Why We Need to Rethink How We Define Skilled Technical Workers

The way we classify skilled technical workers is broken—and it's impacting both workers and the economy. A new study reveals that the current definition misses hundreds of thousands of technically skilled jobs, from modern stonecutters using laser technology to aircraft assemblers working with complex systems.

Issues In Science and Technology posted an interesting article titled Retooling the Definition of the Skilled Technical Workforce. The article, authored by Guy Leonel, Vicki Lancaster, Sarah McDonald, and Cesar Montalvo claims the way we classify skilled technical workers is broken—and it's hurting both workers and the economy. Their study reveals that the current definition used by The National Science Board misses hundreds of thousands of technically skilled jobs, from modern stonecutters using laser technology to aircraft assemblers working with complex systems.

The researchers claim The National Science Board's definition of the skilled technical workforce relies on outdated survey data that focuses on education credentials rather than actual skills. This approach uses the Department of Labor’s Occupational Information Network (O*NET) system, which asks workers to rate their knowledge across 14 STEM domains on a 1-7 scale. Jobs that don't score at least 4.5 get excluded—even if they require sophisticated technical skills. Take stonecutters: They've evolved from using hand chisels to operating CNC machines, CAD software, laser scanners, and water jet cutters, yet they're not considered part of the skilled technical workforce under current definitions.

The researchers propose focusing on actual job skills rather than degrees and using real-time job posting data instead of small, outdated surveys. When they analyzed 91,000 job postings with over 5,000 skills, they found 56% more occupations qualified as skilled technical work compared to the current system. Eighty-four additional occupations—including sheet metal workers, automotive repairers, and aircraft assemblers—were identified as requiring advanced technical skills.

Getting the definition right has real consequences: better workforce planning, improved career guidance for nondegree credentials, enhanced economic competitiveness, and more recognized pathways to middle-class careers. As technology rapidly transforms work, our methods for measuring skilled technical jobs must evolve too. The current system can't keep pace with how AI, automation, and digital tools are reshaping occupations. By embracing real-time job data and focusing on actual skills, we can build a more accurate picture of America's technical workforce and better support the workers who keep our economy running.

I strongly encourage reading the entire Issues In Technology and Science article.

Some Of My Favorite AI Tools For Engineering Students

As an engineering professor, I've seen how AI tools are transforming how we tackle our coursework, from solving complex equations and debugging code to creating visualizations and polishing lab reports. Whether you are wrestling with thermodynamics problems at midnight or designing circuits for a project, these AI assistants will help you work smarter and learn more effectively. Here's a list of some of my favorite AI enabled resources for engineering students. This list is in no way complete!

 

For Problem-Solving and Calculations:

·       Wolfram Alpha - Exceptional for advanced mathematics, physics, and engineering calculations. It can solve differential equations, perform matrix operations, and provide step-by-step solutions.

·       Symbolab - Great for calculus, linear algebra, and showing detailed problem-solving steps.

·       MATLAB Online - While not purely AI, it includes AI/ML toolboxes and is essential for many engineering courses. We all use it!

 

For Research and Learning:

·       Claude - Helpful for explaining complex engineering concepts, debugging code, and providing detailed technical explanations.

·       Gemini (Google's AI) - Excellent for research and technical explanations, with strong integration with Google services and ability to analyze images and technical diagrams.

·       ChatGPT - Good for general engineering questions and concept clarification.

·       Perplexity AI - Excellent for research as it provides citations and up-to-date information.

 

For Programming and Code:

·       GitHub Copilot - Invaluable for coding assignments in Python, C++, MATLAB, and other languages commonly used in engineering.

·       Replit AI - Integrated coding environment with AI assistance.

·       Gemini Code Assist - Google's coding assistant, particularly strong with Google Cloud and web development.

 

For Design and Visualization:

·       DALL-E 3 or Midjourney - Useful for creating diagrams, conceptual designs, or visualizations for presentations.

·       Canva AI - Helpful for creating professional presentations and posters.

 

For Writing and Documentation:

·       Grammarly - Essential for lab reports, technical writing, and documentation.

·       Quillbot - Useful for paraphrasing and improving technical writing clarity.

