Is a BSMET worth it? Are their Job Opportunities for persons with this degree

This deserves a GA, and I know others will agree, since I could not imagine a more spot-on response. CJM

And a "GA" is?

Packaging engineers in the design/application of the process/machines?

<...I will be the last that they look at...>

Why?

If so then there's something on the CV that needs attending to. A degree is simply an indication that the individual has a level of long-distance application to the chosen subject.

What an employer wants to know, at interview, is:

• Can this individual do the job?
• Will this individual do the job?
• Will the individual fit the organisation?

and little else.

Let me clarify, I would like to get into product design, mechanical design, machine design etc. I have no certainly just the ASMET degrees and 15 years as a cabinetmaker, in my area I know of a lot of unemployed Mechanical designers of 5+ years of preferably, they will be hired before I would for the job. I am not down about my situation and I certianly know what employers are looking for which is why i am thinking about returning to school. I am simply looking for objective views on the questions preferiably from engineers in the field that can provide constructive comments

You should join CR4 as a member. Its free. GA's are Good Answers.

For us non US readers what is a BSMET & ASMET degree?

How do they compare with normal eng. degrees (or are they the same thing)?

In my opinion you are on the right track. Large corporations hire fresh graduate BSME's to fill their young talent pool of future technical managers. For this they want people who fit their program usually having involved a pretty rigorous university program. They put these people into 5 years of subprofessional "engineering" work while they watch and sort them. Sort of like a physician's internship except with less responsibility and authority to do anything.

You are way too old for that game.

They hire MSME's when they need engineers to do high level engineering work and tend to prefer experience. Sometimes they will hire raw MSME's and even phD's if their technology is a big enough deal to them. Highly degreed subordinates are an ego thing for corporate excutives. There is a lot of silly predjudice there.

If they hire BSET's of any flavor it is to do a specific job that they know will not be in the mainstream of the company's technology but still needs to be done. Accept the fact that you will run into a lot of glass ceilings because of your age and lack of a "real" engineering degree. Small closely held companies are less of a problem that way.

Of course specialize. But choose the specialty carefully. Don't pick one that will go away. Be especially wary of specialties based on a computer technology or a single industry. You run the greatest risk here if you want to work in product development. That area of engineering work is highly dependent on engineering tools ("read" software for computer assisted engineering) or specific product technologies.

Packaging (I assume you are talking about shipping boxes rather than what is referred to as electronic packaging) is an interesting specialty but can lead to short periods of employment and easy outsourcing. But that's just my opinion. How do other CR-4 folks feel about this one?

How about other areas? You mentioned manufacturing engineering. What are your feelings on that one?

Ed Weldon

The packaging option would be the equipment design/implementation with a background in the materials

In todays economy, many companys will hire anyone with a BS in front of their degree. It matters less whether the last letters are ME or MET. Folks with higher degrees are sometimes considered overqualified. Having a good work ethic and being able to get a job done are highly valued attributes. The degree opens the door, but your performance determines your success. I like the coop option because you will get a taste of what it is like to work in industry while you are receiving your education, and you will be earning a living. But this is a personal choice. Best wishes.

Thanks for the input. In this area BSMET is very well respected. Companies like P&G can't get enough. Almost every state if not all of them allow you to get a PE license after 8 years of work. It is true that technically you are not an engineer you are a technologist, but thats ok I don't plan on designing a rocket! I have spoken with many BSMET's in this area and they have titles of engineer and are doing machine design, FEA, Vibration work etc. A lot of companies are starting to realize that they can hire a BSMET to do a lot of the same work that a BSME can due and get them cheaper, and this is a fact I have spoken with hiring managers in local companies. As a matter of fact I just had an interview at a large producer of Plastics machinery based on my ASMET degrees, It is to replace a BSME, granted this person may have been a dud, the company has decided to fill the position with a BSMET, and in my case due to the three ASMET and my experience @ GE i also qualify.

Our classes go to CalcII, then Advanced Tech Calc (diff equat) then numerical analysis.

I do appreciate you honest input but I also feel that it can't be a blanket statement about the BSMET, There are well respected schools pumping these grads out. avg starting salary @ UC $53,000 which ain't bad for a 21yr old (that's not me!), and uc has had 98% placement for about the past 20yrs (except for this past year of course).

If i would have realized that i would have done so well with calculus and the other classes i would have done the BSME from the beginning, But i didn't I think the BSMET is more than adequate for your average Joe, I don't have a full blown engineering mind and don't want one, hell I will probably end up making sculpture and paintings in the end!