Study Results for Sources of Metrology Education Around the World

Ideal vs. Reality: Metrology Education in the US and Abroad

Speaker/Author Michael L. TaylorCompany: DTE Energy/Monroe County Community College

6400 N. Dixie Hwy. Newport, Mi. USA 48166

Phone: 734-586-4335, Fax: 734-586-1622, Email: [email protected]

The following paper will first describe an ideal scenario in regard to metrology education in North America; next an attempt will be made to describe actual present circumstances regarding this, in North America. Information was also gathered regarding this same situation in several other countries. Mention will be made of facts gathered, comparing the USA and countries abroad. Also attempts were made to describe differences, where these existed.

1. The Ideal (as some may see it):The science of metrology is represented at a number of colleges throughout the nation and these provide adequate numbers of graduates to meet all industry requirements. Students attending classes are grouped into sections representing specific measurement parameters where specialties are developed exactly according to industry needs. The seven fundamental measurement units each are appropriately represented in accordance with BIPM and NIST standards. Classes exist teaching each of the seven fundamental measuring units. Furthermore, classes also exist in dimensional metrology, temperature metrology, electronics metrology, pressure and flow metrology, torque and force metrology, coordinate measuring machines and laser scanners and other needed measuring and test equipment parameters. Ample test equipment and standards are available for each class. Laboratory exercises are carefully designed to be in accordance with industry practices and standards. Student interest and awareness is keen, since prior to their entry into college metrology programs they were involved in programs that educated them about fundamental aspects of the science of measurement. Also various events in primary and secondary school provided them with a fundamental knowledge of metrology and measurement in our world. Metrology studies in colleges are adequately linked to quality, engineering, technology, medical, nuclear (where this exists), military, airlines, and all other affected industries where metrology plays a key role. These disciplines include metrology classes, as appropriate, to provide adequate education in metrology science so they are prepared to deal with this important aspect of industry and various professional disciplines during their careers.

2. The Reality:Approximately six colleges in the USA and Canada have metrology programs that provide a degree. Most of these are Associate of Science degrees, with only one college offering higher-level degrees in metrology. These colleges have a maximum of 10-12 graduates per year, with an average of maybe 3-4 per school. Students who enter metrology programs either do this on a whim, due to existing job requirements, or due to a friend or family member who has had experience with this subject in either the military or in some other way. Classes are very general where hands on laboratory exercises are limited to equipment that is available or affordable. Funding is very limited, mostly due to limited interest and low numbers of students. Specifically defined parallels at colleges, to other areas of study are rare; too often metrology remains an isolated mysterious, unknown realm with few persons regularly coming in and out of metrology classrooms or laboratories. Some connections with industry are in place, as perhaps this is the lifeblood of the college programs that do exist, but so much more could be possible. Oddly this remains untapped as a potential resource to grow the programs.

The military, despite rumors to the contrary, still does supply a reasonable number of skilled technicians to industry. In addition many metrologists are learning the skill via hands on and on the job training. In some cases metrologists are coming from other disciplines, such as quality, and engineering; persons coming from these disciplines are satisfactorily performing metrology tasks in industry in North America and beyond.

The following section will attempt to describe this situation utilizing 158 responses to a recent LinkedIn survey that occurred online.

3. The Reality in Detail; as Illustrated by a Recent Survey on LinkedIn:Recently a survey requested information about locations of metrology education for persons that are subscribers/members of the LinkedIn community Metrologically Speaking. This community boasts over 4400 members that indicate that they are either employed in, or somehow associated with metrology duties. Within two weeks of the initial request for information, about 122 persons, most of which were actively working in metrology, though a few had previously worked in the field, and were actively seeking re-employment, was received. After the final count before the NCSLI conference count that took place in July of 2014, information regarding 158 persons was made available and used for this study. Information about 31 additional persons was gathered at the NCSLI convention, making the total number of respondents for this report at 189 persons

Participants were asked, which of the below selections best describes the most prominent source(s) of their metrology education:

1. College or university study in a specific metrology discipline 2. Military education programs 3. Quality program or a quality course of study 4. Hands on experience only (Originally this was an error & also used #3) 5. Via another discipline (i.e. Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, etc.) 6. Other - please specify

Among assumptions made was that LinkedIn; Metrologically Speaking group members who responded to this survey provide a realistic representation of the full population of metrologists across the USA, and the rest of the world.