 

Specialized Engineering Tools:

·       Ansys AI - For simulation and analysis in mechanical/aerospace engineering.

·       PSpice - Industry-standard circuit simulation software .

·       CircuitLab - For electrical engineering circuit analysis.

 

Study and Organization:

·       Notion AI - Great for organizing notes, creating study guides, and managing projects.

·       Anki with AI plugins - For creating smart flashcards for technical terms and formulas.

 

These are just some of many excellent AI tools that I use.... some are more "AI" than others. Most colleges and universities offer free or discounted access to many of these tools. I'd recommend starting with one or two that match your immediate needs and gradually exploring others as you progress through your coursework. Always check your university's academic integrity policies regarding AI use in assignments.

A Response - Rethinking Engineering Education for the AI Era

In my last post, Reimagining Engineering Homework with Simulators in the Age of AI, I argued that traditional electrical engineering homework focused on calculations is now easily solved by AI, requiring educators to shift to simulator-based assignments that develop higher-order skills like design, troubleshooting, and systems thinking. By using circuit simulation tools, students can engage in active experimentation and real-world problem-solving that requires distinctly human engineering judgment that AI cannot replicate.

I received the following comment on the post: 

I agree that it makes no sense to assess students' ability to make calculations that the simulators they are familiar with already make. The problem, though, is that even the tasks you suggest (e.g., create a design that meets specifications) can be already be accomplished by a variety of generative artificial intelligence platforms. Which begs the questions: what will the electrical engineers we are training actually do when they graduate, and what will they need to know in order to do it?

I’d be a liar if I said I was not asking myself the same questions. Here’s my reply:

You raise a crucial point that goes to the heart of modern engineering education. The rapid advancement of AI tools that can handle both calculations and design tasks challenges us to fundamentally reconsider what students need to learn.

I think the key lies in developing capabilities that remain distinctly human, even as AI handles more routine tasks. Future electrical engineers will likely need to excel in:

Systems thinking and integration - While AI can generate designs meeting specific parameters, engineers must understand how components interact within larger systems, identify trade-offs, and make judgment calls that balance competing constraints beyond what can be easily quantified.

Problem definition and formulation - Perhaps most critically, engineers need to determine what problems to solve in the first place. AI can optimize solutions, but it still requires human insight to identify the right questions and define meaningful specifications that serve real human needs.

Critical evaluation and verification - Engineers must be able to assess AI-generated solutions, spot errors or limitations, and validate that designs work in real-world conditions with all their messy complexities.

Innovation at the intersection - The most valuable engineers will combine domain expertise with an understanding of what AI can and cannot do, using these tools creatively to solve problems that neither humans nor AI could tackle alone.

Rather than competing with AI on tasks it can already do, engineering education must focus on these higher-level skills while using AI tools as aids in the learning process itself. 

Reimagining Engineering Homework with Simulators in the Age of AI

…. simulator-based assignments shift engineering education from passive computation to active

investigation…..

As AI tools now easily solve most traditional homework problems, engineering educators face a critical inflection point in meaningful assignment design. In my discipline, electrical engineering, the traditional homework model, focused on calculating impedance, solving differential equations, or applying Kirchhoff's laws, no longer serves as an effective assessment of student understanding. Fortunately, circuit simulation technologies offer a powerful supplement that transforms how students engage with electrical engineering concepts.

Simulators like PSpice, Multisim, and MATLAB provide virtual laboratories where students can experiment without physical constraints. Rather than simply calculating a circuit's frequency response, students can manipulate component values, sweep frequencies, and observe real-time effects through virtual oscilloscopes and spectrum analyzers. This shifts homework from passive computation to active investigation. When a student asks "what happens if I replace this capacitor?" they're engaging in authentic engineering inquiry that AI (at least not yet) cannot replicate.

The educational value extends beyond mere observation. Quality circuit simulator-based assignments require students to predict behavior, troubleshoot unexpected results, and optimize designs within real-world constraints. Students might investigate why their amplifier circuit distorts at specific frequencies, determine the optimal filter topology for a given application, or debug timing issues in a digital logic system. These higher-order engineering thinking skills remain distinctly human despite AI's computational prowess.

