Engineering
Technology
Education

IN THE UNITED STATES

Committee on Engineering Technology
Education in the United States
Katharine G. Frase, Ronald M. Latanision,
and Greg Pearson, Editors

A Report of the
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ENGINEERING

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS
Washington, DC
www.nap.edu

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001

NOTICE: This publication has been reviewed according to procedures approved by a National Academy of Engineering report review process. Publication signifies that it is judged a competent and useful contribution worthy of public consideration, but does not imply endorsement of conclusions and recommendations by the National Academy of Engineering. The interpretations and conclusions in such publications are those of the authors and do not purport to represent the views of the council, officers, or staff of the National Academy of Engineering.

This activity was supported by Grant No. DUE-1313209 from the National Science Foundation. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of any organization or agency that provided support for the project.

International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-309-43771-4
International Standard Book Number-10: 0-309-43771-7
Library of Congress Control Number: 2016962095
Digital object identifier: 10.17226/23402

Copies of this report are available for sale from the National Academies Press, 500 Fifth Street NW, Keck 360, Washington, DC 20001; (800) 624-6242 or (202) 334-3313; www.nap.edu.

Copyright 2016 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America

Suggested citation: National Academy of Engineering. 2016. Engineering Technology Education in the United States. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23402.

COMMITTEE ON ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES

Katharine G. Frase [NAE], cochair, IBM Corporation, Somers, New York

Ronald M. Latanision [NAE], cochair, Exponent, Inc., Natick, Massachusetts

Walter Buchanan, Texas A&M University, College Station

Imelda (Mel) E. Cossette, National Resource Center for Materials Education Technology, Lynnwood, Washington

Werner Eikenbusch, BMW Group, Greenville, South Carolina

Christopher Fox (until 1-5-2015), Howard County Public Schools, Maryland

Joyce Gleason, Educational Consultant, Punta Gorda, Florida

Daniel Hull, National Center for Optics and Photonics Education, Waco, Texas

Sharon Levin, University of Missouri, St. Louis

Jeffrey Ray, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, North Carolina

Michael Richey, The Boeing Company, Everett, Washington

Melvin Roberts, Camden County College, Blackwood, New Jersey

James L. Stone, National Research Center for Career and Technical Education at the Southern Regional Education Board, Atlanta

Will Tyson, University of South Florida, Tampa

Project Staff

Greg Pearson, Study Director and Scholar, National Academy of Engineering

Maribeth Keitz, Web Communications Manager, National Academy of Engineering

Aaron Adams, Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Graduate Fellow

Marthe Folivi, College Intern

Daniel Kuehn, Consultant

Linda O’Doughda, Freelance Editor

This page intentionally left blank.

Preface

This report is the final product of a two-year study by the Committee on Engineering Technology Education in the United States, a group of experts under the auspices of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). The committee’s charge was to shed light on the status, role, and needs of engineering technology (ET) education in the United States. In fulfilling that charge, the committee commissioned a review of federal education and occupational data, fielded two surveys—one of ET educators and the other of employers of ET talent—held an information-gathering workshop, and conducted a literature review.

The ability of the United States to support innovation requires production and retention of individuals who are highly skilled in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). These STEM professionals work in a widely disseminated global enterprise spanning government, industry, and academia. Engineers play an especially vital role as the designers of technological systems and processes. Over the past decade, policymakers, employers, researchers, and educators have focused considerable attention on the US engineering education system and the adequacy of the supply of individuals with engineering skills. Largely absent from most discussions of the future of the US technical workforce, however, has been the role that ET education plays or should play in supporting the nation’s technical infrastructure and capacity for innovation. This report aims to correct that omission.

The report’s primary audiences are the ET and engineering education communities, to whom the bulk of the report’s recommendations are directed. Importantly, the report’s data gathering, findings, and recommendation address issues relevant not only to those involved in preparing students through 4-year ET programs but also to those preparing students through 2-year and certificate programs and, to some extent, educators working in K-12 settings. The report should be of interest to small, mid-size, and large firms that hire engineering-related talent. Our survey of employers found that many firms were unaware of ET education or confused about the differences between workers with ET and engineering training. Another important audience is the federal agencies responsible for collecting and coding data about ET education and employment. Finally, state and national leaders with a role in setting STEM education policy may find the report helpful to informing future decision making.

Acknowledgments

This report has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The purpose of the independent review is to provide candid and critical comments to assist the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) in making its published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We wish to thank the following individuals for their review of this report:

Although the reviewers listed above have provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the views expressed in the report, nor did they see the final draft of the report before its release. The review of this report was overseen by NAE member Julia Phillips, Retired Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Sandia National Laboratories. Appointed by NAE, she was responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this report rests entirely with the authors and NAE.

In addition to the reviewers, many other individuals assisted in the development of this report. Consultant Daniel Kuehn, Urban Institute, collected and analyzed the federal education and occupational data presented in the report and wrote substantial portions of several chapters. His willingness to answer staff and committee questions about the data throughout the project was instrumental to the study’s success. Intern Marthe Folivi, Rippon College, painstakingly identified individuals associated with 2- and 4-year engineering technology (ET) education programs in the United States. Her work made possible the committee’s survey of ET educators. Megan Ellinger, with the Academies Information and Technology Services unit, programmed and fielded the survey of educators and collected and analyzed the resulting data. Ed Koc, at the National Association of Colleges and Employers, programmed and fielded the project’s survey of employers and analyzed the resulting data for the committee’s benefit.

Credit for bringing the field of engineering technology to the attention of NAE and making the case for a study, which was ultimately funded by the National Science Foundation, goes to several ET educators, including Ken Burbank, Robert Herrick, and Michael O’Hair (ret.), Purdue Polytechnic; Ronald Land, Pennsylvania State University; and committee members Jeffrey Ray, Western Carolina University, and Walter Buchanan, Texas A&M University.

Thanks are also due to the project staff. Maribeth Keitz managed the study’s logistical and administrative needs, making sure meetings and the committee workshop ran efficiently and smoothly. Christine Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Graduate Fellow Aaron Adams conducted a background literature search for the project. Freelance editor Linda O’Doughda improved the readability of the report. Greg Pearson oversaw the project and worked with the committee to prepare the report.

Contents

SUMMARY

Statement of Task

Findings and Recommendations Related to the Nature of ET Education

Findings Related to Supply and Demand

Findings and Recommendations Related to Educational and Employment Pathways

Findings and Recommendation Related to Data Collection and Analysis

A Final Word

References

1 INTRODUCTION

Engineering Technology

Terminology

Licensing, Certification, and Equivalency

The NAE Project

The Report

References

2 THE ORIGINS OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY EDUCATON

References

3 THE PRODUCTION OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY TALENT

Trends in Degree Production

Educational Composition of the ET Workforce

Demographics: Diversity and Age

Work-Based Education and Training

Community College Experiences

Connections to PreK-12 Education

Educational Pathways

Appendix 3A

Appendix 3B

Appendix 3C

References

4 THE EMPLOYMENT OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY TALENT

Size and Composition of the Engineering Technology Workforce

Trends in Employment, Income, and Age

Work Roles, Skills, and Job Performance

Career Pathways and Hiring Patterns

Shortages

The Impact of Automation and Technological Development

Appendix 4A

Appendix 4B

References

5 FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The Nature of Engineering Technology Education

Supply and Demand

Educational and Employment Pathways

Data Collection and Analysis

A Final Word

References

APPENDIXES

A Committee Biographies

B Descriptions of Datasets Used in the Committee’s Analyses

This page intentionally left blank.