Partnering for Success

Oct 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Amy Florence Fischbach, Contributing Writer

Technology gap.

Veteran engineers have years of experience to draw from when training young college graduates. However, when it comes to computers, their younger coworkers often have an edge.

“Simply having grown up with computers and knowing them inside and out is a huge advantage,” Squire says. “While a lot of the older engineers do calculations on paper, I can put the numbers in a spreadsheet and finish in one-third of the time.”

Younger engineers are also often more familiar with drafting programs. Rather than asking drafters to make small changes, they can get into the program and make them on their own. In the end, this makes them more productive. Wesemann says it's helpful to have the younger generation be more familiar with high-tech tools and technology. In fact, on many occasions, he says he has brought his mentees into his office to help him.

“I think it's a strength that the newer engineers are more savvy on the digital world,” he says. “Many times I have an idea, and I would normally sit down with a pencil, paper, and calculator and crunch numbers. Instead, I'll bring them into my office, and ask them to create a chart in Excel.”

Because the new engineers are technologically minded, they can create shortcuts for the engineering firm.

“They can perform calculations that we did 20 years ago by hand and help us to automate things,” he says.

While technology can increase efficiency in an engineering firm, both mentors and mentees need to keep in mind that computers and software are simply tools to get the job done and don't make or break an engineer, Schulz says. His mentee, Palin, is a leader on a software team that models electrical systems, and they often work together to make sure that the drawings are correct.

“I understand the software because I use it more than others, but Eric understands the math behind it, and he's always a good person to check it and make it more accurate,” Palin says.

Training the next generation

Despite the gap in knowledge when it comes to technology, mentors and mentees often learn from one another on a daily basis. Through mentoring, engineering firms and plants can also recruit and retain young engineers, which has become especially important due to the ongoing labor shortage.

Because it takes one to four years to get an engineer up to speed, Spectrum is always looking for young engineers to hire, Wesemann says. In fact, the firm often hires seniors in the local university's engineering program and pairs them with a mentor during their internship. If they are hired on full-time, then they continue the mentoring relationship.

“If the right people come along, we hire them,” Wesemann says. “We don't wait for an urgent need for an engineer. While we don't hire everyone who comes our way, we always have our eyes open for qualified people.”

Mentoring has helped the firm to train young engineers, helped them to define their career path, and be prepared for the future. Squire says the program has been a tremendous help to him, and without a mentor, the transition from attending college full-time to working in the construction industry would have been a much bumpier road.

“At first, I felt like I was being thrown in the pool to learn how to swim,” Squire says of entering the consulting engineering industry without a background in construction. “Because I had a mentor, however, I always felt like I had a flotation device to hang onto. There's so much to learn in this industry, and mentoring has been a great way for me to learn and grow in this field.”

Fischbach is a freelance writer based in Overland Park, Kan. She can be reached at amyfischbach@gmail.com.

Sidebar: Five Characteristics of a Good Mentor

Patient. Many times, new engineers have an endless stream of questions for their mentor. Rather than giving them a quick answer, successful mentors should sit down with the young engineers and give them a thorough explanation, if possible.

Knowledgeable. In order to teach younger engineers how to succeed at their jobs, mentors must have years of experience in the electrical engineering field and be willing to share their knowledge.

Easily accessible. Mentors must make sure they are available to answer young engineers' questions and connect with them on a regular basis through e-mail, phone calls, and face-to-face conversations.

Well organized. Seasoned engineers must give their protégés' well-defined tasks that they can easily evaluate and review their work and progress.

Committed. Mentors make a commitment in the personal growth of another person. For that reason, they must be able to help the young engineer grow and change during his or her career.

Sidebar: What Electrical Engineers Look for in an Employer

Potential for growth. Young engineers want the opportunity to progress as quickly as they can in the industry and have a well-defined career path.

Diversity of projects. Engineers also don't want to be restricted to one task or project. Instead, they want to face new challenges, meet new people, and take on different projects.

High compensation and work/life balance. Today's engineers not only want to earn a competitive salary, but they also demand quality benefits, limited required travel, and reasonable work hours.

Sidebar: Professional Engineering Associations Offer Mentoring Programs

Electrical engineers can not only be mentored by veterans within their own companies, but they can also set up a mentoring relationship with other engineers worldwide. The Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) offers two programs — Mentor Net and STAR while the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) offers a wide variety of services through its member-only program.

Mentor Net. IEEE members can connect online through the association's mentoring program. For example, Dr. Carolyn McGregor, a computer scientist at the University of Ontario, has mentored four electrical engineers. She says it's important for engineers to find mentors outside their companies, and even outside of their specific engineering discipline.

Task Force. The NSPE created a Mentoring Task Force to research ways to revamp its offerings to better meet its members' needs, says Stacey Ober, senior public relations manager. This member-based committee plans to launch an online forum for mentors and mentees to connect and use social networking sites as a way to connect with the younger generation of engineers. For more information, visit http://www.nspe.org/Employment/MentoringPrograms/index.html.

Professional mentoring groups. In addition to the task force, the NSPE also has a special interest group called Professional Engineers in Construction as well as a Young Engineers Advisory Council. This group, which is comprised of engineers 35 years old and younger, offers educational seminars and activities geared toward younger engineers. Many times, these events involve bringing in more experienced engineers to talk about their careers and experiences, Ober says.