Virtual circuit simulators democratize access to sophisticated equipment and scenarios that might otherwise be unavailable due to cost, safety concerns, or physical limitations. Consider electrical engineering students without access to $10,000 oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, or signal generators, through simulators they can conduct virtual experiments with professional grade virtual instrumentation. Students can work with high voltage power electronics without risk of electrocution, or experiment with expensive radio frequency components without fear of destroying them. Those with mobility limitations gain equitable access to bench electronics through virtual labs requiring no physical soldering or manipulation of components.

The boundaries of practical learning dissolve as well. Students can simulate microwave circuits operating at 77 GHz for automotive radar, design integrated circuits with nanometer-scale transistors, or test power distribution networks for satellite systems, applications that would be physically inaccessible due to fabrication requirements or specialized equipment needs. Time constraints also vanish: simulations can compress hours of thermal analysis into seconds, or slow down switching transients in power converters to observable speeds. This temporal flexibility enables understanding of electrical phenomena that operate on timescales incompatible with traditional oscilloscope measurements.

Perhaps most importantly, simulators create a psychological safety net that encourages bold experimentation. Students can intentionally exceed component ratings, create short circuits, or test failure modes without destroying expensive components or creating safety hazards. They can iterate rapidly through dozens of design variations without the time consuming process of physically rebuilding circuits. This freedom to fail productively cultivates the innovative thinking critical for solving complex electrical engineering problems that AI cannot address.

Applications will further develop collaboration features for circuit simulation platforms, creating environments that mirror real electrical engineering workplaces. Students will share designs, conduct peer reviews, and tackle complex projects like software defined radios together. This approach teaches essential professional skills including communicating design intentions, resolving different specification approaches, and building consensus, social learning experiences that AI tools cannot replicate.

For electrical engineering educators, the transition requires rethinking assessment metrics. Rather than evaluating whether a student correctly calculated a circuit's gain, we must develop rubrics that measure design robustness, component selection rationale, and troubleshooting methodology. The focus shifts from "did they get the right transfer function?" to "did they create a design that meets specifications under varied conditions?"

 

MATLAB Tip Calculator on Your Phone

In this video I show how to take your MATLAB code and run it on your iPhone. 

Here's a list of instructions you can use while watching the video.

In MATLAB on Your Computer

• Create a MATLAB script or function.

• Document your code by adding explanatory comments at the beginning of the file and within each section.

• Publish the code. On the Publish tab, click Publish.
• By default, MATLAB creates a subfolder named html, which contains an HTML file and files for each graphic that your code creates. The HTML file includes the code, formatted comments, and output. Alternatively, you can publish to other formats, such as PDF files or Microsoft PowerPoint® presentations. For more information on publishing to other formats, see Specify Output File.
• In MATLAB Online™, to allow MATLAB to open output windows automatically when publishing, enable pop-up windows in your Web browser.

• After publishing the code, you must share the folder containing the published files. For more information, see Share Folders in MATLAB.

• To share a folder from MATLAB®, MATLAB Drive Connector must be running and the folder you choose to share must be in your MATLAB Drive. If you are working in MATLAB Online, you do not need MATLAB Drive Connector to share folders since sharing is always enabled.
• See: https://www.mathworks.com/products/matlab-drive.html

• To save to the MATLAB Drive, in MATLAB select Publish -> Save -> Save As -> navigate to MATLAB-Drive and save tipcalculator.m there.

On Your Phone

• Install the MATLAB app on your phone, login to your account and access the script saved in to cloud. You must have internet access to access.

• Impress your family and friends with your tip knowledge, skills and abilities!

And if you want to also impress them a little more, here's how to mirror your iPhone screen on a Mac.

1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac with a USB cable.
2. Open the QuickTime Player on your Mac.
3. Click “File”, and choose “New Movie Recording”.
4. Click the Options pop-up menu, then Choose Your Connected iPhone. ...
5. The iPhone screen will now instantly display on the Mac.

MATLAB Tip Calculator Fix-Up

This summer I'm building a series of MathWorks MATLAB (short for Matrix Laboratory) videos for an introductory online course I'm putting together at Holyoke Community College.

 

In this video I fix-up a previously saved tip calculator script in MATLAB. In the next video I'll show you how to transfer the script to your cell phone so you can use it when you eat out!

