Browse > Home / Archive by category 'Engineering Commentary'

Controversy over Cal Poly SLO’s Saudi engineering program

February 26, 2008

The Associated Press wires are carrying an interesting story related to my alma mater, Cal Poly – San Luis Obispo. Apparently the university is planning a partnership with Jubail University College in Saudi Arabia. According to Steve Chawkins of the LA Times, some students and staff at Cal Poly are saying the University should avoid a deal with Saudi Arabia considering the engineering program would be for men only; Cal Poly prides itself on its high number of female engineers and graduates.

Some people think it’s all about the money.

Over five years, Cal Poly would receive $5.9 million from the Saudi government to create an engineering curriculum, build labs and train teachers in Jubail, a sprawling oil center on the Persian Gulf.

The Mechanical Engineering faculty at the university felt strongly enough about it to oppose the partnership in a 15-3 vote.

“No matter how you cut it, we’re supporting the oppression of women,” said Jim LoCascio, a professor of mechanical engineering at Cal Poly since 1981.

My own opinion is a bit more political. Given the nature of the Saudi regime I find it absolutely disheartening that we would be investing our time, money and engineering expertise in any way over there, much less taking money from them. Or are they just giving us our oil money back?

Either way, I am disappointed that my school has begun down this road. I hope the public outcry, for whatever reason, grows to a loud enough rumble to cause the Univeristy to rethink its plans.

Written by bradley · Filed Under Engineering Commentary, Engineering News |  

Is your job in danger of being outsourced?

February 19, 2008

This is a really common topic when engineering is being discussed, especially for the younger generation that is looking to begin engineering studies or at the start of their engineering career. While the outsourcing of engineering jobs IS happening, there are still many engineering disciplines and jobs that have not been, and may never be, outsourced to other countries.

Brian Wood writes a great article for EDN.com discussing this very topic. He begins…

Engineers have taken a few shots in the past 20 years, especially those in the United States of America. It has become a popular sport for the collective group that brought us microwave ovens, satellite imagery, cell phones, and high definition to be stereotyped as introverted Dilbert-emulators who are long on brainpower but short on social skills … and soon on the street due to outsourcing.

Now isn’t that the truth. Later in the article he goes on to say

First, it’s a great time to be an engineer. The venture capital and financial markets are awash in investment capital earmarked for technology-focused businesses that have the prospect of earning higher-than-average return on investment. Engineers are the engines of these high-growth/high-tech companies, developing and delivering daily innovations in response to perpetual market demand for more, more, more. With product lifecycles (and attention spans) compressing at the pace of Moore’s Law, the forecast for continued engineering output is clear and sunny. The trick is managing financial market expectations so that marketing and associated “get-rich” hype doesn’t outpace product development and the laws of physics. Hopefully, we’ve all learned a few lessons from the dot-bomb debacle.

There are definitely many areas in the engineering world that will remain safe from outsourcing for many many years, especially those jobs related to national defense and the military. The real key is to research current trends for your field of interest along with the history of engineering employers within that specialty. With the right amount of due diligence it shouldn’t be too hard to find an engineering job that you will be able to keep for a long time without the worry of being outsourced.

Read Brian Woods’ complete article HERE

Written by bradley · Filed Under Engineering Commentary, Engineering News |  

« Previous Page