The counterintuitive side of engineering

Oddball390
Tue, 08 Mar 2011 16:12:25 +0000

Would anyone here have any more insight as to whether such speculation is actually the case, or if there is something else completely different going on?

The grads from the top UC schools lack practical job skills and/or are overconfident. Instead of learning practical knowledge (like choosing an appropriate shoring method for construction), they spend time doing theoretical stuff like deriving the finite element method. Many of them are thinking that if they can do all the hard theory, finding work will be a piece of cake since they know so much more (and/or are smarter) than the competition. As a result, they start looking for jobs much later than Cal Poly grads.

On the other hand, the Cal Poly system pushes students into employment. A lot of their work is practical knowledge that is used in the field. Many of their projects involve going to construction sites, factories, etc, where they not only see how things are done in the field but also get the contact info of project managers and engineers. This expands their network and increases the places where they can look for work.

Herd mentality and psychology may also play a role. If you go to the top UC schools and notice that very few of your classmates are finding jobs, you may be thinking “Man, I can’t get anything because the economy sucks. Maybe I’ll go to grad school like what my other friends are doing.” However, a Cal Poly grad who sees that many fellow classmates already have a job lined up may be more motivated and confident. He/she will be thinking “If my classmates are all finding jobs, why can’t I?” and will look even harder for one.

Finally, wealth and demographics may also be a factor. On average, top UC students come from richer families who can afford that extra tuition. They’re more likely to have parents that can support them while waiting for that “dream job” or while going to grad school. Cal Poly students, on the other hand, mostly come from working-class families who can’t support them for long. They know that they need money for tuition and to support themselves and/or their families, so they try every possible way to find internships and jobs.

Disclaimer: I don’t know anyone in UCB’s engineering school, and I’ve never been anywhere near that campus. Although I know a few students from the UC and Cal Poly schools, what I’ve just said is a best guess and may be far from the truth.