President's Column
(August 2002)

Make Your Voice Heard 

In July, I sent a letter to all Members of Congress on behalf of unemployed and underemployed U.S. IEEE members. I asked our representatives to hold local hearings and town hall meetings focusing on the engineering unemployment situation, especially for electrical, electronics and computer engineers. If engineers are to continue enhancing our quality of life, we need a voice in determining how our nation turns the present economy around. And I believe engineers will be major players in bringing about the change.

I also think that Congress needs to work with industry, educators and engineers to provide clearer communications on the skill requirements industry says they need, and educational credentials employers will accept. Our national lawmakers could further enhance the skills requirements inventory by encouraging skill-enhancing scholarships for engineers and associated professionals who are unemployed, under-employed, self-employed, or employed by small businesses.

You can make a difference by communicating with your members of Congress and the local media. Write letters, make phone calls, schedule local office visits. Whether special events occur or not, attend your representatives’ public meetings and speak out. Get in line behind the microphone and communicate your thoughts and concerns. Take some friends and acquaintances to the meetings so that the extra applause will make a greater impact.

Because of upcoming national elections, you have more political power now than at most other times. You have a chance to be heard and to influence. You can even approach opposition candidates and ask them where they stand on the current economic situation and the status of the engineering profession. If no one pays attention to you, write letters to the editor and communicate via the Internet or call-in opportunities that are available through television and radio outlets.

As a long-time member of the IEEE, I know that our members are working hard on their careers, and that it’s normal to have a large multitude who support technical publications, conferences and other activities without being active themselves. This large group is counting on the rest of us to leverage their dues for the benefit of all. So get involved. An organization is only as strong as its membership.

Note to Editors: Please feel free to adapt this IEEE-USA President's Column for use in your local IEEE print and electronic publications. For more information, please contact Chris McManes at c.mcmanes@ieee.org.