The course will start from ground zero assuming the student has no experience with MATLAB and work up to some interesting and powerful analysis techniques. Over the summer I’ll be posting additional MATLAB videos as teasers for the complete course.

 

Want to learn more? Come take a course with me at Holyoke Community College. If you are anywhere in the world and interested in taking an online course, drop an email to gsnyder@hcc.edu Our courses will transfer to most university engineering programs in the United States. 

Write, Save and Run A Tip Calculator Using MATLAB Scripting

This summer I'm building a series of MathWorks MATLAB (short for Matrix Laboratory) videos for an introductory online course I'm putting together at Holyoke Community College.

In this video I demonstrate how to write, save and run a tip calculator script in MATLAB. In the next video I'll show you how to transfer the script to your cell phone so you can use it when you eat out!

The course will start from ground zero assuming the student has no experience with MATLAB and work up to some interesting and powerful analysis techniques. Over the summer I’ll be posting additional MATLAB videos as teasers for the complete course.

 

Want to learn more? Come take a course with me at Holyoke Community College. If you are anywhere in the world and interested in taking an online course, drop an email to gsnyder@hcc.edu Our courses will transfer to most university engineering programs in the United States. 

MATLAB Basic Functions Video - Restaurant Tip Calculator

This summer I'm creating a series of MathWorks MATLAB (short for Matrix Laboratory) videos for an introductory online course I'm putting together at Holyoke Community College. Here's a new 4 min 52 sec how-to video using a simple restaurant tip calculation as an example.  Full course videos and content will get into the MATLAB app with lots of hands-on practical and fun examples.

The course will start from ground zero assuming the student has no experience with MATLAB and work up to some interesting and powerful analysis techniques. Over the summer I’ll be posting additional MATLAB videos as teasers for the complete course.

 

Want to learn more? Come take a course with me at Holyoke Community College. If you are anywhere in the world and interested in taking an online course rop an email to gsnyder@hcc.edu Our courses will transfer to most university engineering programs in the United States. 

PSpice Lab Series Video 5 - Batteries In Parallel

Maybe you've got an RV or a boat with four or more house batteries used to power an air conditioner, oven, electric grill, etc. Maybe you've got a cabin off the grid and are harvesting solar energy to charge a battery bank. Ever wonder what those batteries are doing and how they are hooked up?

In this video I use PSpice to demonstrate how multiple batteries are connected in parallel in a power inverter, solar hybrid inverter or UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) to increase capacity and run your ac, oven, etc longer on a full charge.

For more PSpice laboratory simulations, visit my YouTube PSpice Playlist.

Want to learn more? I’ll be teaching a Systems 1 course online in the fall and a Systems 2 course in the spring at Holyoke Community College. If you are anywhere in the world and interested in taking an online course with me drop an email to gsnyder@hcc.edu Both courses will transfer to most university electrical engineering programs in the United States. 

Hope to see you there!!

End of First Full Week Teaching – Fall 2020 Semester Remote

Some quick thoughts/observations after the first week: 

• Email volume from students is through the roof. Not meeting in person means not being able to ask questions. Email does not scale in an online “classroom” setting. I’ve used Slack in the past in courses with mixed results. At Holyoke Community College (HCC) we are using Moodle as a learning management system (LMS) and there are ways to integrate Slack with Moodle – as an example see https://zapier.com/apps/moodle/integrations/slack I’m not sure if I have the proper privileges to do this. Will give it a try this weekend. Some are using Discord and I am also considering giving that a try.

• The more I use Moodle the more I like it. I’ve used lots of different LMSs over the years and Moodle is very nice. I’ve been really impressed with the IT staff and Moodle admins at HCC.

• More on Moodle – very nice on mobile devices. I’ve been able to make my Circuits 1 Electrical Engineering course content 100% mobile accessible. I like to think of mobile as the lowest common denominator for our students. At home they may not have a computer, have to share one, not have access to broadband, etc. The majority do have cell phones with data access though.  

• I bit the bullet on a 12.9 inch iPad Pro over the summer and it has really been nice. Using an Apple Pencil I’m using GoodNotes to record my lectures and keep track of just about everything else in my life. 

