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Subject:Experience and Advanced Degrees From:"George F. Hayhoe" <george -at- GHAYHOE -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 6 Apr 1999 10:56:25 -0400
There have been lots of interesting comments on this topic.
On the one hand, I agree with the sentiment that it's
important for those seeking degrees--especially advanced
degrees--to get practical experience in our field before
completing their programs. At the same time, our field is
not the only one in which graduates of bachelor's, master's,
and even doctoral programs enter the job market with little
if any "real world" experience.
Internships and co-op programs are excellent means of
providing this kind of experience to students. Some years
ago when I taught at a university with a phenomenally
successful co-op program, I saw engineering students blossom
as they gained on-the-job experience that deepened their
appreciation of the technical subjects taught in the college
of engineering as well as of the writing skills I taught. I
never heard one of them complain that it took an additional
year to complete their degrees. Of course, the big bucks
they made during their co-op terms didn't hurt at all
either.
Those of us in the "real world" need to realize that we're
the ones who make such programs possible, however. We need
to encourage our companies to network with universities to
provide these opportunities--not just creating intern or
co-op job slots, but also providing the mentoring students
need to make the most of the program. This is as much an
investment in the company's future as facilities, capital
equipment, and training for permanent staff.
We also need to establish exchange programs that encourage
university faculty members to work in industry and industry
folks to teach. This kind of cross-fertilization can only
benefit everyone--in both academe and industry--who comes
into contact with it.
In the end, though, we also need to realize that everyone
has a first job, and no matter how much practical experience
he or she has obtained before that point, that first
"permanent" job continues the learning experience that
started in the classroom.
