University or Technical School? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Shale
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2012, 08:26:20 pm
content: I am looking at going back to school and want to know if it matters in the job market where you go to school?I am looking at going to a University which is both expensive and does not work around my schedule very much, or should I go to a Technical School such as Devry. They offer online but still expensive.One note is that any Technical School I have found, most University's do no accept any of tier work as credits. So if later on I want to go back to add on to my degree then at what ever I learn in the Technical School would not transfer to the University and this is a cause of great concern to me. Any input would be helpful.

author: Bored@Work
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2012, 09:02:09 pm
content: Yeah, the system you have there in Russia is tough to crack.

author: Shale
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2012, 11:47:46 pm
content: Quote from: Bored@Work on July 11, 2012, 09:02:09 pmI am in the United States.

author: RRobot
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2012, 12:17:26 am
content: My opinion, if a school advertises on TV or takes pretty much anyone who can qualify for a loan, you don't want to go to it.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2012, 12:38:10 am
content: You go to a university once, when you are young, to establish your career and to get a foothold in the job market.Once you graduate you are then in the field of "continuing professional development". That should consist of self education, specialized training courses, learning on the job, visiting and presenting at conferences, professional society membership and participation, and related activities.So the question you have to ask yourself is, "Why would I want to go back to school?" They are going to eat your money and feed you with information you could obtain just as readily from books, self study and open courseware.One possibility is a complete change of career, in which case you might be back to needing that first foot in the job market. But if staying in the same career, I doubt the value of it. Going back to school unless for a specialist purpose like an MBA would seem like a backward step.

author: Mint.
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2012, 12:47:24 am
content: This is a very interesting topic to talk about, as I will too, have to make the same decision in a few years. I've heard people say that university is just a lot of maths which most of you won't use in the future in your career. Is this true?

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2012, 12:54:00 am
content: Quote from: Mint. on July 12, 2012, 12:47:24 amUniversity should contribute to your personal development, should give you a broad grounding in an area of study, and should prepare you for life-long learning. It should also give you an unparalleled opportunity for social and extra-curricular activities with your peers that will never happen again.Nobody can say what you might or might not find valuable from your university learning. Who knows what the future will hold for you? But even if you don't use all the mathematics you learn, it will still contribute to the formation of your mind and yourself as a more capable individual. Which at the end of the day is what university is all about.

author: Shale
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2012, 01:07:48 am
content: Quote from: IanB on July 12, 2012, 12:38:10 amThats it. I am 30 and changing careers. So will the University help open doors when I finnish? not trying to sound close minded, but I don't really care about the whole life learning experience. I already have 60 hours of general eduication, many of which will transfer. So my question is which will open more doors for career options and opportunities? Is one degree respected by the field than the other?

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2012, 01:55:57 am
content: Quote from: Shale on July 12, 2012, 01:07:48 amI would have to think it entirely depends on the career? If the course of study is something vocational like engineering, then I imagine the minimum requirement is that it be a fully ABET accredited course (or the equivalent in other countries). Beyond that you would want to talk to some prospective employers to see what they are looking for and any preferences in qualifications.Will it open more doors? I don't know. It depends on the employer and the circumstances. In my experience the academic content of a resume is one of the least important factors for a job candidate. It needs to be sufficient, but it's more of a baseline requirement than a differentiating factor. Interview performance, communication skills and demonstrated abilities are far more influential in a hiring decision. If you are not finding a job, then going back to school isn't necessarily the solution to your problem.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 12, 2012, 02:09:21 am
content: Quote from: Shale on July 12, 2012, 01:07:48 amDepends entirely upon which country you are in, it's engineering culture, the company, and the person sitting opposite the desk hiring.Note the multitude of things...!A respected university degree will of course always look and sound better than a tech college one or whatever, but whether or not will will ultimately help you only time and individual circumstances will tell. As a general rule, once you have industry experience, where you got your education matters little or not at all.Dave.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2012, 02:37:52 am
content: I'm simplifying the issue a bit, however..A technical school will most often teach much more real-world practical knowledge and skills used in the industry.Were as a University will teach the theory and background a lot more.Personally i learn things much better by doing (then picking up the theory later) rather than listening to boring theory lectures. So i went to a technical school.But of course it does depend on the university in question, some do cover the practical side.

author: Bored@Work
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2012, 03:28:45 am
content: Quote from: Shale on July 11, 2012, 11:47:46 pmOh really? When did you plan to tell us?

author: RRobot
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2012, 07:07:37 am
content: Quote from: Shale on July 12, 2012, 01:07:48 amOpen doors to what? Is your goal to get a job as a Electronics technician or get a job as a Electrical engineer? It's unlikely that your state will license you as an EE without a University degree from an accredited University, however you can easily look up your state's Engineering association to verify. As you already state I don't believe any courses taken at a tech school will transfer to a University degree, so you would be looking at another 4 years likely.I've seen both technicians and engineers make the jump to management, its probably easier track for a engineer (many larger companies have a glass ceiling for non-degree holders).And like I said before, whatever you decide, go to a good (respected by industry) school.

author: Shale
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2012, 02:38:03 pm
content: Quote from: RRobot on July 12, 2012, 07:07:37 amHaving not been in the industry what do I need to look for in order to make sure it is respected in the industry? I have heard of ABET, but anything else that seems to hold weight? I am looking at UTA (University of Texas at Arlington) but there is also Devry.Quote from: RRobot on July 12, 2012, 07:07:37 amI think you have answered my question here. I want to become an Engineer.Thank you all for your input. Any further thoughts, comments and suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2012, 02:48:01 pm
content: Some info here too:http://ncees.org/Audience_Landing_Pages/Students.phpYou would want to ensure that a school you attend gives you the possibility of taking and passing the FE exam during the final year.

author: Obi_Kwiet
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2012, 03:22:49 pm
content: Don't take classes from any private for profit schools like Devry. They have a terrible reputation for being expensive diploma mills. If you want an inexpensive technical degree that won't soil your resume, look at a community collage.Also, remember that the choice between a technical degree and an engineering degree is the choice between two different careers, so do some research and try to figure out what sounds more interesting to you.