can't wait for the first liability lawsuit out of this.

Lawyer: "So you're saying that for engineering expertise for this product, this product that spontaneously exploded and gave my client third degree burns on 15% of her body, you purposely began your product engineering with an unqualified student you found on the internet?"

Owner: "uhhh....it was cheap?"

Lawyer: "Well, I'll let you keep the pen you use to sign everything you own away to me and my client. Quite the bargain!"

 

[moltenmetal]

You NEVER get what you pay for, or the person selling it to you won't be in business long because they're not generating a profit. You always get, and should expect to get, somewhat less than what you paid for!

Engineers should not offer their services for free to for-profit enterprises, whether they're offering those services for free as a student in a free internship or as substantial uncompensated overtime. Engineering services are of value, and offering them for free to those who would profit from their use, de-values those services. Compensation can vary in nature and quantity, but when it's ZERO, we're all in trouble. At least these "borrow an engineer" kids are attempting to obtain some compensation for their work- and you can't fault them for being creative in the way they're going about it.

I feel the greatest sympathy for the LARGE FRACTION of engineering grads who currently cannot get a foot in the door in their chosen profession. I'd fix that problem if I could- by reducing the number of engineering grads entering the labour market to more closely match the labour market demand for their services. Given that we subsidize tuition substantially here in Canada, that is the most sensible course of action for our society as a whole- cranking out three times as many engineers as the labour market could possibly use is an idiotic strategy. But I won't collude in making their situation worse for my own profit by accepting their services for free, whether formally as interns or informally through a cut-rate "borrow an engineer" gig economy service model. That stand of valuing the services of other engineers is consistent with the professional engineering code of ethics I affirmed when I accepted my license.

 

[Panther140]

I do not think that I have read a single problem definition in this thread that is unique to the concept brought about by "Borrow an Engineer".

"Formal education is a weapon, whose effect depends on who holds it in his hands and at whom it is aimed." ~ Joseph Stalin

 

[Panther140]

If you are worried that this will lead companies to produce a lesser product, then bring a better product to the market. If you are worried about it decreasing your market value, do something that an undergrad student can't. If you think this will lead to people doing work that they're unqualified for, vote somebody in to make a law that prevents unqualified people from doing important work. I suggest you make it require a license to do legally. Call it a "Professional Engineering" license. That will prevent the rugrats from building a leaning skyscraper in your neighborhood.

Are you guys unionized or something? GEEZE!! If they produce results for somebody and do not negatively affect anybody against their will while doing it, then just kick back and focus on doing something productive.

"Formal education is a weapon, whose effect depends on who holds it in his hands and at whom it is aimed." ~ Joseph Stalin

 

[FeX32]

... I'll get my aim ready. Steady and true to the highest bidder..

 

[FeX32]

Hold on... Stalin has bigger guns ... let me upgrade

 

[FeX32]

Jokes aside, I strongly oppose anything that 'degrades' the engineering profession.
I'm not sure how this falls on the scale.
Right now, those interested in real engineering would never consider such a notion but who knows in the future.
I strongly encourage a price min.

... in some industries there is a bit of a risk to letting the minions do work for nothing... in others not.. be careful very careful what you wish for..

 

[Panther140]

A worldwide price minimum, right? Or are you under the impression that our trade policy lends itself well to keeping your job here, and not shipping it to the place where your products are actually made?

"Formal education is a weapon, whose effect depends on who holds it in his hands and at whom it is aimed." ~ Joseph Stalin

 

[urgross]

Panther,

I value my services and can, and have, competed successfully, on several continents. I can surmise why some people prefer lowest common denominator. Good luck with your regulated market for spawning.

 

[moltenmetal]

Selling services by the hour makes you a commodity. We're all interchangeable widgets, right? Perfectly equivalent?

I get paid for my engineering by selling solutions rather than man-hours. It earns me a good living, thanks. Our company competes internationally and wins business from all over the world- including China and India. Selling solutions rather than hours allows my company to pay my interns a fair wage, too.

 

[rb1957]

maybe they should rename themselves "borrow a pretendngineer"

another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?

 

[BUGGAR]

The site closed down today. I don't know the reason.

 

[capnhook]

Closed, seven months to the day.....

How many screwed-up jobs did it take to close shop?

Good riddance.


Proud Member of the Reality-Based Community..

[green]To the Toolmaker, your nice little cartoon drawing of your glass looks cool, but your solid model sucks. Do you want me to fix it, or are you going to take all week to get it back to me so I can get some work done?[/green]