I joined my local Engineering Explorer post in the fall after deciding to pursue an engineering degree in college. Engineering Exploring has impacted my life in various ways. It was important to me to be able to network with local engineering professionals, learn about engineering through hands-on experiences, and participate in a group that would allow me to prepare for training in this field. |
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Because of COVID, we are not allowed to meet in person. Our meetings are held by Microsoft Teams. Holding virtual meetings is becoming very common and will most likely continue after the Covid restrictions are lifted. Attending these meetings in a professional setting allows me to practice skills that will be needed both in college and once I graduate. We are also expected to procure or pick up materials for the “hands-on” activities we do during each session. This requires a level of responsibility that is expected in the workforce. We meet professionals from different fields of engineering during each session and can use these introductions to form our personal professional network. | Engineering exploring has given me a jump start to begin college and become. career ready. My post advisors have provided me with opportunities to job. shadow and hear from professionals in my chosen field. I know I can contact. them with follow-up questions and practical career advice. For example, one of the engineers advised people who are considering two different engineering. disciplines to choose one, gain college admittance in that field, then change to the other later if desired. | With the activities that have been held online, it is very convenient to see each. person and their creations when on Microsoft Teams. Being in a learning environment with hands-on activities is the best way for me to get practical. experience when it comes to working within a discipline of engineering. Especially during my senior year, these activities have helped me to see real-life. examples and simulations of what an employed engineer would do every day in their field. For example, the civil engineering activity helped me visualize what. they would do on a day-to-day basis, but on a smaller scale. The straws represented the building blocks of the structure, while the marshmallows represented the substance that would hold the structure together. These materials were used in a way to design a model of a stable lid to hold “gasses” in but to also be stable enough to prevent the building from collapsing. Just as the civil engineering activity showed me what that type of engineer does every day, some of the activities helped me decide what I do not want to pursue in my future job. | I am grateful that Engineering Explorers is available in my area. It has been very helpful in my decision to become an engineer. Receiving this Exploring Scholarship would add additional benefit to my involvement in this program and help prepare me for a career in mechanical engineering. |
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