Whilst I can understand some of the views that are critical of
degrees I cant help but feel that they are essentially class based.
The ordinary technician from a working background is not brought
up with the same attitude to higher education as thoes in the higher
social class and is thus only able to perceive education as a means
to a better paid career/job.
I think its obvious that Engineering at the top level-i.e. design -
research etc, relies heavily on the ability to handle abstract
modelling and maths as well as other skills taught at university.
I find that a bit over the top. A broad statement on upper and lower class?
I enrolled for university but my father died and I had to go to work to help my mother support the family - even though it was only as a "lowly" electrical apprentice. I would gather that I belong to the "lower class" as my father was a toolmaker and die sinker and as a child my parents strugled to even keep food on the table. He was, in fact, one of the first toolmakers in the world to work with the assistance of a microscope making parts for hearing aids etc. He was offered a job in the US at a much higher rate of pay than most engineers but refused as he preferred to stay in Ozz. He was also the first one called upon at his place of work to comment/constructively criticize engineer's designs. They hated that.
I have since completed some courses of my choosing and was the state manager for a large electrical wholesaler in Ozz, amongst many other jobs at a high level, that I have occupied over the years.
I know of many other people that started out at the same sort of level as myself who have, over the years, gone to university and completed engineering degrees after finishing their trade course. These guys are generally very highly respected as they have experienced both ends of the spectrum and are far more practical in their approach to design work and far better handlers of trades people and issues that arise on job sites because they have "BEEN THERE, DONE THAT".
On the other hand, I recently quoted a job that was specified and being controlled by an academic electrical engineer. He has a doctorate. Highly intelligent, thorough, works through every little part of the job to the point that he is totally impractical to the point of being perdantic and not cost effective at all. Great theory and research man but hopeless in the real world. The job was going to cost a fortune for no good reason.
The other thing that really "peed" me off was that he wanted a highly technical offer. I offered him 17 pages of technical information which really came down to the point that I designed most of the job before putting in my offer. None of the other tenderers offered the same amount of technical information. He lost a tenderer and, in his infinite wisdom, asked the 2 tenderers left to re-tender with another 5 companies added to the list. Remarkably, large sections of my technical offer were cut and pasted straight into the new specification. The parts were practical, highly detailed and will work to the clients satisfaction while saving a heap of money. I withdrew. Several of the new tenderers contacted me as they knew straight away who had written the cut and pasted parts. Several of them also withdrew.
I, and many like me, may not know or be able to understand many of the high end mathematical calculations engineers carry out but we are generally far more practical in our approach to a job and can generally save the client money while completing the job to his satisfaction. We call upon those people and their expertise, when required, to assist in completion of the project, as they call upon us for the same reasons.
I admire people like Peter Nachtway who are able to calculate sliding control etc and who also seem to be very practical people. Take a bow Peter, if you are listening. I partially understand where he is coming from but do not have knowledge of or understand the formulae that he expounds. I also admire a brick layer that is very good at his job. I am darn sure that I cannot do it. People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.
By the way, my chosen university course was electrical engineering. It was my second choice. I will not bother you with my first choice.
By the way Phil. I hope this does not break the guidelines for the site. My sincere apologies if it does but I am afraid that George got under my skin.