I've been on three sides of this issue for most of my career. Industry, Teaching (Technical), and Volunteering in the public school system. From my point of view, the problem of getting industry people into schools with their valuable experience is a fault that lies in misunderstanding on each of the three sides. But a key way to improve this problem lies in having a school leader who can take (or assign) the role of a volunteer coordinator. Teachers and to some extent administrators already have a lot on their plate, and often don't fully understand themselves how a system can work. Industry often doesn't understand the environment well enough know how and where their resources can be used, and volunteers and teachers need to develop a working trust relationship before students are "turned over". Again, long story short, a person serving the role of volunteer coordinator can build the methodology to mesh these three entities together. I guess the hurdle becomes, how to get the importance of this kind of position into the minds of all parties involved. Hmm... seems like I just wrote myself a job description!
Amen to that, mrdon – bootstrapping is good word, and engineers love to do things themselves. I recently saw a list published (wish I could recall it for posting, but can't remember ... ) a listing of people considered "Most Trusted". At the top of the list were Nurses, Doctors, and Engineers; and while Car Salesmen were dead last, Congressmen were 2nd to last. Yet somehow, Gov't & congressional mandates still rule so many of our daily activities – as if they know best.
Thanks, DThom, for your good ideas. I'll check with our local school district and find out if they have a volunteer coordinator, or something similar. That sounds like a good approach.
JimT, Thanks for the comment. It's nice to know the engineering profession can be trusted. Our profession is based on providing sound facts supported by good analytical methods and tools.
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