It's just as true now as it has been for decades -- engineering students at their graduation ceremony, chanting "We've got jobs!"
The demand for skilled engineers is greater now than it's ever been; students often have job offers, and even full paying jobs, lined up for themselves before they even get their degree. But Dr. Donald Peterson says in this environment, Northern Illinois University is able to stand out because of the hands-on training it gives to students; and its location near one of the most desirable markets for engineers in the country certainly doesn't hurt.
Dr. Peterson is Dean of the NIU College of Engineering and Engineering Technology; he says the students they produce can hold their own with the best at places such as MIT, Stanford and Cal-Berkeley, because their approach emphasizes practical application and career planning...and not just the use of technology.
While having access to the latest tech is certainly advantageous, students can become too dependent on it; he recounted the story of one businessman who took a stack of resumes from soon-to-be MIT grads -- and pitched them. He says these students are too reliant on technology, and have proven themselves to be less than helpful in a real-world business environment.
Dr. Peterson says Northern gives its students a well-rounded approach to learning the skills they need, and blending it with the technical tools of the trade, to give them the career development they need.
