Engineer Survey: Engineering Vs Engineering Technology

[Mark Pierce]

I have both Electrical Engineering and Computer Science degrees. At the time I went to school, the field of Computer Engineering was new enough not to have it's own degree, but that's probably what I would do today given my interests. I really wish there wasn't so much difference in the approaches, they both have their advantages.

If forced to generalize, a two year technical degree will severely limit your career to being a technician. A four year technical degree is more usefull in manufacturing, especially in the process or quality engineering roles. An engineering degree is understood by more people, and will likely prove for easier entry into design and research positions. In my experience, it's how a person applies themselves more than the degree that determines success.

In regards to the math. If you choose to avoid engineering, never tell a potential employer that you couldn't handle calculus. They're looking for people to solve problems. Many engineers believe that any problem can be solved with enough effort (managers are even more so). That colors their opinion even though they had difficulty understanding the math when they were in school. Say rather you like being more hands on, that the courses looked more interesting, etc. instead.

I recently found this quote that describes engineering fairly well:
Herbert Hoover Quote