Page 33 - Engineering Career Guide, 4th Edition

Hands-On Engineering
Engineering technology offers an opportunity to work on site and bring designs to life.
So, you think you might want to be an engineer. But you’ve also heard of careers in engineering technol- ogy. What’s the difference, anyway?
Engineers and engineering technolo- gists, or ET’s, often work together but have different roles in the design and pro- duction of ... pretty much anything! Cars, buildings, transportation networks, and robots start with a design for the functions to be performed and end with an actual product that performs those functions. Having a good design is essential, and that comes from the engineer. But so is having what’s needed to make the design a reality, and that’s where the ET comes in.
For example, engineers designing a fuel-efficient car will look at many factors — how weight and size affect velocity and how much fuel will be needed to power the car. They think about what the car looks like as well as the aerodynamics that affect fuel consumption. They use principles of physics to determine the en- gine’s fuel burn rate. Plus there are safety requirements and an electronics system in the mix, as well as special features con- sumers want. In the end, there is a design.
But, in order for this theoretically ideal car to make it from the engineers’ com- puter screens to the showroom floor, manufacturers need to identify and source materials that can be used for the design. Assistant Dean Terri Talbert-Hatch of Indi- ana University Purdue University India- napolis (IUPUI) observes, “It’s possible to come up with all kinds of cool stuff on a computer, but if there isn’t material that works for that design, where are you?”
“ET’s are literally hands on, research- ing and finding materials, running experi- ments, troubleshooting, and doing all that is needed to build the prototype. They are at the computer, too, but they see the final product,” says Talbert-Hatch. Gener- ally, the work of the engineer is based in the office, whereas the work of the ET is based in the field. But, in smaller compa- nies, engineers and ET’s tend to do a lot of the same things. In bigger companies, roles are more distinct and specialized.
So, look into Bachelor of Science pro- grams in both engineering and engineer- ing technology. Many community colleges offer two-year associate’s degrees in en- gineering technology, along with industry certifications. And if you are not sure which career path is for you, keep in mind that you can change your degree pro- gram from engineering to engineering technology more easily than vice versa.
ENGINEERING CAREER GUIDE 33