The Online Degree Dorm Room

engineering degree online|Globalization Brings Forth New Era in Engineering

Posted by bposton on November 2nd, 2006 — Posted in engineering degree online

Let’s say you’re hard at work when all of a sudden you have to stop everything to fix a computer problem.

(I hate it when that happens…)

So you call your friendly computer manufacturer’s help line, where a technician diagnoses and helps you solve the problem. So back to work you go.

Now, did you realize that the technician who just saved your behind was a couple of continents away?

It’s the whole Globalization thing. Globalization is linking national economies. But it is creating some unique issues and challenges for the business world - especially in the engineering field.

I’d say that the growth of the global economy can be seen as a double edged sword.
On one hand, it gives nations (like the U.S.) the chance to reduce manufacturing costs
and to do business in a global market. But on the other hand, it becomes more challenging for a business to stay in business.

With companies working in worldwide redistribution of labor and production, engineers are starting to see and feel the impact that the global market has on their jobs.

That means that to understand all the dynamics of the global marketplace, it’s critical for you to go beyond the traditional technical skills and learn other areas such as project management, global marketing and even a foreign language or two. Yikes!! :-0

The good news is that many colleges and universities are now starting to take a new approach to training and instructing future engineers. That includes preparing students for working abroad and functioning effectively on international design teams, and it includes such coursework as studying foreign languages and project management.

Even better, some colleges and universities are also creating nontraditional academic programs and getting into distance learning to help with intercultural teaming and cross-cultural communications.

It’s a brave new world out there. May sure you’re ready to tame it!

Ben