Presidents and Governors Forum Sunday September 22, 2013

Brian J. Carlson, P.E. Buffalo Section President

Student Outreach in the Buffalo Section

Two Initiatives:

Shadow Program

Resume Review

Shadow ProgramBegan in 2008

Usually 20-30 Students

Athena Hutchins, P.E. M.ASCE is the coordinator

Shadow ProgramThe program gives students an opportunity to see what civil engineers do. Civil Engineering students may not actually know what occurs in a real life civil engineering jobs. By pairing up with a practicing engineer, they can get a feel of what the job actually involves.

Shadow ProgramWork with the Student Chapter to prepare a list of students that are interested in shadowing a practicing Engineer. Students list their main area of interest, structural, water resources, transportation, etc.

Shadow Program

Reach out the Professionals in the Buffalo Section by email.

Shadow ProgramASCE SHADOW PROGRAM

The Buffalo Section in conjunction with the Student Chapter at UB is looking to continue the Shadow Program. This program gives students an opportunity to see what civil engineers do. Civil engineering students may actually know what occurs in a real life civil engineering jobs. By pairing up with a practicing engineer, they can get a feel of what the job can actually entails. Let students shadow you for an afternoon, morning or even a couple of hours. This can include showing them what your company does, what occurs during an average work day, and anything else you feel is relevant to helping them develop a better understanding of civil engineering. The more students that this attracts to the field, and to ASCE, means that your company has a better chance to finding a good intern, or employee that will add to the Buffalo/WNY area. Also, by hosting a student or a group of them, you are basically advertising your company. If you are interested in having students shadow you please email Athena Hutchins ahutchins@nittec.org.

Shadow Program

• Students contact Professional• Arrange Shadow Day• Shadow• Follow-up

Shadow ProgramASCE SHADOW PROGRAM

Please complete the following questionnaire and email to Athena Hutchins ahutchins@nittec.org. Your feedback is appreciated. Did you learn something about civil engineering? Did the shadow program help you with your career direction? What was the most interesting topic you discussed? How long was the shadow? Was it long enough? Would you participate again? Would you recommend this program to others in your class? Do you have any suggestions on how to improve the shadow program? Other comments?

In Best Practices Manual

Shadow Program

What Worked? - The Shadow DayWhat Didn’t Work? – We leave coordination to the students.

Shadow ProgramWhat We’ve Found:The experience typically lasts between 1-4hrs. It is most beneficial if scheduled prior to lunch or an evening social time. Showcase a typical day at the office. Walk the student through:

• Introduce the student to fellow co-workers and what those co-workers do

• Walk through a set of plans for a recent project• Show sample calculations that you’ve done• What you are currently working on and the schedule of that project• How a budget and cost estimating play into your work

Shadow Program• Show them a sample of a project proposal, permits, letters of

correspondence and other related technical writing samples.• Explain how we work as a team on nearly everything that we design

and how what one person does is often handed to someone else for the next step.

• Show them a plan set with redlines and explain how we go through iterations of plan sets.

• Anything that you do outside of spending an entire day plugging numbers is beneficial to them.

Resume ReviewReview the resume’s of students within the University at Buffalo ASCE Student Chapter

Younger Member Committee Chair is the coordinator

Resume Review• Traditionally, students prepare a book of resume’s

prior to the ASCE Buffalo Section March meeting

• Many errors in the resume’s were noted

• Younger Members want to remain involved with the Student Chapter and hopefully, provide the transition of Student Members to full-fledged members of the Section upon graduation.

Resume Review• Resume’s Collected by Coordinator• Resume’s sent to two reviewers• Comments returned to Coordinator• Coordinator and other members

meet with students• Student’s update resume’s

Resume Review

• 26 Students participated in 2013• Students appreciated the time and

effort that was spent in reviewing and providing comments.

Questions?