Should engineering faculty be licensed? 13

[lacajun]

Opinion Piece on licensing of faculty

Pamela K. Quillin, P.E.
Quillin Engineering, LLC

 

[calguy07]

Many years ago, just after the steam engine was invented, in the UK there was a push for thick sandwich and thin sandwich degrees for engineers. These exposed the undergraduate to industry and vice versa. I wonder why these rather sensible schemes withered away?

How is this type of program different from the current co-op format which features at many universities now? Did companies just offer to have students come to "work" for them, purely for the benefit of the student? Sounds too good to be true; no wonder they witherd away.

 

[Longinthetooth]

calguy07-

Being out of university so long, I dont know much about coop programs, but yes, that is exactly what those companies did way back then. They helped train the next generation of engineers with little immediate gain for themselves. They took the long view, maybe beacause they were mostly engineers, unlike the current crop of accountants running the place, who see only next week's profits and then moan that they cant hire any skilled people.

 

[lacajun]

This blogger makes a fine distinction between qualifications and credentials that dovetails into this discussion. I've seen the same effect in industry. I don't care about the political stuff he gets into at the end, which is his point. He provides enough of his thoughts to provoke discussion and thought about our own profession. His blog reinforces my thought that engineering faculty need to display the highest degree of professionalism through qualifications and credentials.

Quals and Creds

Pamela K. Quillin, P.E.
Quillin Engineering, LLC

 

[calguy07]

geordie87,

Wow, how times have changed!

 

[Maui]

The MBAs and bean counters that run these companies today seem to want to hire competent mid-level career engineers so that they don't have to provide any training, and offer them salaries that are either at or in some cases well below industry average. And when they can't find enough qualified candidates who are willing to settle for these low wages, and cry "Shortage!".

How times have changed.

Maui

http://www.EngineeringMetallurgy.com

 

[GregLocock]

In my case I did a thick sandwich course. It was, to put it mildly, difficult to get into, since it was a fully sponsored position at university. The contract was rather open ended, they agreed to employ me for a year before uni, and during the long holidays while I was there, and for a year after, in a rotation through different departments and jobs. Unfortunately by the time my rotation had finished the department in which I had intended to work had been cut back and so I had to move into a completely different area, which as it happened worked out. Overall it was a very good experience and certainly improved my understanding of the university lectures and labs. It was called a thick sandwich but there was virtually no tie-up between university and workplace, not that that mattered.

The problem in general was the retention over that 5 year period and thereafter was rather low.



Cheers

Greg Locock


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