Results of a Study on the sources of Metrology Education in the USA. Six choices were given to all survey respondents to best describe the source of their metrology education, these were: (1) Military (2) College (3) Quality Professions or Programs (4) Via other disciplines (5) Hands On (6) Other

1. Ideal vs. Reality: Metrology Education in the US and Abroad
Speaker/Author Michael L. Taylor
Company: DTE Energy/Monroe County Community College
6400 N. Dixie Hwy.
Newport, Mi. USA 48166
Phone: 734-586-4335, Fax: 734-586-1622, Email: taylorm@dteenergy.com
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.

2. 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 descr ibe this situation utilizing 158 responses to a recent
LinkedIn survey that occurred online.
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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 the ir
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

3. 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
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(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

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

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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 , is olate d and us ua lly 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.