Who is the engineering technology graduate and where do they go?

Those formally educated in engineering identify themselves as engineers. How do those with degrees in engineering technology identify themselves? The lack of differentiating research between these two groups of graduates often leads to engineering technology students being taught or researched in the same manner as their engineering peers. This is problematic. As differing populations, they react to stimuli differently, as well as make different choices related to career trajectory. Those who work with both groups recognize the differences and are concerned about the engineering technology graduates as they move through their undergraduate programs and then into their post-graduation career paths. The engineering technology graduate is not often recognized as an engineer by some industries, therefore they assume different titles and career trajectories than their peers in engineering. Ultimately, when reviewed as a group, career trajectories for the engineering technology graduate are not well understood. Research shows that those who do not self-identify with a field usually move out of that field, suggesting that community and identity are somehow interconnected. This work should provide a better understanding of that movement by the engineering technology graduate. The survey asks questions intended to explore how graduates move through their career, what changes they recommend for program seniors, and what community of practice they identify with. Engineering technology graduates often find this identifying with a community of practice difficult to foster, and the survey questions delve into some of the reasons for this issue. A survey was chosen over a generalized examination of a database because engineering technology graduates assume titles and position descriptions that vary from company to company. The focus of this work is intended to begin identification of the engineering technology graduates career trajectory. Given the impact of global economy and world events on the job market, the researchers believe graduates from the last twenty years will be most relevant to this study. The survey used for this work addresses three areas, including demographics, experiences in the job search, and career trajectory. The alumni association sent an email to engineering technology graduates that included a link to the survey. Survey results will serve as evidence of career trajectory, networking, and issues encountered by the engineering technology graduate. It is anticipated that the results of this study will provide further direction and evidence of the need to differentiate of this unique population to practitioners.