Not enough hands on

The hardest part about a Mechanical Engineering degree, besides the entire thing being math and theory, is getting the hands on experience needed for a career. I have spoken to many Engineers, whom, back in the day, received all their hands on IN class. They are frustrated theses days to see how Universities, and other higher education institutions are failing to provide the necessary tools and training for students.



I have to agree. Once the Federal government started to mandate what WAS "required" for a good engineer, things started to go down hill. DOnt get me wrong, i am grateful for my choice to be an engineer, but do i really need all this theory? I have had almost 4 years of theory and only ONE class that offers the hands on and its not even part of the engineering degree, its part of the machining and manufacturing. Its sad actually. Some of the best engineers i know are also machinists, who get down and dirty with equipment. They dont sit behind a desk wearing a suit and tie.

Yes, in my other classes, we used a 3d printer..... Ok, thats cool and all, but we should really be learning Geometric tolerances  and dimensions, engine design, wing design, electric motors, structural design, truss systems and deign. There is so much more that i feel has been left out. Statics and strengths is no were near enough hands on. Its all theory on systems that dont really exist or have any type of application.  The best problems i have encountered in my classes are ones that actually can happen.  If you were to ask any student how a toaster works, MOST, if not all would say the same thing " the wire inside acts as a resister, basically not allowing current through, so it heats up and toasts your bread" Granted this may be true, but completely vague and lacking. I doubt any of us students actually know how the switch mechanism works or the rest of the toaster. So how are we supposed to help build the future, if we dont even know how a toaster fully works? This seems to be why so many planes are crashing, things breaking, not lasting no where near the amount of time they should.

I have had to go outside the university level, pay other professors at tech schools, in order to learn things that we should have been taught in engineering school. I took a drafting class and became certified in solid-works, inventor, auto-cad, and sketchup. I had to take a machining class out side of my degree just to see how some very very very basic things work.  Its been tough these last 6 years of schooling because of this. But, non the less, i was able to get SOME BASIC hands on, no where near what i need to be a good engineer, but hopefully enough to land a job....