Essential Functions

The purpose of the essential functions list is to allow prospective students who are considering a career to be informed of the physical, emotional, and psychological demands related to training and employment in a field of study. These lists are provided to allow prospective students to make informed career choices by providing them with a summary of the physical abilities and personality traits that are generally required for the successful completion of a curriculum and result in employment in their field of study after graduation.

For students to be successful in the Engineering Technology programs, they must be able to perform the following essential functions:

• Ability to Use Senses
  • Visual: Normal vision with or without corrective lenses
  • Hearing: Ability to hear sounds and emergency signals
  • Smell: Ability to evaluate possible dangers involved in working in an engineering environment
  • Tactile: Feel heat/cold or pain
• Motor Ability
  • Manual dexterity to efficiently and safely use equipment, power tools, hand tools, and other small and large equipment while wearing essential personal protective equipment
  • Physical ability to walk moderate distances and stand for moderate periods of time; to lift, move, and transfer equipment of at least 50 pounds; and to maneuver in limited space
  • Ability to work while in hot/humid and/or cold conditions
• Ability to Understand Need for a Safe Work Environment
  • Practical awareness of potential electrical and mechanical dangers in an engineering environment
  • Ability to wear necessary safety gear, i.e., safety glasses, gloves, head coverings, etc.
  • Ability to maintain safe environment at all times following lab safety sheet and accepted engineering practices
• Ability to Communicate
  • Ability to communicate effectively in verbal and written forms to class partners and/or team and to instructor
  • Ability to write and perform routine mathematical calculations clearly and correctly
  • Basic proficiency in technology (computers and peripheral components) as industry requires
• Ability to Problem Solve
  • Intellectual and conceptual ability for measuring, calculating, reasoning, analyzing, and prioritizing daily functions in today's engineering environment
  • Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with a sense of urgency without jeopardizing safety
  • Ability to react and adjust as instructed by the instructor(s) during lab or shop instruction or based on customer's needs
• Ability to Maintain Emotional Stability
  • Ability to function safely under stress in today's workplace and adapt to changing staff and client/customer situations
  • Ability to maintain composure and professionalism at all times in labs and engineering work environments
• Ability to Perform Practical Outcomes
  • Ability to function under the practical guidelines of accepted engineering practices