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Bridging Engineering’s Minority Gap

February 15, 2008

This is a great article over at BusinessWeek.com:

Encouraging more women, African Americans, Latinos, and people with disabilities to pursue math and science makes good business sense…

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Of particular note is John E. Kelly’s mention of the shortage of engineering talent we are facing here in the United States:

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A LOOMING SHORTAGE
Why should this worry the private sector? Because engineering talent doesn’t come in one ethnicity, color, gender, or physical attribute. Cultivating more technical talent across the board just makes plain, good business sense. The number of retiring workers from science and engineering will mushroom over the next 20 years, aggravating an existing shortfall of technical skills that has already left 1.3 million engineering jobs vacant.

By 2010, the U.S. will need 20% more engineers, yet the growth rate in the number of engineering, math, and science graduates is expected to be about 2%.

There is no better time than Engineers Week and Presidents Day to look to our future—to those we currently refer to as “minorities.” By 2050, 85% of workforce entrants are expected to be people of color and women. And, says the National Science Foundation, minorities are expected to make up more than half of the resident college-age population of the U.S. by 2050, up from 34% in 1999. Today’s minorities are tomorrow’s majorities.

So what to do? For one thing, we ought to think like engineers and apply a healthy dose of persistence and creativity to solve the challenge.

Written by bradley · Filed Under Engineering News |  

Automotive Industry Exporting Engineering Jobs

February 15, 2008

NORIHIKO SHIROUZU of the Wall Street Journal wrote a sobering article relating to the export of engineering jobs in the automotive industry.

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In the Feb. 7th piece, Shirouzu digs deeply into the various automakers and the seemingly growing trend of moving design and development engineering jobs to low cost countries such as China, Romania and Vietnam. Historically, these highly skilled jobs have stayed in industrialized nations.

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As the need to pander to a global economy and foreign customers becomes more prevalent, we are likely to see a significantly increasing number of engineering jobs exported out of the country. Not only to cut costs, but to promote the product itself in those countries, as Shirouzu mentions.

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How soon we will reach the critical point where there is relatively little engineering and technical expertise required and/or left in the United States?

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Read Norihiko Shirouzu’s article at the Wall Street Journal HERE.

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Written by bradley · Filed Under Engineering News |  

Finally, a functioning homepage

February 15, 2008

Well, after putting it off for quite some time we’ve finally fixed our homepage, www.hire-engineers.com/index.php . Feel free to bookmark that page as the launching point for getting to the blog or posting jobs.Development is progressing well on our user account system. This system will allow all of our users to create their respective profiles, track job postings or applications/matches and all that good stuff. For those of you that have already registered with our site via our previous method, we will be sending you emails with invitations to our beta account system. You will be able to get first crack at trying out the new features and providing us with valuable feedback. Thanks again to all of you that use Hire-Engineers.com and continue to spread the word! 

Written by bradley · Filed Under Engineering News |  

FirstEnergy to Hold Engineering Career Event – Many Engineering Jobs Available

January 29, 2008

AKRON, Ohio, Jan. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — As part of its ongoing workforce development efforts, FirstEnergy will hold a career event at the John S. Knight Center in Akron on February 12, 2008, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Qualified candidates in specific fields — including Engineers, Distribution Specialists/Field Coordinators, Business Analysts, Electric Transmission System Operators, Electric Distribution System Operators, and Journeyman Lineworkers — are encouraged to register in advance for the event at www.careereventatfirstenergycorp.com in order to be considered for an interview with the company.

“FirstEnergy has jobs available in all three states where we have operations — Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey,” said Lynn M. Cavalier, senior vice president, Human Resources, FirstEnergy. “We believe our people drive our business. This event is an ideal opportunity for experienced candidates to learn about career opportunities at FirstEnergy, as well as the competitive compensation, benefits, company-matching 401(k) savings plan and relocation assistance we offer.”

