Does our existing pool of engineers have the skills for today’s jobs? “If technological change is moving faster, as most people claim, then the obsolescence cycles are probably getting shorter,” says Hira. Quoting William A. Wulf, president of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), Hira notes that the half-life of an engineer has gotten shorter. This means that continuing education is more critical for engineers than ever before. But the support mechanism of company subsidies has been largely dismantled because employees stay in jobs for shorter durations and companies no longer see benefit in paying tuition. It also means that companies, when they can, likely favor recent graduates over mid-career or older ones.