[Coco] Re: Thoughts about going back to school full time.

[Richard E. Crislip]

Hello Jim

I know I'm jumping in here, but I have elected to return to school to get my
bachelor degree at 58yrs because when I graduate, I want to be able to teach
in the two year colleges that are springing up every where. I was doing that
until the accreditation team came through. They pointed out that in Ohio,
the teacher had to have  bachelors degree to teach the MS-Office suite
because they are deemed as being business courses. My 37 years experience
and associate degree in programming didn't mean a thing 8-/. So if you think
you may want to teach, then by all means get the degree. If you plan to
switch jobs, I agree with James, unless you have a sure thing. I hope I'm
replying to the correct person 8-}.

On 12/05/2005, Jim Cox wrote:
> James:
>
> First off thanks for the reply, you made some really good 
> points.  Secondly, I think I have asked a similar question 
> a while back.  Oh well, I guess I'm showing my age.
>
> I thought that the BSET may be a way to move into an 
> engineering tech position.  Maybe that's not the way to go 
> then.  For reason's I won't go into, I am looking at 
> changing jobs, so your comment about getting the BSET not 
> being a good decission is making me think about some other 
> options.
>
> One option is to take advantage of the resources I have 
> (CoCo, 6809 trainer, Ethernut, etc...) and use those to 
> refresh and improve my skill set.  It's cheaper, and more 
> fun.  Some things like math and C I can also do on my own.
>
> Thanks again for the input.
>
> Jim
>
> On Sun, 04 Dec 2005 23:02:29 -0500
>   jdaggett at gate.net wrote:
>> Jim
>> 
>> In the current climate I would state this based on 
>>personal 
>> experience. IF one is over 50 yrs of age and 
>>contemplating a BSEE 
>> or even a BSET to move and gain advancement with another 
>> company is not a good decission. If you are doing it to 
>>advance 
>> within the company you are working at then by all means 
>>go for it. 
>> 
>> Right now if there are two engineers equally matched in 
>>skills, one 
>> over 50yrs old and the other say 35 yrs old, the younger 
>>enginner 
>> will win out. Simply because of cost of benefits.  To 
>>gain 
>> advancement with in the company you work for is okay. To 
>>gain the 
>> education to move on to another company and if you ar 
>>older than 
>> 50yrs old  will be a mistake. 
>> 
>> There is not supposed to be age descrimination in 
>>hiring, but in a 
>> quiet way there is. Proving it is far more difficult 
>>than it is worth the 
>> time and effort. 
>> 
>> In some circles the BSET is  not as prefered as the BSEE 
>>is. 
>> Reasoning is the BSET has less math requirements. A BSEE 
>>will 
>> have 23 semester hours of mathematics in a 128 hour 
>>degree 
>> program. There are two courses that are not part of the 
>>BSET that 
>> are apart of the  BSEE program. These are:
>> 
>> 1) Analysis of Linear Systems
>> 2) ElectroMagnetic Fields and Waves. 
>> 
>> Linear Systems is the main course that separates techs 
>>from 
>> enegineers. Heavy in theory and in math. Fields in Waves 
>>is to 
>> some a brutal course as it requires visualization of 
>>three 
>> deminsional concepts and mathematics. I just loved those 
>>triple 
>> spherical integrals and gradients. Not to leave out 
>>Maxwell's 
>> Equations either.
>> 
>> just my opinion
>> 
>> james
>> 
>
Regards
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