| The primary purpose of this investigation was to determine occupational criteria which can be used for developing and evaluating a two-year associate degree mechanical engineering technology program.; To fulfill the purpose of the study, the investigator surveyed three populations to obtain information concerning what industry expected the mechanical engineering technician to do, what the employed mechanical engineering technology graduates were doing, and what the mechanical engineering technology programs were offering. The first population consisted of the employed associate degree mechanical engineering technology (MET) graduates from the state-supported institutions at Knoxville, Memphis, and Nashville. Only employed graduates from the classes of 1970 through 1980 were considered. The second population consisted of the employers of thse MET graduates, and the third population consisted of the chairman of associate degree MET programs across the nation accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).; The data obtained supported the following major conclusions: (1) There is a definite demand in industry for drafting technicians, technical sales representaives, maintenance technicians, engineering aides, and quality control technicians in the state of Tennessee and in the nation through 1986. (2) The measure of success of a two-year associate degree mechanial engineering program is directly related to the gainful employment of its graduates. (3) The technical areas in which most mechanical engineering technicians are employed include production engineering, structural design, maintenance engineering, quality control, and plant engineering. (4) The accreditation of the two-year associate mechanical engineering technology program by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) is beneficial to its graduates as an aid in employment. (5) The ABET accredited mechanical engineering technology programs are directed to serve local and state employment needs, but these programs are expanding to serve national employment needs also. (6) Industry requires "hands-on-skills" of the mechanical engineering technicians and the five most popular equipment skills areas are machine shop machines, machine shop tools, drafting instruments, measuring devices, and computers (CAD/CAM). (7) Emphasis on engineering theory is important, but practical applications, hands-on-experience, and problem solving are more important to the training of the mechanical engineering technician. |
