>-----Original Message-----
>From: piclist-bounces@mit.edu [mailto:piclist-bounces@mit.edu] 
>On Behalf Of Alan B. Pearce
>Sent: 15 October 2007 10:10
>To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public.
>Subject: Re: [OT] Non-degree holders as an engineer
>
>
>>How difficult a non-degree holder in engineering can be 
>promoted as an 
>>engineer?
>
>|I guess it depends what you class as an 'engineer'. I have always 
>|classed
>myself as an 'electronics engineer' but have a tertiary 
>certificate that I 
>gained through my apprenticeship training, and not degree.
>
>I got my current job because I had over 30 years practical 
>experience in a 
>wide range of application fields and could describe to the 
>interview panel 
>why one would use a balanced line, and sketch a basic op-amp 
>building block 
>circuit.
>
>Apparently a number of interviewees with masters, straight 
>from university 
>couldn't do this, or so I was told afterwards. 


Alan,

I share your position.  I did an apprenticeship and I have an HND (Higher National Diploma, or "Have No Degree" depending on your viewpoint!).  However I got my current job after being grilled by senior engineers for most of a day during my interview (literaly 9AM-4PM).  Since then I have interviewed probably 30-40 candidates for hardware and software positions within the company, both with and without degrees.  Abilities of these canditates ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous, people with very little qualifications with huge experience and knowledge, to a particular guy with an (alleged) degree in Physics and Computer Science who couldn't explain to me what a compiler actualy did, had not even the most basic grasp of electronics and would probably have found stacking shelves too mentaly demanding.

I'm obvioulsy biased, but IME posession of a degree by itself only tells you that the applicant attended university.  It gives you little to no idea on his or her current experience, or technical ability.  HR departments that automaticly discard resumes with no formal degree qualification are quite possibly filtering out some of the best candidates for the job, and are thus hindering rather than helping the future of the company.  Nothing new there of course...

Regards

Mike



=======================================================================
This e-mail is intended for the person it is addressed to only. The
information contained in it may be confidential and/or protected by
law. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, you must
not make any use of this information, or copy or show it to any
person. Please contact us immediately to tell us that you have
received this e-mail, and return the original to us. Any use,
forwarding, printing or copying of this message is strictly prohibited.
No part of this message can be considered a request for goods or
services.
=======================================================================

-- 
http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
View/change your membership options at
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist