How to Be More Detail-Oriented

 detail oriented job description

Detail-oriented is a character trait that means being able to pay close attention and notice minor details. A detail-oriented person is able to give a task their undivided attention and catch mistakes, errors, or changes before they snowball into a bigger problem. This quality is critical for some jobs, so it often comes up in the context of resumes and interviews.

 If you’re applying for jobs, you’re bound to have come across “detail-oriented” on a job posting or in an interview. 

 How come?

 Well it turns out that attention to detail is one of those job skills that translates directly into a long list of favorable behaviors on the job. Detail-oriented people tend to:

• Create flawless deliverables that require little to no editing.
• Complete work while following company standards and protocols closely.
• Review and check the accuracy of documents and reports.
• Set up procedures to maintain high quality standards.
• Provide complete attention to every detail.

 While those behaviors would be great for any job, some professions demand a higher attention to detail than others. Such professions include medical staff, architects, editors, pilots, programmers, and quality assurance specialists. Here is a complete list of jobs that demand an extreme attention to detail. 

 How to Be More Detail-Oriented

 Fortunately, how detail-oriented you are isn’t decided at birth. Just like other hard and soft skills, the more you work on them, the more you’ll improve. Here’s a few ways you can become more detail-oriented:

 1. Get organized with a task management system

 Being able to use a task management system isn’t just a skill for project managers . Anyone can benefit from their assistance in managing tasks, tracking time, and collaborating with your team. Some popular task management applications include Asana, Basecamp, Monday.com, Trello, and Wrike.

 2. Write everything down

 Once you’re using a task management system, now it’s time to collect every task and detail in one place. Small details add up over time to the overall quality of a task, so it’s important to jot down details whenever they arise, even if they seem not worth noting at the time. Don’t leave it up to your brain to keep track of everything.

 3. Track your time

 Being crunched for time is bound to cause details to slip through the cracks. Practice your time management skills so that you can give enough attention to each and every task. 

 4. Communicate effectively

 Many mistakes and misunderstandings arise from poor communication. Whenever you are receiving a new task, make an effort to ask questions on topics that need clarification. Good communication skills mean listening carefully when coworkers or clients are talking to fully grasp what their 

 5. Always proofread

 It sounds obvious, but proofreading can really save your butt. Before you hit “submit” on an email, document, or presentation, take the time to comb through it for small errors or mistakes https://www.fieldengineer.com/skills/data-support-technician

What Do Fiber Optics Technicians Do?

 how to become a fiber optic technician

The future of the internet is fiber optic. The demand for bandwidth and internet access to remote areas continues to soar so will the need for qualified technicians to install these cables. However, you may be confused about how much technical proficiency and certifications are required to attain a position in this growing sector of the telecommunications industry. While a background in coaxial cabling may be a good start in this field, in many ways it is just like starting over with equipment that requires a greater degree of care and completely distinct standards of installation.

What Do Fiber Optics Technicians Do?

These professionals are responsible for the installation and repair of fiber optic cables, creating and maintaining high-speed communications. Job duties include laying cable lines, testing connections, and troubleshooting malfunctioning equipment. Challenges of this profession may include working with electronics and construction equipment in inclement weather as well as working at great heights or in confined spaces. It is not an entry-level position and requires a high degree of technical expertise and understanding of communications and signal flow.

A Growing Field With Limitless Opportunity

The largest telecommunications companies are currently in a state of aggressive expansion of fiber optic networks. Telecom giants such as AT&T and Comcast are in the midst of a virtual bonanza in their regional competitions while Google Fiber seeks to transform economically troubled areas into fully-connected "gig cities" to attract technical professionals and services. The possibilities are intriguing, but this translates to a once in a lifetime financial opportunity for those with the most qualified personnel.

Basic Qualifications For Fiber Optics Technicians

A fiber optics technician needs to possess the following qualifications

• Technical knowledge of communications networks
• Troubleshooting and mechanical skills
• Fundamental knowledge of computers and associated electronic systems
• Skill with a variety of hand tools and power tools
• Ability to operate large equipment
• May need to possess a commercial driver's license

Educational Requirements for Fiber Optics Technicians

While some opportunities exist for those with a high school diploma to learn this trade in an apprenticeship program or in the military, for those choose not to take this route, other paths exist. The most efficient way to enter this job field is a professional technical preparation course that focuses on getting students ready to attain the certifications required of all fiber optics technicians.

Certification Programs

Certificate programs in broadband cable and technology can be completed relatively quickly. A typical program consists of around 25 credit hours, less than half of the requirement for an associates degree. These courses include practical demonstrations of necessary skills such as testing and maintenance of cables, introductions to standard principles of communications, and other technical skills required for successful installation of communications equipment.

The certifications earned from these programs include the following certificates:

• Certified Fiber Optics Technician (FOT)
• Certified Fiber Optics Designer (FOD)
• Data Cabling Installer Certification (DCIC)
• Certified Military Fiber Optics Installation Professional (MFOI)

Which certification is best for an employee depends upon the technical position that they are applying for but in general, a Certified Fiber Optics Technician (FOT) is a great entry certification for starting techs. It has a prerequisite of Electronics Technicians Association (ETA) FOI certification but is the fundamental building block of a career in a fiber optics installation and maintenance career. The course includes the certification exam on the last day of the course and is a streamlined way of attaining certification.

Are you interested in learning more about fiber optic technician certifications for your employees? Infotec is your one-stop shop for all of your technical certification needs. Contact us today for more information.

Certified Fiber Optic Technician

 optical fiber certification trainingOver the years, it has been prevalent how fiber optic technology gradually replaced copper wire cables all around the world. For this reason, the growing demand for Fiber Optic Association (FOA)-certified fiber optic technicians came into light.

Although it’s possible for fiber optic technicians to learn their skills on the field, they gain a competitive edge when they pursue certification. That’s why it is encouraged by the Fiber Optic Association of Cebu that technicians should apply for a certification from reputable companies.

What Does It Mean to Be a Certified Fiber Optic Technician?

For fiber optic technicians, a certification is considered as a badge of their professional status. That’s why it’s ideal for technicians worldwide to be certified by the chartered professional society in the field of fiber optics also known as the FOA. This association is intended to promote competency in fiber optics through conforming to the international standard certification and training.

Once you get certified by this association, you will be able to gain the knowledge you need about fiber optic technology. Furthermore, it also enables you to design, install, and operate optical fiber.

Requirements to Become a Fiber Optic Technician

fiber optic training Course Overview

 fiber optic training jobs By attending this four-day, hands-on installation course, you will be able to install fiber optic cables, connectors, and splices and achieve the three goals of installation. These three goals-minimum power loss, maximum reliability, and minimum cost-require knowledge of the specific procedures and compliance with the unique rules of fiber optic communication products. You will learn this knowledge and these rules from the lectures and 39 hands-on activities of this comprehensive program.

You will receive three texts. The first is the comprehensive, up-to-date text Professional Fiber Optic Installation, v.9, on which the course is based. This 336-page text will become a highly valuable field reference and resource. This 335-page text will become a highly valuable field reference and resource. It includes all the material presented in the program, step-by-step installation procedures, and the information required to pass all FOA certification examinations, including the CFOT, CFxT, CFOS/C, CFOS/T, and CFOS/S. The second text is a copy of the PowerPoint slides used in the lectures. This text enables you to quickly review any subject in the text. The third text is a guide to certification and troubleshooting fiber optic networks. This guide provides you with a logical, step-by-step guide on how to certify and troubleshoot networks. After this program, you can use these forms for certifying and troubleshooting any fiber optic network.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

Through the combination of lectures and hands-on activities, you will learn how to perform all the steps required from receiving the products to certifying the network as being properly and reliably installed. These steps include:

• Installing cables without damage
• End preparation of both loose and tight tube cables
• Installing low loss and reliable multimode connectors
• Inspecting connectors to determine installation quality with microscopes and visual fault locators
• Installing and OTDR testing low loss fusion and mechanical splices
• Proper testing with insertion loss test sets and the OTDR
• Calculation of acceptance values for all tests
• Certifying and troubleshooting installed links of laser optimized 50µ, 62.5µ, and singlemode fibers for maximum reliability
• Data network or SAN installers, military data specialists, network technicians, PON technicians, FTTH installation technicians, installation supervisors, network supervisors, security system installers, and CATV installers would benefit from this course.
  
  
• for more: fiber optic training jobs 

fiber optic apprenticeship programs

 fiber optic apprenticeship programs What To Expect In Training Programs For CFOT Certification

To qualify for CFOT® Certified Fiber Optic Technician certification, a training program will cover at least the following topics:

Overview of  fiber optic applications and installations

Communications systems utilizing fiber optics

Fiber optic components appropriate for fiber optic networks

Installation of premises and outside plant fiber optic cable

Splicing and termination

Testing fiber optic components and cable plants

Hands-On Lab Exercises including hands-on splicing, termination and testing

Typical Field Experience For Direct CFOT Certification (Work to Cert)

To qualify for the CFOT certification, at least two years of relevant field experience is  required, including documented experience installing and testing fiber optic networks. Training by employers, manufacturers or vendors of cabling products may be recognized as part of the experience requirements.

Field experience installing and testing fiber optic networks must include the following:

• Participation in multiple installation jobs, preferably including premises and OSP installations
• Experience preparing various cable types
• Experience with fusion splicing and several termination types
  
• Experien
CFOT - Certified Fiber Optic Technician - is the primary FOA certification for all fiber optics applications. CFOTs have appropriate knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) in fiber optics that can be applied to almost any job - design, installation, operation - for almost any application - outside plant, premises, manufacturing, etc.
FOA CFOT certification is based on an extensive knowledge of fiber optics technology and application as well as demonstrated skills in appropriate tasks. Most CFOTs work in the industry as contractors or installers. Consultants, network designers, estimators and trainers would also be expected to have such credentials.  CFOTs are also involved with the manufacture of fiber optic components such as cables, patchcords, active devices and communications systems.

However, the CFOT certification has been structured as a general technology certification, not aligned to any specific job function. It is used by all installers, both outside plant and premises installers, two very different applications, plus component manufacturing technicians, network managers, network designers, etc. A well-prepared fiber optic technician will have a CFOT plus appropriate specialist certifications (CFOS) for the skills needed for the job (OSP, spicing, connectors, testing, design, etc.) and applications (FTTH, OLAN, Wireless, etc.)

The FOA also offers certification in premises cabling (CPCT,) which also includes copper wiring and wireless.

The FOA CFOT certification requires a test of the applicant's knowledge of fiber optics in a broad-based exam that covers technology, components, installation and testing and also requires verified skills and/or experience in fiber optics.  We call these the KSA - knowledge, skills and abilities. KSAs for the CFOT certification.
• ce testing with visual inspection, VFL, OLTS, OTDR
• 
  

What is the future of Fibre optics?

 fiber optic splicing trainingToday’s global businesses demand faster, more secure and larger capacity communication systems for their network operations. Fiber optic technology is expected to play a major part in this growth. A Research and Markets study determined that the compound annual growth rate for the fiber optic market could reach 8.5 percent by 2025, meaning more industries will be looking to the solutions presented by this technology. From healthcare systems to the marine environment, fiber optic cable is proving to be a crucial component of industrial infrastructure.

Fiber optic cable assemblies are also playing an increasingly vital role in residential applications. Homeowners now expect high-speed internet access as part of their daily lives, and telecom and data industry leaders are turning to fiber optic technology as a clean, reliable way to provide expected services. In the next five years and beyond, contractors expect to use fiber optic cable for improved connectivity in a wide variety of projects.

Development Of Fiber Optic Technology

Fiber optic cables consist of either one or many thin strands of glass, which are protected by a flexible, transparent sheath. Rather than using electrical pulses to communicate information, this technology uses pulses of light. As a result, it offers technically boundless performance capabilities.

The capacity may be even more than you imagine: National Geographic reports that the newest transatlantic cable is capable of transmitting 100 hours of digital video or 30 million phone calls from one side of the ocean to the other at speeds of a single second.

There are plenty of applications for fiber optic cable assemblies, and their uses are only growing. This technology is the backbone of military networking, medical imaging and laser practices, and private and public networking for cable and internet.

One of the reasons fiber cables are so widely used is because they are extremely secure. This technology does not contain an electromagnetic field, so data cannot be intercepted, slowed, or jumbled with other signals.

The safety, speed, and security of fiber optics does come at a higher cost relative to other cable options on the market. But compared to the rising costs of copper, which is used in other cable technology, it remains competitively priced in the marketplace. Plus, metallic wiring is naturally thicker, which reduces load capacity and makes installation difficult in more challenging environments. Fiber optics provide the clarity and safety that modern homeowners and business leaders expect in infrastructure projects.

Fiber Optics In New Projects

Forbes reported recently that cities around the globe are beginning to use fiber optic cables for their communication needs. San Francisco, for example, is creating a city-wide fiber optic network as a way of treating the internet as a public utility.

The Pacific Light Cable Network, meanwhile, has plans to run 8,000 miles of fiber optic cable under the sea from Los Angeles to Hong Kong. To meet the growing demand for bandwidth arising from the popularity of social media and Google, this massive project will result in 144 terabyte capacity both ways.

Additionally, the expansion of new 5G wireless technology is being made possible with the help of fiber optic cable. Wired Magazine reports that telecom leaders are relying on millions of miles of new cables, allowing 5G devices across the globe to better connect and network with one another. With the price of smartphones decreasing in developing countries such as China, India and Brazil, this connection has never been more important for so many.

New Trends In Speed And Efficiency

Fiber optic technology itself continues to develop alongside the increased demand for greater speed and efficiency. New devices called optical couplers and optical switches support a new communication trend called AON, or all-optical networks. This technology allows data to be transmitted without any electrical processing, which in turn can result in farther transmission distances.

Another recent improvement in fiber cables is known as WDM, or wavelength division multiplexing. This is a process that increases bandwidth capacity even further by allowing different carriers to transmit optical signals.

Then there’s OAM, or orbital angular momentum. This new technology forces light waves to twist in a spiral, increasing their ability to transmit information in a highly scalable manner. Experts at Technology Networks have even speculated that this method of transmission could increase transmission speeds by 100 times over the next few years.

Yet another advancement that is improving fiber optic technology is called ROF, or radio over fiber. This system allows for the transmission of radio frequencies using optical fibers, which are not impacted by electromagnetic interference. This has potential for development in the aviation industry as well as in public works projects, stadium construction, and commercial building construction, according to Wire Tech World.

Increased Demands For Technology

Part of the reason that industries are rapidly improving fiber optic technology is simply because both business owners and everyday individuals expect greater transmission speed and quality with each passing day. Over the next five years, citizens of every country throughout the world will be consuming more social media, streaming video, networked gaming, and other services that rely on fast, clean internet.

Temperature sensors used in wearable devices and smartphones also use fiber optic technology. According to the research firm Markets And Markets, this sector of the technology will be in high demand for healthcare equipment, energy companies, and the automotive industry. As a result, it is expected to grow by more than $2 billion over the next five years. And as new inventions become commonplace, new needs for fiber optics will present themselves.

Government Technology magazine calls fiber optic technology “future proof,” as telecom giants like Comcast are transitioning from copper coaxial cable to hybrid or fully fiber optic cable assemblies. Experts believe that fiber optics may prove to be more useful than wireless for increasingly sophisticated electronics. So far, fiber cables don’t seem to degrade like other infrastructure. It’s likely that the future of fiber optics will even outlast the next generation of devices and industrial requirements.

NAI has significant design and manufacturing expertise to provide fiber optic jumpers, harnesses and box builds to companies who want to use fiber technology in their products or businesses.

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fiber optic technician job description

 fiber optic technician

Fiber Technician

A Fiber Technician is someone who plays a prominent role in the Telecommunication industry. The professional installs and maintains Fiber Optic Cables as and when required. They provide technical assistance in designing and testing the fiber optics. The Fiber Technician sets up the electrical and electronic testing to pave the way for the development of new applications. They also look into existing laser and optical fiber devices and systems.

The Fiber Technician works both inside and outside and is responsible to take care of the installation troubleshooting and other technical aspects. They should have proper knowledge of various electronic components and computer operating systems. The professionals need to look into routers and other networking equipment. It is the responsibility of the Fiber Technician to provide efficient and quality customer service.

The professionals should have a proper understanding of cabling various electronic components. It is important to have basic knowledge of the operation and application of electrical components and common measurement instruments. They must have hands-on experience to work with hand and power tools. The Fiber Technicians need to also look into the detailing of basic circuit design and other factors.

Fiber Technician Job Description

The Fiber Technician’s job involves various tasks from a large to multi-story office buildings to small housing buildings. The primary functions of the Fiber Technician include:

• Resolve, repair and install fiber optics systems and ensure that they work properly
• Examine and replace faulty and old fiber optic cables and also organize scheduled maintenance routines
• Take care of fiber splicing and rectify fiber optic problem areas
• Develop sensor indicators and conduct timely inspections to make sure that faulty fiber optic system does not destabilize its performance
• Execute premises cabling and take care of the underground and underwater cabling requirements
• Keep track of the signal strength of different devices such as television, telephone to provide adequate performance
• Formulate and maintain system records and system designs

Qualifications

The candidate should have postsecondary education in electronics, telecommunications, or computer technology. They should also have on-the-job training and industry certification is an added advantage. Most of the employers prefer candidates with a bachelor’s degree in fiber optics communications. The individual can also enroll in a technical or vocational program to gain some knowledge of Fiber Optics and Fiber Networks.

Computer hardware engineers

 computer engineering degree

Computer hardware engineers typically do the following:

• Design new computer hardware, creating schematics of computer equipment to be built.
• Test the computer hardware they design.
• Analyze the test results and modify the design as needed.
• Update existing computer equipment so that it will work with new software.

• It’s versatile. I outlined some of the potential jobs and functions a computer engineer could fill at any one company in this Quora answer. I will outline them here again as well:

  Some computer engineers dive into the belly of the beast and specialize in ASIC design. From what I’ve seen, there is more demand for a position like this than there are positions. As it becomes cheaper to make chips, this may change.

  Similarly, some go into programming FPGAs. The only job I’ve had so far where FPGAs were when I worked at Cisco. They were used for routing lower layer data traffic on a DOCSIS 3.0 endpoint. Like ASIC design, less demand but don’t let that stop you.

  Some go into programming firmware and operating systems. There are more opportunities for you embedded Linux programming than ever before. (Think Raspberry Pi) they’re only going to get bigger. Programming firmware takes a special stet of skills considering its programming under extreme constraints. I highly recommend to find an experienced mentor if you’re thinking about firmware or operating softens work.

  Some go into system architecture and design. These types of jobs involve connecting circuits together to make a full product. (Schematic design and layout) This is my personal bread and butter but it’s specialized. If you like tinkering with signals and your physical objects, this one is for you.

  As you can see, there are many ways to utilize a computer engineering degree. The more important thing here though, if you choose this path, is how much effort you put into it will multiply the output you get on the other end. If you get by and do enough coursework to graduate and nothing more, you’re likely not going to get good at any aspect of engineering.

  I highly recommend this major for anyone who can’t be separated from their computer, aren’t afraid to break things, and have an open mind about the tiny minutiae that make up our vast world of electronics & computers.

What engineer makes the most money?

 computer engineer salary

The 10 Highest-Paying Engineering Degrees

The engineering field is often erroneously labeled as a one-track career. The conventional wisdom is that engineering attracts professionals with no social skills who wind up shooting missiles into space or creating new software applications by day and playing video games at night.

That illustration is a myth, although there are certainly engineers who excel in missile technology and software development, and who play Minecraft until the wee hours of the morning.

The reality is the engineering field is loaded with smart and engaging professionals who excel in a variety of occupations and with a range of interests.

One common denominator that does define the engineering field is that it is always at the top of the list of high-paying occupations. Engineers can take many paths to get to their dream engineering job, which will likely pay a handsome salary, with great benefits, that allow career professionals to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle as they ply their trade in one of the most lucrative fields in the employment marketplace.

In fact, the most recent “Top 25” list of highest-paying career occupations by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics includes five occupations that use professional engineers.

What engineering jobs pay the most? Let’s have a look:

The 10 Highest-Paying Engineering Degrees

Occupations that include engineers usually fall into the so-called “STEM” category (science, technology, engineering and math). All routinely call for a master’s degree or at least a bachelor's degree in an engineering field, with a high load of occupations-specific coursework.

Also, if you provide any direct service to the general public, you might also need to be certified via a licensing test to qualify for work.

With those hurdles out of the way, here’s a list of the top 10 engineering jobs in the U.S. We’re using engineering salary information from PayScale, an occupation salary data and information platform, Glassdoor, Zip Recruiter, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to form our list:

1. Petroleum Engineer

Engineers in the oil and gas sector routinely rank among the highest-paying engineering jobs. In 2019, petroleum engineers top PayScale’s list, with an “early career” pay of $94,500 and a mid-career salary range of $176,900. The overall average salary range for petroleum engineers is $110,000, as of 2019.

2. Electrical Engineer

Electrical engineers can earn as little as $60,000 or as much as $142,000. Engineers in these fields are historically in high demand. Median salary clocks in at $96,000, according to the BLS. You’ll likely need an ABET accreditation that certifies bachelor's and master's degree programs in engineering, engineering technology, computing, and applied sciences, to qualify for higher pay.

3. Aerospace Engineer

Aerospace may well be one of the most compelling areas of engineering that drew young math and science students to the sector, with visions of Apollo missions and space station exploration fueling their rise in high school and college.

These days, aerospace engineers can ply their trade in several different areas, including aircraft and missile technology, aerodynamics and avionics. Pay is high at a startup annual salary at $66,300 and a mid-career salary of $113,000, according to PayScale. With the industry abuzz over blockchain in space and commercial travel to the moon, expect the aerospace sector to thrive in the next decade – and hire a load of new engineers to bring magic to the moon again.

4. Civil Engineer

Civil engineering professionals are in robust demand, as well, in a new decade. That’s especially the case with the nation’s infrastructure aging at best and crumbling at worst. Plus, with new green environmental practices on the rise across the globe, occupational growth should only increase. First time hires on the civil engineering front can expect to earn $57,500 with an upward path to $98,500 by mid-career.

5. Biomedical Engineer

Biomedical engineers meet at the intersection of medicine and engineering, with most of the sector's jobs coming from pharmaceutical, scientific data and research, and medical manufacturing companies. With biomedical engineers, it’s all the big breakthrough in an industry that thrives on medical advancements, and that’s exactly why biomedical engineers earn such hefty paychecks. Biomedical engineers start out in the $50,000 range in terms of salary, and are earning over $100,000 annually by mid-career. According to PayScale, the median annual salary for biomedical engineers stands at $65,000 heading into 2020.

6. Mechanical Engineer

A mechanical engineer may expect to apply his or her trade in a wide variety of industry jobs, as mechanical engineering is a broad, highly occupied workplace sector. Mechanical engineers can specialize in the material sciences, structural analysis, electricity, and dynamics and thermodynamics fields. Average salary stands at $84,000, with starting pay at around $64,000 and a mid-career average of $108,000.

7. Industrial Engineer

An industrial engineer excels in the manufacturing and production industries, with many industrial engineers edging into the environmental arena, figuring out ways companies can “go green” and comply with government anti-waste, constructional and other environmental mandates. Average industrial engineering salaries stand at about $64,000, with mid-career average salaries at $84,000.

8. Computer Science Engineer

It’s hardly a surprise to see that the technology sector attracts a high volume of computer engineers, but compared to other engineering fields like manufacturing or industrial engineering, the high-tech engineer is a relatively new concept that has only emerged over the past 50 years. Now, with new game-breaking technologies on the rise like artificial intelligence, robotics, machine learning, and the internet of things, among others, demand for new computer engineers should be high in the 2020s. Right now, computer engineers can expect to earn about $70,000 with their first professional post and earn up to $116,000 in the middle portion of their careers.

9. Chemical Engineer

Engineers who specialize in chemical studies don’t just work for chemical companies (although many do.) Chemical engineers also work in the manufacturing, electronics, and oil and gas sectors, in addition to many others. Pay is robust at $70,000 for new chemical engineers while mid-career salary growth rises to about $125,000. Median pay is $104,000 annually, according to the U.S. Labor Department and job growth is expect rise by 6% from 2018 to 2028.

10. Ocean and Marine Engineer

While there aren’t all that many marine engineers (only about 500 graduate with marine engineering degrees each year), the pay is great for those who do choose the ocean as an engineering career path . Sometimes called naval architects, marine engineers can expect to haul in $92,000 annually, according to the BLS, with a faster-than-average growth rate of 9%.

engineering vs engineering technology

 engineering vs engineering technology

Within the engineering profession there are several different categories, each with its own purposes and attributes. These categories involve different training and naturally lead to different careers. Or so the story goes.

But two of these categories, engineering and engineering technology, are widely misunderstood.  Their differences are poorly recognized, and they thus cast doubt on this conventional wisdom. There are individuals trained in Engineering who perform jobs envisioned for ET, and vice versa.

The terms are often used interchangeably by the general public. Those who advise students or hire technical people are seldom aware of the differences. So what is going on here and should today's engineer be concerned?

There is perhaps no better way to contrast the two than by the standards to which they are held, and one way to see that is in their undergraduate program criteria as promulgated by the profession's most well-known accreditation organization, ABET. That organization sees differences in both curricular focus and career path.

Whereas engineering programs focus on theory and design, ET programs specialize in application and implementation. It follows that engineering programs have higher-level math and theoretical science in their curricula and engineering technology programs tend to put greater emphasis on hands-on laboratory skills.

In terms of career paths, it is likely that more engineering graduates will attend graduate school while technologists will typically find employment in such sectors as manufacturing, testing, or sales, and if they do go on to graduate school, it might be for management or business administration. The problem with this ABET model is that there is actually a great deal of overlap in both curriculum and in the paths of the graduates.

Another way to make the demarcation is to look at the question of licensing. This is possibly an even murkier picture than that painted by educational preparation. Most of the United States allow engineering technologists to sit for the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam, but some don't, and some have different rules for the amount of subsequent practical experience required for a license.

Internationally, the situation is even more confusing, with some nations having university degrees that do not correspond very well to the US (and ABET) model of Bachelors, Masters, and Ph.D.

A few more data points, if you will. In 2007, IEEE conducted an informal survey on the question of what should be considered the appropriate terminal professional degree. The result strongly favored the Bachelors. A brief analysis of the data showed that this position was favored by both engineers and technologists, with the main factor being what the highest degree attained by the respondent happened to be, not EE vs. ET. At about the same time, IEEE and the Society for Manufacturing Engineers jointly developed an exam for graduating electrical engineering technologists in those states that barred ET students from the Fundamentals exam, but few colleges have taken advantage of its availability.

So we seem to have a distinction without a real difference, and what are we as members of the engineering profession to do about it. Many believe that there is not a true difference as things stand but there should be. The profession is large and complex enough to need both those who specialize in the more abstract pursuits and those who are experts in applied endeavors. The differences should be more sharply drawn in education and training. At the same time, the public sector (employers, students, high-school counselors, politicians and the general public) needs to be educated as to the particular value of each. Once we are properly utilizing and truly appreciating what each discipline brings to the table, the appropriate distinctive recognition will follow and overall the profession will be stronger for it.

for more: engineering vs engineering technology