Engineers and Engineering Technologists?

[Dyno247365]

I know I can count on this sub-forum to give me answers. What's the difference between Mechanical Engineers and Mechanical Engineering Technologists? I'm asking because I could finish up my...MET?? degree in 2 years less then an engineer's degree, which is a load of work more.

[KiwiBacon]

I'm not that familiar with that title, but it sounds like you're comparing a degree course to a diploma course.

Where I am the diploma course is basically half of the degree and is taught by trade based schools. It's difficult to find an international equivalent if you travel and it will rule you out of many jobs.

The degree is a university course and internationally recognised. It is twice the time and more than twice the work. But it's worth it if you can complete it.

[Black Lotus]

Probably about 30% less wages.
Also, the inability to sign off as the "engineer" on a drawing/data release in many cases.
More of a job market demand as a degreed engineer.
On an internet forum, when you disagree with somebody, you can play the "dueling degrees" game.

[Dyno247365]

You can major in Mechanical Engineering Technology at SUNY Alfred, which is based more on vocational studies rather than the subjects.
http://www.alfredstate.edu/alfred/Me...asp?SnID=89584
So you're saying this is a half ass engineering degree and not a different field?

I've taken classes that were all over the place for my associates and if I opt for this, it would be my first bachelors from 2 colleges and 1 university, that's crazy but true. I could choose to finish up comp sci, which I have a lot of, and then go into engineering at a cheaper school, but I would be in college for so long.

[beef_bourito]

a mechanical engineer does the designs, the tech gets him his coffee.

engineer:
-can actually call himself an engineer (no matter what those techs say they are NOT engineers)
-can get professional engineer title
-in canada can get an iron ring (the symbol of the engineer, only for acredited engineering programs, you put it on the small finger of your working hand. works great as a bottle opener)
-gets alot more money
-can sign off on designs and drawings
-took a tougher course
-more jobs available

technician:
-makes less money
-can't sign on documents
-can't do any of the stuff mentioned before
-does the grunt work (i.e. testing, gathering results/measurements)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineering_technician

i'd suggest that if you can do mech engineering do it, if not then go for the technician job or another stream of engineering.

off topic: i really does tick alot of us off when the guys in technician training call themselves engineers. they aren't and i've argued with some about it and it's pointless to do so, it all comes down to one thing: can they sign engineering documents, put "engineer" or PEng beside their name, or get an iron ring. if they can't do any of those then they can't call themselves engineers.

[KiwiBacon]

Originally Posted by Dyno247365

I could choose to finish up comp sci, which I have a lot of, and then go into engineering at a cheaper school, but I would be in college for so long.

Comp science will help you a lot at engineering school. In most if you have a BSc you can skip the first two years of the degree. I don't know if your comp science will let you do that, but it'd be well worth finding out.

[KiwiBacon]

Originally Posted by beef_bourito

off topic: i really does tick alot of us off when the guys in technician training call themselves engineers. they aren't and i've argued with some about it and it's pointless to do so, it all comes down to one thing: can they sign engineering documents, put "engineer" or PEng beside their name, or get an iron ring. if they can't do any of those then they can't call themselves engineers.

In my country, the tradesmen (welders, fitter/turners etc) often - wrongly - call themselves engineers.
As a result the public here have no idea what an engineer is or what they do. The screwups from tradesmen calling themselves engineers impact quite badly on the reputation of real engineers.

[Dyno247365]

Originally Posted by KiwiBacon

Comp science will help you a lot at engineering school. In most if you have a BSc you can skip the first two years of the degree. I don't know if your comp science will let you do that, but it'd be well worth finding out.

That would be worth finding out, thanks. Does this work for other engineering degrees as well?

[KiwiBacon]

Originally Posted by Dyno247365

That would be worth finding out, thanks. Does this work for other engineering degrees as well?

Works for all engineering degrees.
E.G. Mech, Civil, Chemical, Electrical............

They just need to approve your prior study first.

[UncleBob]

Originally Posted by KiwiBacon

In my country, the tradesmen (welders, fitter/turners etc) often - wrongly - call themselves engineers.
As a result the public here have no idea what an engineer is or what they do. The screwups from tradesmen calling themselves engineers impact quite badly on the reputation of real engineers.

ah....come on! Thats not fair. engineering via trial by error has a long and glorious history!

I are a self-trained engineer too, yah know

[Dyno247365]

Is this where everyone agrees with Uncle or gets mad at him? Whatever, I'm staying out of this.

Right now I'm taking a Bachelor of arts for Comp sci but I'm guessing I need a Bachelor of Science so I'm going to talk to my comp sci advisor about switching. I'm actually satisfied with this choice right now, for once in my life.

[beef_bourito]

you really need to talk to someone in the administration about switching and what that entails before making a decision. I know in canada you won't be able to skip the first year or two just because you've got a BSc, some courses will be accepted as replacements (ie one of your programming courses can replace the basic programming in engineering) but you'll have to take all the required courses that you don't have a replacement for (ie statics and dynamics or thermodynamics, that kind of thing).

haha and although trial and error "engineering" has a long and glorious history, it also has alot of failures, some of them fatal. Now i won't say that engineers are infallible or that there have never been engineering mistakes (see: quebec bridge) but they're less frequent with proper engineering that uses the application of pure science to design or construct bridges, engines, etc (my rehashing of the dictionary.com definition)

[UncleBob]

chill there, I was totally kidding.

[GreyGoose006]

basically, tech is plan B for engineers.

[beef_bourito]

Originally Posted by UncleBob

chill there, I was totally kidding.

sorry, i didn't mean to come off as being an ass, i meant the sort of argument as a joke because of what was said before about everyone getting mad at you