Military service is increasingly a high-tech calling, so many veterans are entering civilian life with hands-on work experiences that could translate well to engineering-related careers.
Veterans are primed to fill the pipeline of technical talent, says Dr. Ashok Agrawal, of the American Society for Engineering Education. But the path to engineering and engineering technology degrees is not always clear.
Dr. Agrawal says national action is needed to facilitate the transition. Colleges and universities could adopt uniform standards and processes for translating military training into academic credit. Additional pathways could be created through partnerships between two- and four-year colleges, he says.
– Melissa Mathews, The Engineering 100