NMiTE (new model in technology and engineering) recruiting

Moshe Waserman:

As for new knowledge to excel 3-5 years into their career, it's a valid point. And can be taken into the account in continues development.

This can be done by engineers doing all the studying on their own or sponsored by employers who usually offer tuition assistance in some form.

Hi Moshe,


I'd agree that for some people this can be a good way forward. Actually, for completely different reasons (I think I said this elsewhere on these forums recently) I think it would be much better if university education took place between the ages of perhaps 21 to 25. But in general it's extremely hard for people to make a clear three year "breathing space" at any time except after immediately leaving school - this seems to be true worldwide. So - again personally - my feeling is that the best use of this time is not to give students an idea of what they could do tomorrow, but rather what they could do for the day after tomorrow - and the rest of their life after that. They may not get another chance. 


I suspect that in the UK we will see a push towards short, day or block release, engineering degrees which will be highly efficient; but as someone who is passionate about the whole university experience I think this would be very unfortunate.


Although I did achieve my Master's whilst working very much full time (and coping with teenage children going through their exams at the same time) I would have got a lot more out of it if I could have taken the time of work to carry it out in a proper academic environment. But there was no way that my company - who were very generous regarding sponsoring education and training and paid for my part time Masters - could have afforded to support that.


I think your post does accurately reflect the view and approach of the industry, personally I think it does not give us the best possible engineering practice. I really like the approach that the other professions have taken - for hundreds of years (not that that is necessarily a recommendation!) - to let the seeds germinate strongly in university and then train them up the wall when they enter the garden. (For sub-equator readers, spring's coming in the Northern hemisphere!)


Hi Alasdair,

Excellent post!


Cheers,


Andy



 

Moshe Waserman:

As for new knowledge to excel 3-5 years into their career, it's a valid point. And can be taken into the account in continues development.

This can be done by engineers doing all the studying on their own or sponsored by employers who usually offer tuition assistance in some form.

Hi Moshe,


I'd agree that for some people this can be a good way forward. Actually, for completely different reasons (I think I said this elsewhere on these forums recently) I think it would be much better if university education took place between the ages of perhaps 21 to 25. But in general it's extremely hard for people to make a clear three year "breathing space" at any time except after immediately leaving school - this seems to be true worldwide. So - again personally - my feeling is that the best use of this time is not to give students an idea of what they could do tomorrow, but rather what they could do for the day after tomorrow - and the rest of their life after that. They may not get another chance. 


I suspect that in the UK we will see a push towards short, day or block release, engineering degrees which will be highly efficient; but as someone who is passionate about the whole university experience I think this would be very unfortunate.


Although I did achieve my Master's whilst working very much full time (and coping with teenage children going through their exams at the same time) I would have got a lot more out of it if I could have taken the time of work to carry it out in a proper academic environment. But there was no way that my company - who were very generous regarding sponsoring education and training and paid for my part time Masters - could have afforded to support that.


I think your post does accurately reflect the view and approach of the industry, personally I think it does not give us the best possible engineering practice. I really like the approach that the other professions have taken - for hundreds of years (not that that is necessarily a recommendation!) - to let the seeds germinate strongly in university and then train them up the wall when they enter the garden. (For sub-equator readers, spring's coming in the Northern hemisphere!)


Hi Alasdair,

Excellent post!


Cheers,


Andy