    The job opportunities at FirstEnergy include:

    -- Engineers -- Support a wide variety of Energy Delivery and power plant
       operations.  Requirements include a degree in electrical engineering,
       mechanical engineering, chemical engineering or nuclear engineering,
       with opportunities available for advanced and entry-level positions.
    -- Distribution Specialist/Field Coordinators -- Develop detailed work
       plans by interpreting engineering drawings, schematics and equipment
       manuals, and help provide assistance with scheduling the labor,
       equipment, materials, and tools needed to complete the work request.
       Requirements include at least three years of work experience with an
       associate's or bachelor's degree in engineering technology (electrical
       preferred), or related discipline.
    -- Business Analysts -- Provide work analysis and data presentation
       support for Risk Management, Energy Delivery and Customer Service,
       Contact Centers, and Rates and Regulatory Affairs departments.
       Requirements include at least two years of work experience plus a
       bachelor's degree in finance, business administration, accounting or
       other equivalent subject.
    -- Electric Transmission System Operators -- Control and help maintain the
       company's high-voltage electric transmission system, including
       transmission substation operations.  Requirements include an
       associate's degree in electrical engineering technology, a similar
       technical degree, or equivalent work experience related to the
       operation of an electric transmission system.
    -- Electric Distribution System Operators -- Provide technical expertise,
       schedule work crews, and operate an outage management system for the
       company's regional electric distribution system.  Requirements include
       an associate's degree in electrical engineering technology or
       equivalent work experience with demonstrated understanding of
       sophisticated computer systems.
    -- Journeymen Lineworkers -- Help maintain the company's electric system
       by inspecting and installing utility poles, wire and equipment, with
       much of the work taking place 40 to 50 feet above the ground on a
       utility pole or in a bucket truck; respond to outage emergencies that
       result from adverse weather and car-pole accidents.  Requirements
       include experience in electrical operations, a Commercial Driver's
       License, and experience operating heavy equipment.

The event also is open to qualified candidates in other areas, including accounting/finance, operations, management, information technology, and customer service. Attendees should bring copies of their resumes as they will have opportunities to meet with company hiring managers. For all available open positions at locations throughout FirstEnergy’s service territory, visit: www.firstenergycorp.com/career_center/open_positions/index.html.

FirstEnergy is a diversified energy company headquartered in Akron, Ohio. Its subsidiaries and affiliates are involved in the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity, as well as energy management and other energy-related services. Its seven electric utility operating companies comprise the nation’s fifth largest investor-owned electric system, based on 4.5 million customers served within a 36,100-square mile area of Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey; and its generation subsidiaries control more than 14,000 megawatts of capacity.

Written by bradley · Filed Under Engineering News |  

FAA Urged Not to Consolidate Engineering Jobs by Members of Congress

January 29, 2008

Lawmakers Protest CA, NY Job Transfers

Thirty-five members of Congress recently urged the Federal Aviation Administration to avoid consolidating engineering jobs at nine locations across the country.

New York Senator Charles Schumer (right) said Sunday the FAA was considering transferring nearly 100 engineering jobs from the agency’s Jamaica, NY regional office to Atlanta within months, reports Newsday.

The Jamaica office serves New York’s busiest airports: Newark Liberty International, La Guardia and Kennedy. Last year was one of the worst on record for flight delays and safety at those three airports, Schumer said.

The Senator criticized any planned transfer, saying such jobs are crucial to installing new technology to improve safety and reduce delays.

“While I share the FAA’s commitment to ensure the safety and efficiency of air travel throughout the United States, I’m concerned that the FAA’s consolidation plans could compromise air travel safety and reduce the efficiency of the services performed by regional offices,” Schumer said.

In a similar move, a reported 130 jobs may also be transferred from the FAA’s Hawthorne, CA regional office which serves the busy Los Angeles airspace, including LAX.

In a letter to the FAA, Representatives Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) and Jane Harman (D-El Segundo) wrote, “Safe and efficient air travel requires engineering and support services that are accessible and convenient for the airports and air travelers that rely on them.”

FAA spokesman Ian Gregor says the FAA has not yet reviewed the letter, reports the Daily Breeze. “We will consider the contents of the letter carefully and respond to the senators and representatives as quickly as we can,” Gregor said.

The House of Representatives in September approved the FAA Reauthorization Act, which would prohibit the agency from consolidating operations without prior approval of Congress. The Senate is expected to review the matter sometime this year.

“In the meantime, the FAA should not move forward with plans to consolidate the regional offices without congressional consultation and oversight,” wrote the members of Congress. “Therefore, we recommend that you suspend all plans to consolidate the FAA’s engineering services and consult with members of Congress regarding the future of the FAA’s regional offices and the services provided by these individuals.”

Under the agency’s consolidation plan, engineering jobs may also be lost at FAA offices in Chicago; Anchorage, AK, Burlington, MA; and Kansas City, MO. You can bet local lawmakers in those areas won’t be wild about the idea, either.

Written by bradley · Filed Under Engineering News |  

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