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I think most companies want the first guy if they are hiring an actual mechanical engineer.
The hands on stuff anyone can learn. No degree needed. They teach all of that stuff like welding, solid works, 3-D printing, CNC milling, arduino hacking at art school now.
I think Eng#2 would have a hard time getting an interview for an engineering position. Not to say he isn't employable. Clearly, he has a handiness aspect that is valuable, but employers do look at GPA when deciding who to interview for their engineering positions. I think they would interview #1, but #1 would not be a top candidate. They will be beat out by a candidate with a high GPA and the good qualities of both examples.
I think most companies want the first guy if they are hiring an actual mechanical engineer.
The hands on stuff anyone can learn. No degree needed. They teach all of that stuff like welding, solid works, 3-D printing, CNC milling, arduino hacking at art school now.
Yes, that's very true, but the thing is, when they teach that stuff in art schools, it isn't taught from a technical perspective at all. So while they might teach how to use the Solidworks interface, they won't go into tolerances, designing for a press fit, etc. They also don't go into Materials Science at all. It's like a high-tech version of Arts & Crafts time. I think the element that's lacking in ME programs is courses that bridge that gap between those and the "pure" engineering classes.
There is not enough time in 4 years. They touch on that a little in labs, senior projects, design projects, etc. but there is only so much time. You are in college to learn the textbook stuff and the rest has to come more hands on either on your own time or after you graduate.
Mechanical engineering is such a broad degree. You could require people to take all these tech classes and it might still not relate to what their actual job is later. How do you decide which ones to include and which ones not to include? By the time you include welding, machining, automotive, and all these more hands on items it is a 5-6 year degree haha. (I'm an engineer that does not believe the humanities classes are BS so I wouldn't be cutting them completely. More engineers should have paid attention in humanities imo..). I was already loaded morning to night with classes, labs, and studying to finish in 4 years.
There is so much to learn on the specific tech and craft side that I'd rather get out of the classroom quickly and then get hands on in my job and learn the specific tech and craft side that is specific to my company and industry rather than stay in school longer to learn generic tech/craft details. They are important but there is not reason to spend the extra time and $ to learn them in a classroom setting versus out in the field.
I myself am a blend of both. I did well in school and got good grades, but on the weekends I was wrenching on my cars. My practical stills came in VERY handy as well as my textbook skills.
Later in my career, when I began to interview entry level engineers/interns, I've tended to lean towards #2 for the job openings we had in my dept. I'm not sure why GPA is specific as there were plenty of 3.5GPA or higher #2's who knew how to operate a mill/lathe. But in my particular area of specialization, having some hands on skills and practical knowledge has proven to be far useful, but my company employs a mix of both and we use that talent mix pretty well.
Honestly, the engineering field is so broad that either candidate could be useful depending on the task at hand.
I laughed when I read this one! And it's something I discussed with my H many times.
He was Engineer #1. He could conceptualize it, draw a picture, and come up with radical new designs effortlessly. He was really good at doing those things. I was Engineer #2(but I did get better grades than he did) and as soon as it was time to take the project into real life, or pick up a tool, it was my baby. I was the better builder and troubleshooter.
Honestly, the guy practically had to be told which end of the screwdriver to use.... But the two of us together were really good. We could do anything!
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