July - August 2001

IEEE-USA Council Corner

The following items have been reported by IEEE-USA Council Vice Presidents to the IEEE-USA Operating Committee.

New Employment & Career Services Committee Will Help Members Protect Themselves and Their Careers

The newly formed IEEE-USA Employment & Career Services Committee (ECS) is focusing on the career and employment needs of working engineers. The ever-changing economy and environment in which engineers work, including the lightning pace of technology development, make it difficult for IEEE-USA members to forecast what will happen with their jobs and their careers accurately. Ultimately, the Committee's products and services will provide guidance, so that members can maintain their career vitality.

IEEE-USA ECS has two major focuses:

• Web-based content that is available to member readily and instantly. This information includes the IEEE's Job Listing Service.

• Locally delivered workshops for recently laid off employees, such as the Quick Response Teams Workshops. Workshop topics include networking, resume writing and posting, and career transitions, among others.

For more information, contact the committee at http://www.ieeeusa.org/committees/ecsc/ or email ECS Chair Carl Wick at c.wick@ieee.org.

Supporting Precollege Education: Advice From the Field

Do your section members want to support precollege education, but don't know how to go about it? The Florida West Coast Section participates in or sponsors a number of precollege-level activities that would work just about anywhere. Consider these:

• Provide judges to high school science fairs in your area. Sponsor awards — plaques, bookstore gift certificates, ribbons, etc. — for the winners, or for all participants.

• Recognize an outstanding math or science teacher from each county in your area. Plaques or cash honoraria make excellent awards. Make a special presentation at the schools and then recognize the teachers at your annual awards banquet. Be sure you let the local papers know about it, too; they're usually eager to publicize this kind of recognition.

• Plan and present teacher in-service programs for middle- and high school math and science teachers. Work with the teachers to plan the workshops. Find out what they want to learn about or what they need to know to enrich their classroom instruction. You can even take these in-service programs to the elementary level.

None of these activities requires much money. All you really need is a group of professionals who are willing to volunteer some time and want to help. For more information, contact John Twitchell at j.twitchell@ieee.org.