Does Silicon Valley Have Enough Mechanical Engineers?

This article discusses need of mechanical engineers in Silicon Valley, importance of mechanical engineers, and need for introduction of courses to help mechanical engineering students hone their digital skills at the school. Silicon Valley is looking at hackathons for engineers who understand how to build mechanical devices that work in an interconnected internet of things (IoT) world. Hackathons are sprint-like design events where computer geeks collaborate intensively to create usable—and perhaps even commercially viable—software. Once the sole province of computer science majors, hackathons now embrace autonomous robots, smart homes and cities, driverless cars, and other IoT standbys. According to an expert, companies need employees who successfully straddle the line between information technology and engineering skills. The article also emphasizes that Silicon Valley is rediscovering its physical assets. It may not know exactly what skills it needs now or will need in the future as IoT evolves, but it is ready to start talking to mechanical engineers.