What is Technology Career Paths - Hudson Valley Consortium?

Technology Career Paths is a regional partnership of schools and colleges, economic development agencies, and industry, formed to raise awareness about high-tech career opportunities here in the Hudson Valley. The NYS Department of Labor projects 100 engineering technician job openings to be filled locally in each year until at least 2006!

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What is a technician and how is that different from an engineer?

Technicians are graduates of two-year college engineering technology programs.  They produce, operate, test, sell, and service the products and systems of our technological society.  Engineers are graduates of four-year college engineering programs and they conceive, design, and develop those products and systems.

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What is it like to be a modern-day technician?

There was a time when technician training meant hand tools and hard labor. But today’s "high tech" world is a complex, sophisticated world of microchips, fiber optics, and robotics. Today’s high-tech worker uses math and science fundamentals to solve problems and programs machines to do the labor. The workplace has changed, too. Technicians operate in attractive, modern facilities, designed and maintained to the highest standards of cleanliness and efficiency.

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What Skills does an Engineering Technician need?

The skill set includes an appreciation of diverse work environments, flexibility, teamwork, an eye for detail, organizational skills, and problem solving.  The necessary foundations of math and science along with computer skills are developed during the two-year Engineering Technology program.

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Who are these companies?

This site identifies the companies in our area that are interested in employing graduates with a two-year, Engineering Technology degree. Additional companies are expected to join this initiative and be included in future publications.

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What do these companies have to offer?

Above $30,000 in salary to start (that's with the two-year degree and no experience) – great benefits including health insurance, a retirement plan and the opportunity for individuals to continue their education in the field through company supported tuition assistance. Please note that while every company has a different salary and benefit structure – all the companies listed at this site are competitive in this area.

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What area colleges offer this degree?

Dutchess, Orange and Ulster County Community Colleges currently have two-year programs in Engineering Technology in place. The Sullivan County Community College program is under development.

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Where does the urgency come from?

In 1998 Governor Pataki announced plans to make New York State a competitive site for some of the estimated three dozen, next century semiconductor chip manufacturing plants expected to be built worldwide over the next three to five years. "Shovel-ready" local sites include the Town of Wallkill in Orange County and East Fishkill in Dutchess County. Even without a new plant in our area, the demand far exceeds the supply for high tech manufacturing technicians now. Local community colleges are graduating less than a quarter of the applicants needed to meet the hiring needs of these companies today.

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What about graduates with four year degrees?

A four-year bachelor’s degree in a technical field will qualify a person for exciting careers in engineering, manufacturing and management. Such individuals are also in demand by the companies listed in this directory. These companies, however, have indicated they are experiencing the most difficulty recruiting new employees with the preferred two year degree.

With the high cost of a college education, it is worth considering the two-year degree to obtain a high paying job and then take advantage of employer tuition assistance programs to pursue the four-year degree. With this in mind, paths are being established from the area community colleges to SUNY New Paltz and Marist College. A student opting for the SUNY New Paltz path will work towards a bachelor’s degree in Electrical or Computer Engineering.  A path to a specially designed bachelor's program in Technology Management is under discussion.  Currently, two-year technology graduates can obtain a bachelor's degree at Marist College in Integrative Studies with a technology management focus.

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Where can I find more information about technology careers?

Click here.