Ask Slashdot: How Is Online Engineering Coursework Viewed By Employers? 201
New submitter KA.7210 writes "I am an employed mechanical engineer, having worked with the same company since graduation from college 5 years ago. I am looking to increase my credentials by taking more engineering courses, potentially towards a certificate or a full master's degree. Going to school full time is not an option, and there is only one engineering school near me that offers a program that resembles what I wish to study, and also has the courses at night. Therefore, I have begun to look at online options, and it appears there are many legitimate, recognizable schools offering advanced courses in my area of interest. My question to Slashdot readers out there is: how do employers view degrees/advanced credentials obtained online, when compared to the more typical in-person education? Does anyone have specific experience with this situation? The eventual degree itself will have no indication that it was obtained online, but simple inference will show that it was not likely I maintained my employment on the east coast while attending school in-person on the west coast. I wish to invest my time wisely, and hope that some readers out there have experience with this issue!"
Professional Engineer stamp is the way to go. (Score:5, Informative)
Any sort of extra education is great, I encourage everyone to get smarter, but getting your PE stamp would do the best for your career, that's something that NO employer can disregard.
I'm not suggesting that it's "one or the other", I'm suggesting that you use any online or offline education to get a professional credential that's recognized by states or professional societies. For the ME, it's getting your PE stamp. Like a lawyer passing the bar or a doctor passing their boards, the PE is something that no employer can ignore.
At one equipment manufacturer that I worked for, only a couple of the engineers had their PE, and they were usually moved up to "senior engineer" or "vice-president of engineering" pretty quickly, the rest of us were kept down and encouraged not to get too uppity...
I saw someone taking an online course... (Score:2, Informative)
From my experience... (Score:4, Informative)
I can only talk from what I have seen and done, but in the UK we have a online university called the Open university which is generally well regarded. That is not to say that all employers will provide the same respect as say a MSc from Oxford or Cambridge(Actually a side point, a MSc from Oxford or Cambridge is generally worthless since they will award you one for just staying alive after your BSc), but a lot of managers I know got their MBA's from the Open University so they know its value.
Generally most qualifications especially technical ones really show nothing about once you left university Any attempt to continue your education and extend your skills and knowledge should be valued by your present and future employer. If not you are working for the wrong company.
Re:Mod parent up. (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Online is worth much less (Score:4, Informative)
I assume you are referring to online-only institutions, but highly rated schools have online engineering programs, too.
In many cases, there is no way to know if the degree was obtained online or not. For example, if you get a MS Electrical Engineering from Stanford by taking classes online, the degree says "Stanford", not "Stanford online" or somesuch.
Re:Then **you're** naive! (Score:1, Informative)
Re:Ask your boss (Score:0, Informative)
I was fired for asking. Then again, I don't have a degree.
In *Texas* (with a *low* cost of living and *zero* state income tax), my wage rates went like this:
2004 - Just started. Looked for a year, nothing (also economy was shit). Applied to over 500 jobs all over the country, nothing. Begged a local company to hire me to do any site work at all, they wouldn't. ;-)
2005 - In early January, that same small business had their only web dev quit for another job, spontaneously, no warning. I was called and hired at what I (at 23) thought was a good wage: $8.25/hr. That was $3 more per hour than minimum wage back then! I accepted.
2006 - After many consecutive pay increases, I was making $20/hr at the same company but found a competitor that would pay me that much for *1/2* the time. So I worked 20 hours and made the same. It was awesome.
2007 - Switched jobs 3 times. Went from $20/hr part time to $35/hr full time ($72,000/yr; 250% increase) to $40/hr ($83,000; 15% increase).
2008 - Moved perm by that company making $75,000 (-9.6%); which sucked.
2009 - Moved to Dallas for perm at an ad agency for $85,000 (13% increase).
2010 - Changed jobs to perm at a major ecommerce shop for $100,000 (17.7% increase). Made to work slave hours (60-70+ week) and very stressful.
2011 - Changed jobs to a major media corporation for $55/hour (~$130,000 factoring avg overtime; 30% increase).
2012 - Still at that company
So, each year I've averaged 13% yearly pay increases. I'm now sitting comfortably in the top 0.05% pay scale for "Senior Software Engineer" for my language in the state of Texas, and I have an average of ~5 job interview requests a week for those same pay ranges.
Honest question: Any one else on here keep qualifying for $50/hr+ jobs and keep turning them down cuz you're happy where you're at? I mean in a low cost state. My rent's only $800/mo for 900 sqft.
Re:On-line, other education and courses - advise (Score:5, Informative)
While this is insightful, to say the least, I doubt if it can be generalised for 'engineering'. I doubt this very much.
Whenever I was involved in employing electrical engineers, I'd surely look very closely at the formal qualification. If I were in civil engineering, I would use a microscope before I allowed anyone to 'deliver' - as you put it - at building a bridge for my company, for example.
And the submitter states he is a mechanical engineer.