Minutes of SVEC Council Meeting
Jan 24, 2002

Meeting start 7:05 pm

During announcements,

  • Steve Sherman encouraged banquet signups
  • ASQ 6-sigma seminar is very reasonable and encourages people to attend

    Cliff Monroe mentioned the Joint Venture/AT Kearney report on education.

    Larry Bethel discussed the slide on "Education as a bridge to opportunity." Intermediate algebra is the gateway to engineering. [if high school students have not taken intermediate algebra by then, statistically they will never become engineers.] Graph by ethnicity which also shows Hispanics are low on the chart, and Native Americans are not on the graph.

    Overall decline in engineering, there will be significant retirement. "High school students are not well-informed about Silicon Valley careers." Be informed and join forces with SVEC.

    SVEC Business:

    1. Application by AISES, SME

      Fel: Motion to waive the dues by student sections, seconded by Steve. Motion passes

    2. AISES as members. Larry motioned of AISES student section to become members of SVEC. Walt seconded. Motion passes.

    3. Larry motioned to accept SME as SVEC members. Michael seconded. Motion passes.

    4. Hall of Fame: Need to re-fill this committee. Ideally, people that have been inducted or served on SVEC, and presidents of companies.

    Society Events

  • SWE this Saturday looking for volunteers.
  • ASQ seminar on 6-sigma.
  • AISES regional conference at SJSU in April.

    SVEC Presentation: Patty Wilson with www.careercompany.com

    "This is what's happening and this is what you gotta do."

    What Gen X thinks about: They will never collect social security so they are not going to take a lot of work, not that they are slackers, but they have to fend for themselves.

    New concept of Just-In-Time employees: 25% of workforce on on contract or consulting (these are not counted in unemployment figures). 30% of workforce on visa.

    [other mentions from Ms. Wilson's presentation:]

  • This recession goes across the board.
  • Organizations will become like a flower (Exec mngmt, Core talent, Temps, Consultants-Vendors-Contractors)
  • Consultants are the first hired and first to be let go.
  • You have to be responsible for your own finances.
  • Companies do not want to fund your technical training.
  • Become a guru, because people will come to you.
  • Don't worry of fitting in because loyalty is not there. More of moving in and out. Use the change of jobs to prepare for a better one.
  • Can't go by job titles, read the job description. Also ask will this job move you in the right place. Will you enjoy working with these people?
  • Get your own domain name.
  • Meet someone who already knows a lot of people.
  • Dig a well before you are thirsty.
  • Monster.com jobs are a blackhole.
  • Work on the skills that you are good at, continue to re-tool those skills.
  • Stay with the focus and purpose of what you love to be better and better at it, instead of bouncing around.
  • Always to a backburner job search.
  • Overview of a 3-hour workshop. Look at pattiwilson.com and see the top ten list.
  • Resume is a marketing tool, not an obituary.
  • 60 second infomercial but it takes work to get this.
  • Have a 5 to 10 year plan, also have a plan B. Like a company that has plans.
  • Get a career checkup.
  • Use the internet mailing lists.
  • Wednesday's job group: wednesdayjobgroup-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
  • Learn critical decision skills (they don't teach this anymore)
  • Gen X not shameful they're out of work so they talk to each other.
  • Message board for SVEC.

    • Portable insurance, health insurance is a big one. Gen X finds this valuable and they like E-learning.

    Gleighter: A 401k plan through an association?

    Professional associations need to provide what companies used to provide.

    Associations should have a course on consulting skills, bidding, offer a mentor program.

    Company politics are still the same, they don't know how to deal with it. It'still down and dirty.

    E-learning is preferable to a large lecture course. Since everyone gets the same material.

    E-learning, biometrics, internet are growing. Also security.

    Cliff recommends education as a back-burner career. Community colleges are a great opportunity.

    Meeting adjorned at 8:57 pm

    Minutes submitted by Michael Wright, June 2002.
    mfwright @ mail.arc.nasa.gov
    (650) 604-6262 Office Voice

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