I'm going in to my junior year of mechanical engineering, and I've been thinking about switching to engineering technology because the classes seem more interesting. However, I wouldn't want to do it if it will limit my options straight after graduation or later in my career. Can someone with industry experience tell me their thoughts on that? My internship has made me think that doing the switch without limiting my career options MIGHT work because it appears like after you graduate, people mostly care about your experiences in the working world, not your specific degree.

I'm an engineering technology grad. So far it hasn't limited me in any way. if you want to go into some type of industry that is manufacturing heavy, I think it's a great option. The manager that initially hired me out of college asked me about the degree and the differences between it and a regular ME degree, but i was prepared for the question and explained it in a way where he took it as more of a benefit than a detriment. It also opens you up to industrial and manufacturing engineering roles that you are likely more qualified for than an ME degree.

In Some of your more technical specialties like engineering firms, structural work, etc, it may hurt you getting in the door. There are also some closed minded people out there who think it's a "tech" degree like you'd get from itt-tech. I had one idiot manager ask me during a review if I wanted to go back and get a "real degree". Even after explaining i had a BS from an accredited engineering program, his opinion persisted. Someone like that probably would not have hired me out of school, but I inherited him so there wasn't much he (or I) could do.

The other thing to consider is the PE. You must be 8 years out of school to sit for the PE vs 4 for regular mechanical engineering

The last two jobs I interviewed for, it wasn't even brought up that it's an engineering technology degree and not mechanical engineering.

I'd be happy to talk to you more about it if you'd like to.

Thanks aggie_wes! I am mostly interested in the aerospace industry, but I am open to anything if it turns out to be interesting and enjoyable. My internship is with an HVAC manufacturer, Goodman Manufacturing. Before this internship, I wouldn't have considered manufacturing at all, but it's been cool and now I'm open to it. That being said, if I wanted a position in design, would that be harder to get? I just want to have options, or at least know what my options might look like with this degree.

I was also perusing TAMU's ET and ID website, and I saw that you're eligible to take the F.E. when you graduate. Is that a talking point with potential employers to show them that it's a "real" degree?

Did you go to the engineering career fair or the ET and ID career fair (if you went to the career fairs when you were at A&M)?

I took the FE shortly before graduating. I am definitely of the opinion that having the "E.I.T" on your resume is helpful.

I went to the engineering career fair, but didn't have much luck. I got my first job by applying online and got lucky that the person who had an opening was an Aggie and gave me a chance.

I have a lot of respect for TAMU engr tech grads. My FiL got that degree and is a renowned leader in an engineering field. I know the curriculum; its immersive, thorough, and great. A great career awaits anyone with that degree.

However, I believe that an engr degree would widen your scope of opportunities. I'm a BSAE and I've had some very exciting, hands-on jobs that feel nothing like the calculus filled lectures you are used to right now. Also, I've noticed during my current job search that companies have become so black-and-white about job requirements, and are particular about the degree type. My two cents is that if you can see the finish line, stick with the engr degree. But either way, you're getting a great degree. Good luck.

It will limit your career options, particularly with larger companies. Smaller companies may have more leeway and flexibility in reviewing applicants, and taking the time to listen to you talk about your courses. Many bigger companies, when sorting through a pile of resumes, will see your major is not on their target list and will drop you.

Unless you're on the verge of flunking out, don't switch. I agree there is value in focusing on more hands on application, but in my opinion the perception will often be that you couldn't hack the tougher course load and took an easier way out.

Agree with sticking with ME. It's a little silly but true, your resume will get tossed in the trash by some with technology.

Stay with ME. You can always do the manufacturing/industrial positions and learn the tech stuff on the job if you want to go that route (I work in manufacturing and that's what I did). I agree that some of the hands on classes ME-T programs offer are more fun and I wish when I got my ME we had more exposure to that. But I learned it as I went and I am no worse off for it.

