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Session 3549

Session 3549 MET Graduate Survey Results

William E. Cole, Charles W. P. Finn Northeastern University

ABSTRACT

In February 1997, we undertook a survey of the MET graduates from the Northeastern University School of Engineering Technology. The sample included both Bachelors and Associates degree graduates, their employers, as well as some of our current evening students for comparison. A total of 155 responses were received and analyzed. In this paper, we present the results of this analysis. These results include information on what our graduates are doing, what they find most important from their education, their pursuits of further education, their professional associations (including registration), and general implications these results have upon the MET curriculum.

INTRODUCTION

In February 1997, we undertook a survey of the MET graduates from The School of Engineering Technology at Northeastern University. The main goal in this survey was to learn what skills our alumni found most and least important in the work place. Particular interests were the balance between technical knowledge and skills versus the process skills including problem solving and communications. Additionally, we wanted to probe two specific areas within the curriculum: graphics and computer usage.

The survey instrument is shown in the Appendix to this paper. Before creating this survey instrument a literature search was conducted. From this search, a number of previous survey instruments were found and used as examples in creating this instrument. Some of the more useful examples include those reported by Stanley1, Britton2 and Rockland3. The core of this survey is the second page: a series of 33 questions asking the responder to rate each area on a scale of one to five in terms of importance on the job and secondly in terms of how well their education prepared them in each of these areas. In addition, the respondents were asked to respond to ten specific questions.

This survey instrument was sent to all our alumni graduating between 1990 and 1996 (approximately 1200 alumni in the combined areas of Mechanical Engineering Technology, Electrical Engineering Technology, and Computer Technology). These alumni included recipients of both Bachelor and Associate degrees. Thirteen percent of the alumni responded to the survey. Only responses from MET alumni are reported in this paper while a second paper presents the results from the Electrical Engineering Technology alumni. The alumni were also asked to forward a second survey instrument to their supervisor. Only fourteen responses to this second survey instrument were received from supervisors. Finally, a group of evening students were asked to complete a similar survey. The evening students are adult students who hold full

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Finn, C. W. P., & Cole, W. E. (1998, June), Met Graduate Survey Results Paper presented at 1998 Annual Conference, Seattle, Washington. 10.18260/1-2--7283