Letter to Mr. Wilson

1948-03-16

Dr. A.A. Potter FN-205 COPY for M.M. Boring Schenectady Works GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY bc: D.B. Pugh E.W. Nick R.P. Wright Commonwealth of Pennsylvania G.H. Sturges JOINT STATE GOVERNMENT COMMISSION Of the General Assembly P.O. Box 61 Room 450 - Capitol Building Harrisburg March 16,1948 Mr. G.W. Wilson,Manager Transportation Division GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY Erie,Pennsylvania

Dear Mr. Wilson: Study-Demand for Personnel at Post-High School Level I am assisting Dr. George A. Works,Director Post High-School,in connection with the study he is making of the demand for scientific

and technical personnel in the fields of engineering and in the areas commonly referred to as Technical Institutes. This study is the result of an Act passed in July 1947 by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania authorizing The Joint State Government Commission to study personnel needs of different types. You can aid me in this study by furnishing me the following information:

How many people does your industry employ? What percentage of your employees may be classed as working in technical occupations? Of your employees in technical occupations how many are engineers with a college degree in engineering or the equivalent? 4. Of your employees in technical occupations, how many are in occupations auxiliary to engineering, such as draftsman, testers, inspectors, technicians, and similar categories which ordinarily require these so-called Technical Institute type of preparation? That is, employees in the same areas between the skilled crafts and engineering. Of the engineers employed by your organization, what percentage are graduates from Pennsylvania engineering colleges? Do you feel that the engineering output of Pennsylvania colleges should be increased? If so, should additional engineering college facilities be made available by increasing the facilities of the present institutions, by adding new institutions, or by encouraging more of the existing Pennsylvania College not now offering engineering to start engineering programs of study? Are the facilities in Pennsylvania adequate to meet the needs for technical employees in the area between the skilled Ccaftsman and are engineers? If not, what facilities should be made available in Pennsylvania for the so-called Technical Institute type of education? Where should such additional technical institutes be located?

I am taking the liberty of writing to you and to other leaders in Pennsylvania industry and shall appreciate a reply to any of the questions about also any other information which may prove helpful to me an appraising in the adequacy of the facilities in Pennsylvania to meet the needs of industry for engineering personnel and for those with the technical institute type of preparation

Very sincerely yours,

A.A. PotterDean of Engineering

AAP:MMG

cc:-Dr. George A. Works

P.S. PLEASE ADDRESS YOUR REPLY TO THIS LETTER TO:

Dr. A.A. PotterDean of Engineering Purdue University Lafayette, Indiana