Made to Measure
Engineering technologists turn the sophisticated designs of engineers into reality.
Ok, so an engineer, after much research, comes up with an awesome design for a six-lane bridge. Now, who’s going to make it happen? Enter the engineering technologists — informally known as “ETs.” No, they don’t build the bridge; they supervise the construction crew and make sure it’s done right. And when things go wrong, they know what to look for and how to fix it. Although they’re basically known as the hands-on people, they sometimes get involved in design as well.
Despite the important role of the engineering technologist, it’s a career that typically mystifies high school students, says Ron Burkhardt, assistant director of admissions at Purdue University. “We tell them that engineers develop designs and solutions quantitatively, while engineering technologists optimize and implement those designs and solutions using proven business and industrial practices.” Once this is explained, Burkhardt says, “many students want to pursue this application aspect of technology.” They realize they want to be ETs.
Indeed, more students switch from engineering to engineering technology, rather than the other way around. That’s usually because of the different math requirements of each program, says John J. McDonough, a former professor of civil engineering technology and associate dean of engineering at the University of Maine. “It’s easier to go from calculus-based programs to algebra based.” But many students also realize they want to be in the middle of the action, rather than doing research and design. McDonough’s own daughter, Carolyn, started out in engineering and then switched to engineering technology. “She saw the light,” he says proudly.
Still, like those studying engineering, students in a four-year engineering technology program must gain a solid grasp of science and math. Some ET programs offer an equal mix of theory and laboratory courses along with classes in communication — an essential skill for working in the real world.
There is also the option of earning a two-year associate’s degree to become an accredited engineering technician — that is, someone who installs, tests, or calibrates a product. Or a student may start out in a two-year program at a community college before moving on to a four-year engineering technology program.
That’s what Derek Fletcher did. To save money, the Oshkosh, Wis., native stayed close to home during his first two years in college, earning an associate’s degree in electrical engineering technology from Fox Valley Technical College. He’s now a senior at the Michigan Technological University, working on a bachelor’s degree in the same discipline. After graduation, “I’ll probably look for a job,” Fletcher says, “something that’s very hands-on and out in the field.” But he’s got management aspirations, too, so he may also enroll in an MBA program at the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh.
George H. Sehi, dean of science, mathematics, and engineering at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio, tells his students that ETs are in big demand. “They are more valuable because they have the hands-on understanding of the system. Industry wants someone who can not only run the machine but also tell the difference between a signal and just a noise.”
So it all comes down to what you prefer to do: design or apply the design. The good news is that engineers and ETs work closely together. There is an overlap in their work, McDonough says, “to the point that three or four years after graduation, you can’t tell them apart.”
Filed under: Explore Engineering
