Is Engineering Technology Right for You ?
If you like knowing why and how things work and applying that knowledge to solve real-life problems, engineering technology may be the career for you!

Engineering technology is the profession in which knowledge of mathematics and natural sciences gained by higher education, experience, and practice is used to create and enhance technologies that benefit humanity. For example, engineering technologists and technicians use their knowledge of science and math to help make the bridges, buildings, computers, software, electronic instruments, power plants, and transportation systems that we use daily.

What are Engineering Technicians and Engineering Technologists?
By completing an associate’s degree (typically in two years) in one of K-State Salina’s engineering technology programs, you can become an engineering technician. Engineering technicians are in high demand nation-wide to help develop and install products, manage computer networks, maintain automated manufacturing equipment, inspect highway construction materials, write computer software, test circuit designs, as well as to do many other interesting and rewarding jobs.

To become an engineering technologist, you must earn a bachelor’s degree (typically with two additional years of study beyond the associate degree) in engineering technology. Engineering technologists typically hold technical positions in which they help develop products, manage resources, or supervise technicians and other technical staff in a production facility.

Engineering technologists and technicians often work with engineers as part of an engineering team. Engineers plan and design engineering projects; in contrast, engineering technologists and technicians translate the engineer's designs into actual products.

If you look around your everyday environment, you'll see many things that engineers designed, and that engineering technologists and technicians helped make a reality. For example, while engineers design bridges, it is engineering technologists often supervise bridge construction, overseeing the work of the construction workers. In this same example, engineering technicians inspect the soil, concrete, and other building materials to ensure that the bridge complies with the required specifications. Engineering technicians and engineering technologists must have a theoretical background to work directly with engineers or scientists, yet they must also have practical, hands-on experience to oversee the work of craftspeople.

While both engineering technologists and technicians work in implementing the designs of engineers, engineering technologists – because they have a more advanced degree – tend to hold more supervisory and managerial positions than engineering technicians, and usually work closer with design engineers and scientists.

What is the difference between engineering and engineering technology?
Sometimes the distinction between a bachelor’s degree in engineering technology (like the ones we offer here at K-State Salina) and the traditional bachelor’s degree in engineering (like the ones offered on the K-State Manhattan campus) is not very obvious. Similar math, science, and communications courses appear in both types of degree programs. Also, even though the technical specialty courses in engineering technology may seem similar to engineering courses, engineering technology courses usually emphasize application of the technical concepts rather than theoretical development of those concepts. Although the technical courses in engineering technology are often less math-intensive, they also include a much higher concentration of laboratory work.

Graduates of engineering programs apply scientific concepts to develop solutions to real world problems. Their jobs are more theoretical, involving the design of new products or concepts. Engineering technology programs prepare students for practical design and production work. Graduates of baccalaureate engineering technology programs may get jobs similar to those obtained by graduates of a bachelor's degree program in engineering, but are more likely to be involved with a company’s production processes than with its research efforts.

Engineering technologists and technicians work for major technological companies across the technological spectrum, but they are best suited to areas that deal with application, manufacturing, implementation, engineering operation, sales, and production, as opposed to the conceptual design and research functions performed by typical engineering graduates.

What specialty fields are available in Engineering Technology at K-State Salina?
K-State Salina offers degree programs in the following disciplines:

Civil and Construction Engineering Technology – Civil and construction engineering technicians focus on the construction of the facilities that are essential to modern life, such as buildings, roads, mass-transit systems, canals, water treatment facilities, dams, bridges, and airports. Civil and construction engineering technicians may work in the office, the field, or both, and they may serve as project managers, cost estimators, and schedulers.

Computer Science Technology – Computer science technicians write, test, and debug computer programs, test operating systems, and help develop and test the database applications used in business and industry. Many Computer Science Technology graduates work as network administrators and may be responsible for the installation or maintenance of a major computer network.

Electronic and Computer Engineering Technology – Professionals in this area help to develop and test new communication devices, telecommunication systems, and industrial and consumer electronic products and systems. They also assist in the design, manufacture, and application of new computer technology. Some engineering technicians and technologists are responsible for the maintenance and operation of automated manufacturing systems.

Mechanical Engineering Technology – Mechanical engineering technicians and technologists help to develop the machines and related systems that we depend upon in our daily lives, ranging from automobiles and airplanes to printing presses and factories. They also help create and supervise the processes for manufacturing, testing, and improving products.

 

Professional Engineering Technician / Technologist

A Professional Technician is someone who, through academic training and experience in the application of mathematics and engineering or scientific principles, is capable of accepting responsibility and of exercising judgment in the specialized portion of the field of applied science / engineering technology in which training has been achieved. By virtue of this training and experience, a technician is often delegated responsibility for aspects of work within this specialized portion of the field of training.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

The academic training for a technician is based upon a core of applied mathematics and engineering / science fundamentals. The mathematics core would include topics such as algebra, geometry, trigonometry, descriptive statistics, computer applications and introductory calculus, to the extent required for the explanation of technical components of the specialized area of training. The technician will use mathematics as a tool in the solution of the technical problems of his / her specialized field. The engineering and science fundamentals provide a firm base along with mathematics for specialized training which normally invokes empirical rather than analytical solutions to technical problems. The academic and theoretical portion of a program of training is suitably reinforced by laboratory and project experience amounting to approximately one half of the total program.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Employment or career opportunities exist in many phases of industry, consulting, business, governmental, and public organizations. Typical areas would include design, marketing, sales, estimating, laboratory, research and development, production control, purchasing, operations and production, testing, quality control, maintenance, customer and field service, supervision of projects and people, instruction and training. Such work is usually in association with other professionals as part of a team.

The technician may assist in the design of equipment or systems; assist in the interpretation and preparation or modification of specifications, technical drawings or instructions; prepare estimates, and supervise phases of major projects.

Conduct tests;

Build prototypes of models; operate pilot plants; trouble-shoot equipment; resolve production or construction problems; compile data and reports.

Supervise phases of construction projects; inspect construction projects;

Conduct tests, surveys or prepare estimates for construction activities.

Trouble-shoot, service, calibrate or supervise the repair or installation of equipment processes or products.

Provide support for operations activities including supervision of operations or operation-related activities such as quality assurance, production control, and maintenance.

Provide support in laboratory environments by conducting experiments, conducting tests or servicing complex equipment in support of research and development, quality control or academic activities.

Supervise, train, and coordinate the activities of others.

While some duties of the technician may be similar to skilled craftsmen or tradesmen, these would not normally be of a routine nature and would normally apply on sophisticated equipment or processes. Many of the duties of the technician will be similar to the duties of technologists and other professionals but these will normally be in a very selective area of specialization.