Giacini 1

Megan Giacini
Dr. Guenzel
ENC 1102 A003
June 16, 2014
Wanted: Students interested in Electrical Engineering
Why do we need more students pursuing an electrical engineering degree?
Because there is a shortage. According to Brian Yoder PhD, the total number of engineers
that graduated with a bachelors degree from 2010-2011 was 83,000. Of the 83-thousand,
2,153 were electrical engineers. Brian Yoder PhD is director of assessment, evaluation,
and institutional research for the American Society for Engineering Education. Also,
according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics the employment change of
electrical engineers is roughly 12,600. To illustrate Brian Yoders argument and the U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics I created this formula:

Taking 2,153, dividing it by two for one years worth of students, multiplying it by ten for
the next ten years, then subtracting the employment change given by the U.S. Bureau,
12,600 the number computed would be the resulting open jobs in the next ten years. In
United States Bureau of Labor
Statistics
Employment Change for Electri cal Engineers for the next 10 years: 12,600
2,153 (EE)
2 years
10 years
12,600 (EE)
1,840 Electrical Engineers
Megan Giacini
Giacini 2
result, if 21- hundred graduates every two years, the United States will be short 1,840
electrical engineers. That is more than a years graduating class. Xianglei Chen from the
national center for education statistics did a six year study on students who pursued a
bachelors degree. 72% of the study pursued non-STEM majors; 28% pursued STEM.
However, over the course of the study 48% of the STEM students dropped their major.
STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. One way to
increase electrical engineers is to increase the number of students who want to pursue
the degree while at college. By increasing and maintaining student interest in STEM
majors, this will help to increase, by extension, students pursuing electrical engineering
majors.
How does one increase student interest then? Future college students have to
take an interest in engineering classes before they enter college. At the moment high
schools across the country have Science Olympiad teams. The Science Olympiad is an
American elementary, middle, and high school team competition in which students
compete in 'events' pertaining to various scientific disciplines, including earth science,
biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering, according to the Wikipedia article. But, this
Olympiad has been around since the 1980s. It does not have a big enough impact to get
students interested in STEM degrees. High schools have to put an effort in essentially
selling the idea of an engineering degree. One opportunity high schools can implement
is PLTW classes. PLTW stands for Project Lead The Way. PLTW is a nonprofit
organization and program, working alongside Lockheed Martin, and offering technology
and engineering based classes. During the classes the students will have hands on
experience with design and development with woodworking and making working circuit
Giacini 3
boards; they will practice computer integrated manufacturing which includes
programming a robotic arm and a CNC-router (a small automated drill press); for seniors
there will be working on their senior design project which they will work on for the full
school year. These classes can be taken for college credit transferring to Rochester
Institute of Technology, California State Polytechnic University, and 150 others.
According to the article "Partnership Works To Develop Next Generation Of Engineers,"
most of the fully participating schools are in California, Colorado, Maryland, New York,
Minnesota, and Texas. They classes are fun, give the impending engineers the opportunity
to gain real experience, and get a peak at what various types of engineers really do. By
implementing PLTW classes, students interest in engineering and electrical engineering
will greatly raise, resulting in them taking up engineering majors.
However, once the students apply for an engineering college and start to attend
their motivation may start to slip. Before they can start in hands on classes they must
complete their core classes first: calculus, chemistry, and, of course physics. Because
these classes are lecture based the potential engineers loose enthusiasm from lack of not
doing stuff. University of Central Florida makes it mandatory to take two consecutive
general engineering classes. The classes have the students make pulley-powered cars,
mini motorboats, and program basic robots. Though these classes do entail some basic
hands on projects, they are not and would not be sufficient for all students across the
country to stay interested in engineering majors while they take core classes for two
years of their college life. Christopher drew from The New York Times reported on what
one institute has done to keep their undergrads driven to continue taking STEM classes.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, in Massachusetts, added optional first-year freshmen
Giacini 4
extensive research, design and social service projects focusing on world problems like
hunger and disease. That kind of early engagement, and letting them see they can work
on something that is interesting and important, is a big deal, says Arthur C. Heinricher,
the dean of undergraduate studies. By having the students work on a large projects they
will feel more of an accomplishment than just a regurgitated curriculum would provide.
Once the students finish their freshman and sophomore years they start taking
their majors specified courses. This is the last major hurtle they have to pass. After they
finish a few of those classes, this is usually the final time they might want to drop or
switch majors. Their junior year is when students should pursue internships, co-ops, and
undergraduate research. If future electrical engineering students do not accomplish one
of these they could enter their field unprepared. Industry needs to support the future
engineers. Internships and co-ops are already highly sought after by students. The
difference between an internship and co-op is internships can be part time during a
semester while co-ops have the person working full time for a work term. Companies like
Lockheed Martin and Seimens are two well-known examples that students intern at.
According to Lockheed Martins website page, the company offers both internships and
co-ops. We look for all Engineering majors, as well as Mathematics, Physics, Business,
Finance, and associated disciplines. On Seimens website article, Where can your
curiosity spark a career of innovation? they present various types of internship
opportunities. The interested students can download the program descriptions and
choose one that fits what they are attracted to. There is a program at U.C.F. that presents
an additional option to internships in the first two years of their college career in a STEM
discipline. Is someone were to look at their website, they would see that one of the
Giacini 5
programs benefits for being an EXCEL student is a paid undergraduate research
experience. On the U.C.F. website it says, Undergraduate research gives students an
opportunity to work closely with faculty while having a hands-on learning experience.
Additionally, the learning that occurs when undergraduate researchers work with
experts in their field cannot be gained in a traditional classroom setting but is best
disseminated in a laboratory, field, clinic, or studio environment. By having students
participate in undergraduate research, internships, or co-ops for electrical engineering it
would seal the deal on their choice in what major to graduate with; in addition to giving
them hands on work experience.
By implementing these ideas and programs, the number of undergraduate
students who want to pursue the degree while at college will increase resulting in more
of them taking on engineering, and electrical engineering jobs. The 28% of student STEM
majors pursuing their degrees will grow; the 48% dropped STEM degrees will decrease.
The United States will then no longer be short 1,840 electrical engineers. For instance,
hypothetically, nation wide 20,000 more students take an interest in STEM class during
high school. 15,000 of these students continue on there education. 13,000 pursue an
engineering degree. 2,000 go for electrical engineering and 300 dropout of this major by
graduating year. By the end of it, 1,700 more electrical engineers would join the
community, majorly decreasing the gap that has been exposed. The general public has to
take action for this to happen. Schoolteachers, educators, and the United States
Department of Education have to get involved for there to be an increase in electrical
engineering, stemming in the innovation of our country.
Giacini 6
Work Cited

