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<p>There is a school of thought that specific course content aside, the rigors of an engineering program (and to some extent, any bachelor’s or higher degree program) prepares one for engineering work better than if no degree had been earned. Some reasons given are that it shows the ability to do analytical and logical work; the curricula form the basis for doing work in a wide variety of fields; such candidates will have the motivation and perseverance to perform such work.</p>
<p>An opposing school of thought wants the job candidate that is ready and able to hit the ground running. They want candidates who have been fully trained to do the job they are hired for. In this case, an engineering degree is fine, if all of the subject matter has been covered. Otherwise, any combination of education and/or experience, even self-taught, will do. Someone who needs to be trained, or even who could learn the job on their own time, is considered less valuable.</p>