A University-Industry Approach to Continuing Education for Engineers

A cooperative university-industry approach to satisfying continuing education needs for engineers is presented. The effort involves the Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Maine at Orono, and Fairchild Semiconductor, South Portland, Maine. The program which results is a solution to a troublesome geographical problem since the industry is separated from the center of science and engineering education for the state by some 150 miles. This program includes courses offered in-house at Fairchild via a closed-circuit television-talkback system, a commuting professor and Fairchild engineers who have qualified for admission to the graduate faculty. A unique semester-on-campus grants the student-engineer a paid industrial sabbatical. Degree candidates culminate their M.S.E.E. program with a work-related thesis. However, the in-house courses, which are specifically designed to meet the joint requirements of the student and the industry, are open to all engineers, whether degree candidates or not.