Finally, I snagged the pic here from a recent (and brilliant) Nokia ad...... imagine what it would have been like back then.....

To Zoom or Not To Zoom: Week 4 Teaching Full Distance

Resting student Doggies in my campus office.
Students were working on these when we
transitioned from the classroom to online.

Five weeks ago most faculty and students in the United States went home on a Friday for spring break week.  Over the next few days we were told we were not coming back to campus for the rest of the semester and we needed to get our courses converted to 100% online for the rest of the spring semester. This past week was our fourth week back.

The last few weeks for me has been focused on fine tuning my asynchronous course content. I’m teaching an intro robotics course (EGR 110) at Holyoke Community College that was originally scheduled to meet 5 hours per week. Students spend time building and coding Lego EV3 robots. The interactivity in the classroom is a lot of fun and students seem to enjoy the class.

The Lego Mindstorms EV3 kits are expensive and we have a limited supply – not enough of them for every student in the class to take one home. With the shift to online 5 weeks ago we had to find an alternative and pivoted to an EV3 simulator. The students have picked up using the simulator on their home computers and are doing a really nice job completing different projects. I’m very impressed at how the transition has gone so far.

My original intentions were to provide 45-50 minute live (synchronous) lectures twice a week at the start of each class and if a student needed some extra help, hold individual Zoom sessions sharing screens. An attempt at this over the first couple weeks was not successful. 45-50 minutes was just too long and the individual Zoom sessions tended to drag, produce frustration and not lead to much learning.

BBC Worklife interviewed a couple of workplace experts - Gianpiero Petriglieri, an associate professor at Insead, who explores sustainable learning and development in the workplace, and Marissa Shuffler, an associate professor at Clemson University, who studies workplace wellbeing and teamwork effectiveness. Their views reflect in many ways to what I’ve seen in my online robotics class. Here’s a few highlights from the interview that mirror my online classroom experience:

• “Video chats mean we need to work harder to process non-verbal cues like facial expressions, the tone and pitch of the voice, and body language; paying more attention to these consumes a lot of energy.” I wrote about processing non-verbal cues online last week – very difficult if not impossible. 

• “Silence creates a natural rhythm in a real-life conversation. However, when it happens in a video call, you became anxious about the technology.” My experience - as a result students end up either anxious, distracted or zoned out.... crickets chirping is the best way I can describe the result. 

• “The video call is our reminder of the people we have lost temporarily. It is the distress that every time you see someone online, such as your colleagues (or classmates), that reminds you we should really be in the workplace together.” We all miss each other. 

• “Aspects of our lives that used to be separate – work, friends, family – are all now happening in the same space. When these aspects are reduced, we become more vulnerable to negative feelings.” Crowded homes, abuse, children to take care of, loss of income, lack of food, lack of computers and broadband are impacting learning (and teaching) in a huge way. For many the classroom is a safe and comfortable place to get away. 

• "Big group calls can feel particularly performative, People like watching television because you can allow your mind to wander – but a large video call “is like you're watching television and television is watching you”. 

• “Both experts suggest limiting video calls to those that are necessary. Turning on the camera should be optional. In some cases it’s worth considering if video chats are really the most efficient option." 

• “When it comes to work, shared files with clear notes can be a better option that avoids information overload.” I wrote a little about this in Week 1.

• "When online sessions are held, it is important to take time to catch up before diving into business. “Spend some time to actually check into people's wellbeing,” It’s a way to reconnect us with the world, and to maintain trust and reduce fatigue and concern.”

From my experience these observations are spot on when it comes to the online classroom. My robotics class has shifted strongly in the asynchronous direction. I rarely get on one-on-one sessions with students now. I don't do the 45-50 minute lectures at the start of each class but I am on Zoom for the first 45 minutes with student attendance optional. I’m there to help out, answer any questions, talk about how much we all need haircuts and maybe tell a knock-knock joke or two.

Most questions come in during off hours via email. If students have a problem I ask them to first email me a picture of their code (screen shot, cell phone, etc.) I can take a look and send back a hint or two. The student can then make changes in their code. This method is working well and has reduced a lot of student (and my) stress. It does require watching email closely.

 I continue to be impressed with the students in my classes. They are learning and getting their work done!