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To: napscoordinator

Kinda funny. An engineer friend of mine said that the only thing his engineering degree got him was in the door of the job. Everything he does now has nothing to do with what he learned in college.

I think he exagerates, but the point is valid. Some hard skills are necessary and must be taught. And they are also the easiest ones taught online.


17 posted on 08/30/2013 7:56:42 AM PDT by cuban leaf (Were doomed! Details at eleven.)
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To: cuban leaf

An engineer friend of mine said that the only thing his engineering degree got him was in the door of the job.

That is pretty important....lol.


22 posted on 08/30/2013 8:00:40 AM PDT by napscoordinator ( Santorum-Bachmann 2016 for the future of the Country!)
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To: cuban leaf

Spot on. All you need to do is get in the door. Really, if you’re good, all you need is an interview.


69 posted on 08/30/2013 8:53:17 AM PDT by tgusa (gun control: deep breath, sight alignment, squeeze the trigger .......)
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To: cuban leaf
An engineer friend of mine said that the only thing his engineering degree got him was in the door of the job.

In 1966, one of my more senior profs at Georgia tech told us the exact same thing.

"When (and IF) you graduate from here after four or five years, you will NOT be an engineer. You will speak the language and have the requisite Math, Physics, Chemistry and Literacy skills and you have demonstrated that you can complete a lengthy series of rigorous intellectual tasks, but you will not be an engineer. You will learn to be a engineer at your first job."

When I finished flight school with 200 hours flight time spread between two types of fixed wing aircraft and two helo types, I had my "wings". However, since I flew a two pilot aircraft, the USMC required that we have 500 hours flight time spread over many different syllabus flights before we even could be tested for qualification as "aircraft commander".

"I have a degree from "Big Name U"! I am worth a six figure salary and can successfully manage corporations, international relations, etc, etc."

Hogwash! Unfortunately, lazy hiring managers in HR figure that they can CYA if the guy's a failure by saying, "Hey, he was a Harvard man! I figured he would be worth the salary."

104 posted on 08/30/2013 10:06:52 AM PDT by BwanaNdege ("Life is short. It's even shorter if you suggest going out for pizza on your anniversary" Peter Egan)
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To: cuban leaf
An engineer friend of mine said that the only thing his engineering degree got him was in the door of the job. Everything he does now has nothing to do with what he learned in college.

Comes to mind... in the past (1970-80-90s) the large 'giants' of their respective industry, IBM and NCR would opperate in this way. One needed the degree to get in the front door, then the Corp would have the 'trainees' onsite for 7-10 months to 'learn' the IBM/NCR way.

107 posted on 08/30/2013 11:25:53 AM PDT by Stand Watch Listen
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