The "FIRST" experience?

[Adam Y.]

Originally Posted by Cody Carey

I actually researched a bit before lumping "Engineers" all into one career choice for the purpose of illustration in my initial post. According to the US bureau of labor and statistics, Engineering is one career with 18 possible specialties.

I do not like those definitions at all. There are more specialties than that websites gives. No wonder we have an engineering problem. 3/4 of my professors aren't on that list.

[ebarker]

US bureau of labor and statistics tends to lower the definition of most jobs to its base level.

It does nothing to to relate engineering to the art of engineering, or to business or social relevance, or communications, or economics.

Engineering is much more complex and much richer than is commonly perceived.

Dean touched on it in his speech above, and Woodie spoke to the point in his address at Olin.

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by ebarker

US bureau of labor and statistics tends to lower the definition of most jobs to its base level.

It does nothing to to relate engineering to the art of engineering, or to business or social relevance, or communications, or economics.

Engineering is much more complex and much richer than is commonly perceived.

Dean touched on it in his speech above, and Woodie spoke to the point in his address at Olin.

Well, but isn't this the point?
In working with future scientists, technologists, and engineers, isn't working to help develop thinking and effectiveness in areas of business plans, formal presentations, communications, social relevance, and delivering a finished product of quality by the end of a hard deadline, all part of the FIRST/FRC package that is sold? Engineering fields and attitudes don't have to be set in stone. They can continue to evolve, develop, and maintain flexibility for present and future goals/needs as they present themselves or are discovered.

[Adam Y.]

Originally Posted by ebarker

US bureau of labor and statistics tends to lower the definition of most jobs to its base level.

Base level? Im doing base level electrical engineering. Their definition leaves out elctromagnetics which for all intents purposes excludes a lot of people. I wonder what we get classified as.

[emersont49]

Inspiration is a precursor to any real learning. On an FRC team, that inspiration could range from business and marketing to electrical/mechanical engineering and computer science.

I'm sometimes tempted to be critical of teams I view as being adult run but I have to remind myself that I'm only seeing or hearing small aspects of those teams. The only team I really know is my team.

One of the main reasons I mentor is to share the passion I have for robotics with students. It has been gratifying to see this passion picked up by students in technical and non-technical parts of the team. I'm certain they won't all remember the concepts of a closed loop steering system. I am, however, certain most of them will remember how much fun it was to solve a really tough problem.

[ebarker]

Yeah... what Jane said !!

What I was trying to say and doing a poor job of it - Bureau of Labor probably doesn't have a good handle on what engineers 'really' do.

I wonder how the Bureau describes 'family medicine' ?