Unfortunately as mentioned above many companies don't recognize that ME-T degree and certainly don't give it the respect of being equal or on par. So manufacturing companies like mine almost exclusively hire MEs, EEs, ChemEs, (this is chemical manufacturing) and don't even look at the ME-T or EE-T although the work maintenance and reliability engineers do or production/operations engineers can be well accomplished by ME-T, EE-T, and IEs.

So, in my industry at least, an ME-T won't get you in the door. An ME will and you'll do that work plus have access to other jobs that aren't in the ME-T pool.

Not that I don't think the curriculum for technology is good.. I think the subjects are awesome, I think they are a lot more interesting than real engineering degrees.

What pisses me off is MET's and IDs etc. calling themselves ME's, mechanical engineers, or saying they have a degree in mechanical engineering. I work with several and they word their sentences very well when asked about their degrees and always seem to leave the "T", tech, or technology out of the conversation. I think it's a lie, and I think it's deceitful. Why will they not say they have a MET degree? I think there is a complex (sort of like the one I have with the degree) that limits them from admitting there IS a difference and they don't want to have to defend their degree. For the record MET's receive a Bachelor of Science in MMET. The other M stands for manufacturing.

Same goes with ID. Industrial Distribution is NOT an engineering degree (no matter what the A&M ID website says.usually something like "what do industrial distribution engineers do industrial distribution specialist work with other engineers designing blah blah blah, their wording is very thought out as well), it is NOT the same as industrial engineering either. ID's receive a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Distribution. Industrial engineers receive a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering.

If there was no difference there would be one degree. If there was no difference in the content/intellectual ability you wouldn't see so many people go from ME to MET (MMET @ TAMU). You wouldn't see so many kids go from IE to ID. There is a difference, and the graduates can lie about what their degree is all they want, half the time no one checks to see what their degree is anyway. But it will show up down the road..

The international recognition for tech degrees comes from the Sydney accord whereas engineering degrees are recognized by the Washington accord. Yes tech degrees are usually in the college of engineering (some universities dump them into their technology colleges like U of H), yes they are generally ABET accredited, but at the end of the day that doesn't mean they are engineering degrees.

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It will limit your career options, particularly with larger companies. Smaller companies may have more leeway and flexibility in reviewing applicants, and taking the time to listen to you talk about your courses. Many bigger companies, when sorting through a pile of resumes, will see your major is not on their target list and will drop you.

Unless you're on the verge of flunking out, don't switch. I agree there is value in focusing on more hands on application, but in my opinion the perception will often be that you couldn't hack the tougher course load and took an easier way out.

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This

Thanks for the advice everyone. From what I've been reading so far, it seems wiser to not make the switch, but I haven't made up my mind either way. If anyone else has more to say, that'd be awesome!

Don't switch. An ME can do anything an ET grad can do and get paid more for it.

If you want to do aerospace somewhere like Lockheed or Boeing, definitely stick with ME. Those large aersospace companies are so rigid and have so many applicants you'll never get in the door.

Then again, if you are a white male you may as well give up on that idea now anyway.

I have an MET degree class of 1998 and I have been in the semi-conductor industry, civil engineering industry and I am currently in the electrical engineering industry. Always been low balled everywhere I go and current employer has me as an over qualified technician and refuses to give me an engineering position with higher pay even with my EIT cert. say in ME is my recommendation.

Definitely stick with ME. If you do ET, the EPCs will throw your resume away, and the other major companies like Exxon or Lockheed will probably expect you to start off much lower if you're lucky, and will likely throw your resume away. You can do well with an ET degree, but you will severely limit your options.

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Not that I don't think the curriculum for technology is good.. I think the subjects are awesome, I think they are a lot more interesting than real engineering degrees.

