Boeing's system will center on how graduates of these schools perform once they have entered the job force. The rankings were compiled by collecting employee's job reviews and connecting them back to their alma mater.
Previously, the only organization that had established any type of rating system for engineering schools was U.S. News and World Report. According to its "America's Best Colleges 2008" edition, Virginia Tech's engineering school was ranked No. 29.
Engineering specialty programs at Tech have also been noted in the UNWR ratings, with six placing in the top 20 in the nation. Even with these highly noted national rankings, the College of Engineering is still looking for more feedback on its program.
"I think that it's very good to see another company, besides U.S. News and World Report, entering into this rating system," said Richard Benson, the dean of the College of Engineering. "This will be a good thing for us, not just by whatever rating we get."
Boeing has set up this system to allow students to research engineering schools based upon how they are expected to do after graduation. Benson said that the engineering work force may be competitive, but capable engineers are always in high demand.
"There will always be a need for engineers," Benson said. "Engineers will always have a job."
As for Tech's relationship with the Boeing Company, Benson said it is positive and that Boeing is involved in campus events.
"We have a very good relationship with Boeing," Benson said. "They are extremely active in our career fair."
The engineering departments at Tech are well accredited by the preexisting rating system, said Kara Lattimer, the career adviser for the Department of Civil Engineering.
"The U.S. News and World Report is kind of the end-all-be-all of national rankings," Lattimer said.
"Virginia Tech produces the most civil engineers in the state of Virginia, so firms will come to our career fairs to recruit our graduates," Lattimer said.
Boeing did not return calls for comment.
Boeing has publicly said that it will use the information that it has gathered over the past year as a means of deciding on whichschools it will continue to focus its academic research and funding.
One problem with this system may be that schools could begin to direct students on certain career paths to certain firms as they come out with ranking systems to boost the validity of their programs.
Tech, however, seems unfazed by what the rankings may imply.
"I welcome a review from Boeing; it is great to see this from an industry leader. I would almost like to see other companies do this," Benson said. "We are a big and comprehensive university. We train engineers in almost any area imaginable. ... In some sense, people have figured out that we turn out very good engineers."
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