Chen, Xianglei. "STEM Attrition: College Students' Paths into and out of STEM Fields.
Statistical Analysis Report. NCES 2014-001." National Center for Education
Statistics (2013).
"Discover. Create. Explore.." Office of Undergraduate Research. University of Central
Florida , n.d. Web. 16 June 2014.
Drew, Christopher. "Why science majors change their minds (Its just so darn hard)." New
York Times (2011): 51-52.
"Partnership Works To Develop Next Generation Of Engineers." Career & Technical
Education Advisor 39.3 (2008): 2. Supplemental Index. Web. 28 May 2014.
"Electrical and Electronics Engineers." U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics, 8 Jan. 2014. Web. 30 May 2014.
"Engineering." PLTW. Project Lead The Way, 1 Jan. 2014. Web. 7 June 2014.
"Mentoring Makes a Difference." Lockheed Martin Internships Co-Ops. Lockheed Martin
Corporation, n.d. Web. 15 June 2014.
"Science Olympiad." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 6 June 2014. Web. 16 June 2014.
"Undergraduate Studies & Affiliated Units." The EXCEL Program. University of Central
Florida , n.d. Web. 15 June 2014.
"Where can your curiosity spark a career of innovation?." Siemens USA. Siemens, n.d. Web.
16 June 2014.
Yoder, Brian L. "Engineering by the Numbers." American Society for Engineering
Education, Washington, DC