What pisses me off is MET's and IDs etc. calling themselves ME's, mechanical engineers, or saying they have a degree in mechanical engineering. I work with several and they word their sentences very well when asked about their degrees and always seem to leave the "T", tech, or technology out of the conversation. I think it's a lie, and I think it's deceitful. Why will they not say they have a MET degree? I think there is a complex (sort of like the one I have with the degree) that limits them from admitting there IS a difference and they don't want to have to defend their degree. For the record MET's receive a Bachelor of Science in MMET. The other M stands for manufacturing.

Same goes with ID. Industrial Distribution is NOT an engineering degree (no matter what the A&M ID website says.usually something like "what do industrial distribution engineers do industrial distribution specialist work with other engineers designing blah blah blah, their wording is very thought out as well), it is NOT the same as industrial engineering either. ID's receive a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Distribution. Industrial engineers receive a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering.

If there was no difference there would be one degree. If there was no difference in the content/intellectual ability you wouldn't see so many people go from ME to MET (MMET @ TAMU). You wouldn't see so many kids go from IE to ID. There is a difference, and the graduates can lie about what their degree is all they want, half the time no one checks to see what their degree is anyway. But it will show up down the road..

The international recognition for tech degrees comes from the Sydney accord whereas engineering degrees are recognized by the Washington accord. Yes tech degrees are usually in the college of engineering (some universities dump them into their technology colleges like U of H), yes they are generally ABET accredited, but at the end of the day that doesn't mean they are engineering degrees.

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I switched from EE to EET after two years with a 3.5 GPA and can assure you that any student who lacks the intellectual ability to be successful in EE will not be successful in EET. A good portion of the EET classes were EE classes with associated labs and were considered equivalent by the EE department. None of the EEs I knew who took an EET class felt like they got off easy.

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I'm going in to my junior year of mechanical engineering, and I've been thinking about switching to engineering technology because the classes seem more interesting. However, I wouldn't want to do it if it will limit my options straight after graduation or later in my career. Can someone with industry experience tell me their thoughts on that? My internship has made me think that doing the switch without limiting my career options MIGHT work because it appears like after you graduate, people mostly care about your experiences in the working world, not your specific degree.

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Stick with ME. Any job you can get with an MET degree you should be able to get with an ME degree and it may eliminate some of of your options when looking for that first job. Later in your career the degree will be secondary to your accomplishments.

I've met someone who works for Lockheed with an MMET degree, and I'm not 100% on this but I'm pretty sure it was her first job out of college. So it's not necessarily tossed aside with a big company.

And I work with a guy who has an MMET degree and seems to do similar work to the other manufacturing engineers at a really big HVAC manufacturer. He said one of his MMET friends interned at Ball Aerospace.

Not trying to shoot you down, aggie_wes, just letting you know what I've heard about where opportunities potentially are. Just trying to see if these are exceptional, or if it happens in other places too.

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Same goes with ID. Industrial Distribution is NOT an engineering degree (no matter what the A&M ID website says.usually something like "what do industrial distribution engineers do industrial distribution specialist work with other engineers designing blah blah blah, their wording is very thought out as well), it is NOT the same as industrial engineering either. ID's receive a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Distribution. Industrial engineers receive a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering.

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I don't know any ID majors who claim to be engineers. It was a common mis-understanding while in school for people to confuse IE with ID, but I haven't seen it in the professional world. Also, the ID website says nothing to the effect that "industrial distribution specialist work with other engineers designing..."

I graduated with an ID degree and don't consider it an "engineering" degree, however I'm currently a field engineer. I feel like there is great flexibility with what jobs you can get as an ID major. I never felt I was at a disadvantage not having an actual engineering degree when I was going through training either. With that being said stick with Mechanical Emgineering. In hindsight I wish I would have stuck with it just to have it.

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Same goes with ID. Industrial Distribution is NOT an engineering degree (no matter what the A&M ID website says.usually something like "what do industrial distribution engineers do industrial distribution specialist work with other engineers designing blah blah blah, their wording is very thought out as well), it is NOT the same as industrial engineering either. ID's receive a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Distribution. Industrial engineers receive a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering.

