IEEE Student Professional Awareness

Rob Vice (vice@ieee.org)Past-Region 1 SPAC Coordinator

2012 R1 Training WorkshopDowntown Marriott, Hartford, CT10 March 2012

Agenda

Professional Awareness

S-PAC & S-PAVe

Student Benefits and Involvement

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As defined within IEEE

“Professional awareness is the emphasizing of the importance of the non-technical aspects of engineering to engineers and future engineers.”

What is Professional Awareness?

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Career growth• Continuing education• Effective communication

Working• Balancing work with personal life• Expectations versus reality

Professional ethics and social responsibility• Individual and corporate responsibility• Coping with ethical dilemmas

Professional Awareness Categories

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Self-management• Managing your career• Time management

Engineer and public policy• Grassroots activism• Understanding how government works

Importance of the professional society• Networking• Benefits

Professional Awareness Categories

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Student Professional Awareness Conferences (S-PAC) Students plan and run the event with consultation from

SPAC Regional Coordinators The students do all project management Presentation or panel format related to the professional

awareness categories Topics are selected by students in consultation with SPAC

Regional Coordinators (Regions 1-6) who will advise on finding speakers

What Are S-PACs?

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Organizers of S-PACs gain project management experience (impressive on resumes)

Attendees leave with a continuous consciousness of a non-technical aspect that will be useful for the rest of their lives

Initial networking with someone in industry

Successful S-PACs at a branch makes it easier for that branch to institute the event on a regular basis

Student Benefits for S-PACs

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Student Professional Awareness Ventures Venture can take on any form except presentation format Student branch submits proposal based on the

professional awareness categories with budget and schedule

The students do all project management Start-up funds are available to initiate venture “Free flowing” format enables creativity

What Are S-PAVes?

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Suggested formats• Service• CDs, videos• Workshop• Simulations• Resource materials

Can span days, weeks, months, within one semester/quarter

S-PAVe Formats

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Develop activities / materials to enhance professional awareness and provide service to members

Enable student branches to gain experience in project conception, planning, and organization

Increase student membership (freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors, graduate students)

Student Benefits for S-PAVes

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Comparison of S-PAC and S-PAVe

S-PAC S-PAVe

Event Conference Project

National Speakers Yes No

Time Frame Usually 1-dayUsually few weeks or

partial semester

Seed Money No Yes

Funding for Speakers Yes No

Main Contact Regional Coordinator Regional Coordinator

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Steps for Organizing a Student Professional

Awareness Conference

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Step 1: Visit S-PAC Website &Contact your Regional Coordinators

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Example topics• Industry life as told by a “survivor”• Grad school versus school of life• Multitalented: the Swiss army engineer• Pros and cons of large versus small companies• Consulting - is it for me?

SPAC will support travel expenses for 1 national speaker

You may be able to use a 2nd national speaker if they are geographically local to your school

Step 2: Decide on Topics (2 or 3) and Inform SPAC Coordinator

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www.ieeeusa.org/volunteers/committees/spac/speaker_topic.asp

Step 3: Review List of Potential Speakers – Seek Approval from SPAC Coordinator to Invite

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www.ieeeusa.org/volunteers/committees/spac/files/NEW_spac_PlanGuide_rev2.xls

Step 4: Complete the Budget Sheet and E-mail to Your SPAC Coordinator

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www.ieeeusa.org/volunteers/committees/spac/files/NEW_spac_PlanGuide_rev2.xls

Step 4: Complete the Budget Sheet and E-mail to Your SPAC Coordinator

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Potential Income Sources Ticket Sales Industry Donation University IEEE Local

Section/Region MGA Subsidy (when

needed as a safety net) IEEE Societies/Chapters

Minimize Expenditures Forego spending on

elaborate meals and refreshments

No need for catering halls (large classrooms are fine)

Note that the SPAC Committee will pay for the approved National Speakers travel expenses, and are “off-budget” to the students

planning process

S-PAC / S-PAVe Budget Considerations

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STEP 5. Publicize the event

STEP 6. Prepare for event

STEP 7. After event, collect feedback from attendees and submit S-PAC Final Report to your Coordinator

STEP 8. Document lessons learned for the next S-PAC

Remaining Steps for Organizing the S-PAC or S-PAVe

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Students gain insight into topics pertinent to their careers, such as financial planning and career growth

Attendees leave with a continuous consciousness of non-technical aspects that will be useful for the rest of their lives

Student conference committee members gain valuable management and planning skills

Student Branches build momentum for holding regular events in the future

S-PACs and S-PAVes Teach Students to be Leaders

Benefits to Students

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Get Started

Visit the IEEE USA SPAC Web site at: www.ieee.org/SPAC

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Questions???

For additional informationplease contact:

r1spac@ieee.org

Charles Rubenstein (c.rubenstein@ieee.org)

Support Coordinators:Rob Vice (rvice@ieee.org) (Past R1 SPAC Coordinator)

Krenar Komoni (krenar_k@yahoo.com)

SPAC Planning Guide & Resources for Students and Coordinators http://www.ieee.org/SPAC

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