The greatly inflated cost of an engineering degree and the fact its averaging >4.5 years to complete got me thinking.
Before modern government regulation killed it, becoming an engineer required apprenticing under another engineer. There was no bachelors degree requirement. You could earn a "PE" through experience. That was phased out over time.
Why I think this could work:
The Professional Engineering License process had its beginnings with public safety in mind due to major catastrophes (New London, etc) but the unintended consequences have led to bureaucratic bloat and greed.
Am I nuts? I think this could work.
Before modern government regulation killed it, becoming an engineer required apprenticing under another engineer. There was no bachelors degree requirement. You could earn a "PE" through experience. That was phased out over time.
Why I think this could work:
- Online resources are abundant. Mastering foundational concepts can be done at home or weekends online.
- You could get the BEST instruction available online (Khan Academy like options) without being subject to the pick of the draw of professors.
- Current class/instructor methods are antiquated. See Zachry Engineering's new glass classrooms and their many complaints.
- Any "laboratory" work can be either simulated online or done practically within a company. You could even centralize labs to reduce cost of management.
- Students would work during the day at a company as an apprentice, getting practical knowledge they won't touch unless they co-op or intern for a short duration.
- There is a current argument that certain courses must be complete prior to an intern/co-op being productive, but early apprentices could do basic work just to become familiar. In ancient guilds, the first job an apprentice would have to do were remedial. But it got them in amongst the guild and learning.
The Professional Engineering License process had its beginnings with public safety in mind due to major catastrophes (New London, etc) but the unintended consequences have led to bureaucratic bloat and greed.
Am I nuts? I think this could work.