Vol. 18, No. 31	May 13, 1999

Course gives students 'real world' job perspective

"Survival Outside the University," aka MASC 467/667, is a one-credit, spring semester course to help students bridge the gap between college and that important first job.

Designed and taught by John Rabolt, materials science and engineering, the course builds on the programs offered by Career Services, features speakers who have worked or are working in business and industry and is open to all undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral students who are in the job market, regardless of their majors or disciplines.

Rabolt, who joined the UD faculty in 1996, has worked both sides of the fence during his career--as a research scientist and supervisor with IBM for 20 years and currently as a professor.

"As an industrial scientist, I've had 20 years of experience, of learning survival skills and tricks of the trade, and I'm trying to pass these on to students. Students are very well prepared academically for their first job but need to know more about the culture of industry and business. This course is designed to give students practical advice and a realistic view of what they will encounter as they embark on their careers. The important part of the course is that this advice comes from individuals who have worked or are currently working in industry," Rabolt said.

"The general perception in industry is that new employees right out of school take about a year and a half to settle in and contribute, and that's too long. 'Survival Outside the University' is a how-to approach to make the transition easier," he said.

Among the speakers Rabolt has invited to give lectures to the class is Mary Galvin, materials science and engineering, who was a member of the techncial staff at AT&T Bell Labs for more than 10 years. She spoke on the "Cultural Aspects of Communication" and gave insight on what it's like to be a woman in industry and how to make yourself heard and, in general, how to make your points effectively, Rabolt said.

Roy McCullouagh, chemical engineering and the Center for Composite Materials, lectured on "Information is Power: the Importance of Written Communication."

"Students are used to writing long, in-depth papers for their courses. In industry, the opposite is expected; brevity and conciseness are the watchwords. We teach students to sum up their accomplishments and objectives in five lines, and to write reports one page long because otherwise they won't be read," Rabolt said.

Other scheduled lectures are "Useful Skills for Professional Careers: Recruiting/Interviewing and Career Management" by Alan English from the DuPont Co. and "Your First Job: Expectations and Reality" by Daniel V. Brown, Dade-Behring International. Mei-Wei Tsao, a young visiting faculty member in materials science and engineering with experience at IBM, gave a talk on "Similarities and Contrasts in Intellectual Challenges: Industry vs. University." His talk focused on the obstacles encountered during career transitions between university and industry.

Barbara Zubenko, for many years an electrical engineer in industry and author of Career 101: An Introductory Course in Career Planning for Ambitious College Seniors, chose "The Corporate Ladder: Promotions and Raises" for her topic.

Her book, which also is used as a text for the class, is full of nuts and bolts advice from overall career planning and working with your boss to practical tips about appearance during interviews.

Other reading material comes from such publications as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and Business Week.

Instead of writing a paper or taking exams, students develop a career plan to help them determine their long-term goals.

"Today we emphasize that students must manage their own careers. Gone are the days when you worked for one company during your lifetime, as your parents may have done," Rabolt said. "Our message is that when changes take place in the workplace that are beyond your control, look upon these as opportunities and challenges rather than threats."

Student reaction to the course has been positive. "One student, Keith Welp, who took the course last year paid me a high compliment by saying, 'Don't tell anyone about this course until I get a job.' And, the good news was he received four job offers after four follow-up interviews," Rabolt said.

Welp, a graduate chemical engineering student who is going to work for Air Products & Chemicals, is enthusiastic about "Survival."

"The course taught me about R&D in industry, where profit and function are the watchwords. I gained insight into the whole recruiting and hiring process, how pay structures work and learned about communications and writing in industry. The information was helpful--not what you typically know–and it was an advantage in my job search," he said.

---