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I don't know any ID majors who claim to be engineers. It was a common mis-understanding while in school for people to confuse IE with ID, but I haven't seen it in the professional world. Also, the ID website says nothing to the effect that "industrial distribution specialist work with other engineers designing..."

Please see:
https://engineering.tamu.edu/academics/degrees/undergraduate/idis

"What do Industrial Distribution Engineers do?

As an industrial distribution specialist, you may work directly for electronic systems manufacturers, petrochemical corporations, materials processors, large construction contractors, large industrial product consumers or the wholesale distributors that service these industries."

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Interesting. Never head that term used while I was in school. I was also referring to this site http://id.tamu.edu/ when I said I didn't see it reference. I would agree that that is an odd way to refer to ID grads, but the work description itself is accurate.

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What pisses me off is MET's and IDs etc. calling themselves ME's, mechanical engineers, or saying they have a degree in mechanical engineering. I work with several and they word their sentences very well when asked about their degrees and always seem to leave the "T", tech, or technology out of the conversation. I think it's a lie, and I think it's deceitful. Why will they not say they have a MET degree? I think there is a complex (sort of like the one I have with the degree) that limits them from admitting there IS a difference and they don't want to have to defend their degree.

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+1

Graduated in 2003 with a MET degree and I have over 10 years of experience in the design engineering field. The title did hold me back a little, but here's something ironic that happened to me. Right out of school, a certain company showed an interest in me but backed out when they found out I had an MET degree so I was not granted an interview. Flash forward about 3 years later and they wanted to interview me for a position they had opened. I politely declined and so the moral of the story is to do what you want to do. If you go the MET route, you will have explaining to do and while I think it's a fabulous degree, I don't think I'd go that route again. They changed the curriculum to drop Mechanical Engineering Technology and make it Manufacturing/Mechanical Engineering Technology. It's the same program but there's some companies that get hung up on the title for the degree.

I'm proud of my MET degree and at this point in my career no one really notices it because of my experience. My MET degree allowed me hands on experience in welding, machining, CNC and other things that I may have not gotten with an ME degree. It allowed me to start my career as a manufacturing engineer and see the things that most shop guys laugh at when they see a drawing made by engineers. This propelled me to a job as a Mechanical Designer all the way to my title now as a Design Engineer.

As in all things, you shouldn't let a title get in the way of what you you really want to do. It's what you make of it that counts. What you should focus on is what you want the end result to look like and go backwards until you reach your present state as a student. There are some people that will see Texas A&M on your degree and know exactly what you bring to the table with an MMET degree. It's a lot more widely known now than it was back in the day.

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Same goes with ID. Industrial Distribution is NOT an engineering degree (no matter what the A&M ID website says.usually something like "what do industrial distribution engineers do industrial distribution specialist work with other engineers designing blah blah blah, their wording is very thought out as well), it is NOT the same as industrial engineering either. ID's receive a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Distribution. Industrial engineers receive a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering.

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I don't know any ID majors who claim to be engineers. It was a common mis-understanding while in school for people to confuse IE with ID, but I haven't seen it in the professional world. Also, the ID website says nothing to the effect that "industrial distribution specialist work with other engineers designing..."

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I'm an ID grad and have always made it clear in not an engineer...

All of my ID grad friends have always made it clear that they are not engineers...

We hire IDs and IEs equally into our supply chain and logistics groups. We don't differentiate at all.

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We hire IDs and IEs equally into our supply chain and logistics groups. We don't differentiate at all.

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Good to know..

Most STEM degrees relate, i.e. a chemical engineer can do the role of a petroleum engineer, a civil engineer may be able to act as a mechanical engineer, etc. My whole point is, there IS a difference in degree, curriculum, and learning curve for people that come from a solid engineering background vs. people that come from a technology background. I kind of think of it on the same lines as people from A&M Commerce/Corpus/Kingsville etc saying they went to "A&M" or calling themselves Aggies.