INCOSE 2001 Session 3: The Non-Academic Viewpoint Led by Bob Tufts

Standard/print. 2 Agenda Presenters –Bob Tufts, Logicon TASC –Mary Simpson, Battelle US –David Wright, MOD UK –Jean-Phillipe, Lerat Open forum debate

Standard/print. 3 INCOSE 2001 An Industry View of the Academic Situation By Robert J. Tufts Northrop Grumman TASC

Standard/print. 4 Outline Introduction What Industry Needs What Academia is Providing The Industry Response Conclusion

Standard/print. 5 Introduction The need for systems engineers has grown dramatically –Advent of Systems-of-Systems made the point Everyone needs some SEs, whatever they are Industry and academia have both tried to respond –Industry was first to see the demand –Academia is trying to build the curricula and educational models Current situation is one mans opinion –Audience needs to judge for themselves

Standard/print. 6 What Industry Needs Industry needs 2-3 times as many systems engineers as are currently available –Principal systems engineers with a lot of scar tissue –Senior systems engineers who can lead –Junior systems engineers to get excited about parts of the program The situation has been getting worse each year!

Standard/print. 7 What Industry Needs (Contd) Personnel with a Bachelors Degree: –A T educational model –General understanding of systems engineering (top bar of the T) –Well grounded in one technical discipline (post of the T) Personnel with a Masters Degree: –Practical experience –Well grounded in a number of disciplines –Strong knowledge of systems engineering processes and practices Certified systems engineers –Well versed in industry processes and procedures

Standard/print. 8 What Academia is Providing Bachelors Degree Programs –Mostly traditional science & engineering courses –Few, if any, systems engineering classes –Even less systems engineering degree programs Masters Degree Programs –Only a handful in each state –Mostly built in a hurry to meet industry needs One or two SE classes added to other, more traditional courses –Survey of 22 colleges and universities in DC area No commonality in systems engineering coursework Certified Systems Engineers –Not being addressed by academia

Standard/print. 9 The Industry Response Industry cant wait five years for academia to figure it out! –Systems engineers are needed NOW Industry response is well measured –First determine what is needed –Then find some way to get it Current response if academia cant provide training and education –Develop training/education programs in-house –Hire a training company full time –Use distance learning for synchronous/asynchronous classes –Develop tailored masters degree programs with local/remote universities

Standard/print. 10 The Industry Response (Contd) Current response (contd) –Join University Curriculum Review Committees –Focused hiring - even music majors make good engineers –Create Technology Leadership Development Programs –Establish Corporate Institutes and Universities Some companies have even purchased universities outright –Motorola–Hewlett Packard Others have formed Corporate Universities composed of various Colleges and Institutes –Oracle –Microsoft –MANY others - this is the trend today

Standard/print. 11 Conclusion The need for systems engineers is growing faster than academia can produce them –This need will increase as more systems-of- systems are designed and developed If academia doesnt respond quickly, they will lose a ready source of revenue –Its already happening –Once its gone, its gone for good

Standard/print. 12 Conclusion (Contd) Where its going: By 2005, public schools will lose influence to private corporations* By 2006, Venture Capitalists will get into the act and fund Corporate institutes* By 2008, schools will stay open longer and focus on retraining adult workers* By 2012, distance learning will be the norm for all education* By 2025, Private corporations will own 5% of the colleges and universities ** * Forecasts for the Next 25 Years, Special Report, the World Future Society, April 2001 ** Personal prediction