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April 1971 Popular Electronics
 Table of Contents
Wax nostalgic about and learn from the history of early electronics. See articles
from
Popular Electronics,
published October 1954 - April 1985. All copyrights are hereby acknowledged.
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This 1971 article from
Popular Electronics magazine was the twelfth in a long series of features
reporting on electronics related college degrees, technical schools, on-the-job
training, military training, areas of specialty, career planning and options, current
hiring practices and companies doing the hiring, salaries and hourly rates, worker's
compensation and insurance, etc. All the issues of importance today were being covered
even half a century ago, although the names have been changed for some entities.
For instance the state employment bureaus are now referred to as departments of
labor and industry; e.g., here in Pennsylvania, the
DLI supplies statistics on labor classifications and average pay. It can
be downloaded rather than needing to write to or visit the office to get a copy.
Interestingly, this column also addresses a dilemma still faced by many people -
quitting college before actually being awarded a diploma, even if only a few credits
shy, it gains you no favor in the sight of an employer looking for someone with
a college degree.
See other installments:
3rd,
7th,
12th,
20th
Opportunity Awareness - Thoughtful Reflections On Your Future
Twelfth in a Monthly Series by David L. Heiserman
Wages - Yours vs. Average
How call I find out whether or not my wages are in line with other electronic
technicians working in my part of the country?
The statistics division of your state employment bureau compiles the most complete
and impartial wage statistics for your part of the country. These annual reports
break down the wage figures according to occupation, type of business or industry,
and city or geographic area.
You can generally get a free copy of the report - or at least see one - by visiting
your nearest state employment office. If that doesn't work, write directly to your
state's division of labor statistics.
Also, your local library should have a recent copy of Employment and Earnings
Statistics for States and Areas. This book, published by the U.S. Department of
Labor's Bureau of Labor statistics, is a collection of all the wage reports submitted
by the states.
Engineering College Drop-Out
I am in my third year of study at a 5-year engineering college. Although the
VA is helping me, I am finding it more and more difficult to be a responsible family
man and full-time engineering student at the same time. So I will be dropping out
of college at the end of this term to get a full-time job. I have four years of
experience as a Navy Electronics Technician and three full years of college behind
me. How can I use this background to help me get a good job in electronics?
You may think your three years of college add to your value as an employee; and
strictly speaking, you're right. However, without some kind of diploma in your hand,
you'll most likely find yourself making some tough compromises at job interviews.
You certainly won't be able to get a graduate engineer's position and salary, for
instance, but you should be able to do better than a man who has no higher education
at all. You'll find yourself being classified somewhere in a murky gray area between
a technician and an engineer. The question is "where?" Unless you can get some kind
of diploma or know someone who can vouch for your abilities, you'll probably have
to start out more on a technician level.
A transcript of grades might help convince prospective employers you have the
potential for becoming a good engineer or engineering technician. Unless your grades
are exceptionally good, however, displaying then at a job interview may do more
harm than good.
It's a sad fact of life that a college drop-out with an "A" or "B" average has
a tough time commanding the same kind of respect granted a college graduate with
a "C" average.
You may have guessed by now that my advice is to stay in college - at least on
a part-time basis. If you don't have the money or time for part-time college work,
I suggest you transfer your credits to a two-year technical school and attend evening
classes. You might be able to get a degree in Electrical Engineering Technology
in less than a year.
The point is to get some formal credentials. You'll still have to work hard for
what you want, but formal credentials will give you a better foothold at the start.
Out-of-Town Jobs
In our October 1970 column. we suggested that readers looking for jobs in distant
localities. should contact the headquarters of Snelling and Snelling (a nationwide
employment agency) in Paoli. Penn. Since they have 540 offices in 45 states. the
agency tells us that they can serve you better if you contact your local office
or the one in the nearest large city. (See the white pages of the telephone book.)
A list of these offices may be obtained by writing to the Public Relations Dept.
of Snelling and Snelling. Inc., 2 Industrial Blvd ., Paoli, PA 19301, but resumes
should be sent to local offices.
Posted March 11, 2019
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