The increased breadth and complexity of modern engineering practice are straining the standard four-year curriculum for engineering education. In ASME's 2008 survey on the future of the field, about three-quarters of respondents agree that they will need to acquire new knowledge outside the traditional domain of mechanical engineering. Additional subjects of study need to be included at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.46 At the same time many professions are making room for more general requirements to prepare students to be creative, problem-solving lifelong learners. Engineers, like many other professionals, will be required to expand their educational requirements to obtain, maintain and nurture their knowledge base and skills to be competitive in a global marketplace. Engineering in developed countries could resemble other highly educated professions where a post graduate degree is required for success if not entry into the profession.49 However an alternate but complementary future scenario could occur. In this future the profession of engineering relies more on technicians that take on many of the routine technical tasks. This would parallel changes in the medical 10 profession where "physician extenders" are taking over many routine tasks for medical doctors. Mechanical engineers with advanced degrees would spend a higher amount of their time troubleshooting very difficult technical issues, managing complex systems and overseeing the work of technicians. This would mirror trends already seen in outsourcing many engineering tasks and the growth of engineering technicians. Give more incite into this