RE: Skills vs education (was: Senior technical writer?)

["Combs, Richard" <richard -dot- combs -at- Polycom -dot- com>]

Eric L. Dunn wrote:  
 
> Entering into the Engineering profession with only a 
> Bachelor's would very much be like a Doctor opting to become 
> a GP. The GP will require a minimum of 2 years of residency 
> followed by an exam to be licensed. An Engineer too requires 
> two years of work experience followed by an exam to be 
> licensed. To specialise further still requires significant 
> study and experience. 

You're still not getting Kevin's point. The engineer's (oops,
Engineer's) two year "residency" begins immediately after getting the
BS. The GP had that little matter of _med_school_ to attend to before
beginning his "years of apprenticeship." 

>    I was no closer to designing critical 
> car components upon graduation than a medical school graduate 
> is ready to open a family practice or perform general surgery.

False comparison. Restated more accurately, it would say, "I was no
closer to designing critical car components upon graduation than someone
with a _BS_in_Pre-Med_ is ready to open a family practice or perform
general surgery."  

Doctors and lawyers must have 7 years of college before they begin their
"apprenticeship, other OTJ training, and continued learning/study."
Engineers can do so after 4. 

Does it have to be that way? I don't know. Maybe not. Maybe their guild
is just more powerful than yours. ;-) 

Richard


------
Richard G. Combs
Senior Technical Writer
Polycom, Inc.
richardDOTcombs AT polycomDOTcom
303-223-5111
------
rgcombs AT gmailDOTcom
303-777-0436
------




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