Survey results indicated that an overwhelming percentage of the persons replying gained their metrology education through military training programs. 85 of the 190 respondents (almost 45%) indicated the primary source of their metrology education was through military training facilities. Second in number (47 – about 25%) were persons who indicated that the majority of their metrology education came as a result of on the job training or hands on learning evolutions.In the survey military education programs were divided into three categories; those that received this at the now defunct Lowry Air Force base training facility, those who received this at Keesler Air Force Base, and others; representing those that received this at “other locations” or did not provide this information. Lowry Air Force Base in Colorado, by some, was believed to have more intensive and involved training, than the presently still operating Keesler Air Force Base training facility. This information is however only hearsay; whether or not this is actually the case, was not tested. According to survey results, however there are more active metrology employees who trained at Lowry, who are currently in the work force, than persons who trained at Keesler AFB. 17 persons indicated training came from Lowry, 5 from Keesler; the remaining 63 either provided no location, or they indicated that they received their education at other locations. Two individuals, who stated

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his/her training was received through the military, received this from a military in a country outside North America.

34 responses indicated gaining their metrology training/education by coming into the field through other disciplines (about 18%). The most common fields were via engineering fields. Most of those from other disciplines indicated they came from areas such as electrical and mechanical engineering, electronics technology, physics and math.

Six persons (3.2%) indicated that they came into the metrology field through a quality program of study or from quality professions. Three of the six persons who indicated their main source of metrology education came via either education or employment under quality (QA or QC) programs reside in the USA. When using US residents only, this percentage decreases to 1.9%. This percentage was 9.4% for persons residing outside the USA.

Five respondents indicated that their primary source of metrology education was something other than the items listed above. Some examples of these sources were training received at NMIs,

Perhaps surprisingly, only a very small percentage (about 3.2%) stated that they gained metrology knowledge and training through a college program specifically designated as a metrology program at a college or university. Six persons indicated that their primary source of metrology training and education came from colleges and universities.

Of the 190 respondents, 58 indicated more than one source of their metrology education and training (approx. 31%). Some listed as many as 4 sources of metrology education. All sources of information were considered in the final totals of this survey via a weighting of responses; primary education sources were weighted as a 1, secondary as a 0.5, third level as 0.25 and fourth as 0.125.

Regarding the 31 respondents from outside the US; their training and education results were 12 from other disciplines, 7 from hands-on/on the job training, 7 were listed as other, three from Quality, and two were military. The apparent trend here is (though sample numbers are very small), unlike the USA, there is a strong inclination for personnel to be schooled in other disciplines, after which they assume duties in an existing variety of metrology professions.

4. Previous Metrologist Magazine Article Regarding Metrology Education (copy provided):

To supplement this study and also add some important details about metrology education in North America is an article written for Metrologist magazine article (written by the same author as this paper) from June of 2012. Much of the information provided in the article, including colleges with metrology programs, is included in this study.

In the article written for The Metrologist magazine in June of 2012, a challenging description of the status of metrology education in North America was made. This article provided an illustration of metrology education and asked questions regarding how we as a nation could continue to man metrology jobs available, if in fact, military metrology education programs are declining. This article had a strong focus on colleges and universities with metrology programs in North America, however only about six colleges were identified as actually having degree programs in metrology. Most of these were Associates Degree programs, with only one college, the University of North Carolina in Charlotte, having Bachelors, Masters and even a Doctorate Degree in Metrology. Challenges


identified here included the education of high school and even younger students regarding the existence and availability of employment opportunities in the metrology field.

5. The World vs. North America; Metrology Holds On:Perhaps Metrology, the science of measurement has somehow gained more prestige in foreign countries than it has in the USA. Regardless, mostly due to training that historically has taken place in the military, the USA somehow still manages to get by. In recent years branches of the military have significantly reduced levels and quality of metrology training to personnel. Instead there is a greater reliance on government civil service to provide metrology services to the fleet, military air commands, field personnel, etc. In addition, industry also has relied on personnel leaving the military with metrology skills to occupy metrology jobs, and to fill needs for personnel in measurement sciences. Consequently, personnel who gain training through the military also occupy our civilian work force. Since the military, perhaps, no is longer providing the depth of training that once was the case, there now are fewer persons available with necessary skills to perform these functions. If we assume this to be the case, we then are facing a situation where many jobs are available with few qualified persons to fill them. Perhaps the hope of some is that some Community Colleges now offer programs in the study in Metrology. However, even these have limitations, and many suffer due to minimal registration and attendance in the Metrology area of study. One problem is that there is limited awareness of the subject of Metrology by students. They certainly will not sign up to take courses in a field unheard of.

6. Solutions:Various solutions are being championed by the NCSLI (National Conference of Standards Laboratories International) and by also some colleges. These include campaigns to address students directly at high school and even primary school levels where they are being encouraged to consider metrology as a profession, via visits to schools, and also open houses at colleges with demonstrations of metrology (and also various other technology fields).

The following is a quote from past NCSLI president, Georgia Harris regarding efforts to increase metrology education at colleges across the nation:

“[1] After discussions with representatives from several of the community colleges around the country one thing learned is that there has been an effort among NCSLI Sections to bring in local professors from Industrial Technology, Engineering Technology, Electrical Technology, Electrical/Mechanical Engineering to section meetings and develop relationships. I have visited with them in NH (Lakes Region CC, TN (Pellissippi State), and CA (Cerritos College) (probably others that I forget). Several NCSLI Section coordinators have held meetings at local schools.

Their biggest challenges: 1. Getting enough students interested (butts in the seats - keeps programs open). 2. Getting qualified professors (we have some work to do here in my opinion; most programs are 1-deep and are primarily metrology folks who are teaching without "educational" background to be as effective as possible). 3. Funding of laboratories and equipment to keep programs at the state-of-the art. (Visiting local


schools, assessing their "labs" to identify needs, and making contacts with OEMs has been productive.)

Per this writer’s experience in the College level education system, the above information is accurate.

NCSLI, MSC - provide scholarships each year to promote interest levels of students.”

Other solutions also are occurring, per interpretation from the LinkedIn survey. The military, with its present metrology education programs still is providing metrologists who are adequately skilled to fill jobs as they arise. In addition, there continues to be quite a lot of on the job training/hands on training occurring. So long as skilled persons remain that are willing to assist with training, metrology skills may survive. Furthermore, hands on and on the job training occurring in industry may be much enhanced when coupled with other sources of education, such as online training programs (i.e. Workplace Training), publications, seminars offered by various organizations including NMIs, ILAC, NCSLI, A2LA, etc. Other methods of gaining knowledge and skills that work well is the transfer of knowledge from other disciplines such as engineering, and various other technology disciplines and also quality professionals. These training methods produce excellent metrologists on bench tech levels, to metrology or quality engineer. Some additional methods of metrology education not addressed by the survey involve certification programs such as those provide by the American Society for Quality (ASQ), and by other organizations such as IEEE, ASME, and others.

7. Summary Metrology is a subject that continues to remain in the background, out of the general sight of most persons, but without which nothing would work (paraphrase of frequently used NPL/Open University expression), and perhaps that is how it will remain. About 100 years of continuous training largely through the US military continues to be the major source of skilled technicians in metrology in North America. Higher levels of practitioners of the metrology craft; i.e. engineers, quality professionals, inventors, test equipment specialists and statisticians have traditionally and also will continue to come from our universities. Small community colleges and the University of North Carolina likely will continue their programs and small amounts of professionals will continue to gain degrees from these organizations, where very likely they will proceed into very successful interesting careers in distinguished, but likely elusive, obscure roles (to the general public). When the word metrology is spoken, the average person still will think we are referring to weather forecasting, metallurgy or something else. Perhaps however there will be isolated successes in various areas where metrology gets its due in recognition and clout, and these will likely be brought on by the many industrious, exceptional, and even brilliant persons who somehow have found themselves in roles as technicians, engineers, or others who practice the art and science that we call metrology. But we do like the fact that we’re subtle, isolated and usually in a quiet room away from all the hustle and bustle, and we may well imagine ourselves (and sometimes actually find ourselves doing these things) as contemplating and developing exotic and advanced concepts like the calculable capacitor, Josephson Junction, Hall effect, Watt balance, the complete definition of Avogadro’s number, further subdivision of the second and so many of the other projects on the world stage where metrology really is at the center.

Note: The actual presentation may also include a power point presentation that is not included here.

1 Georgia Harris, Letter to Metrology Educators, 2012.
