Unemployment = Good News!

My wife joined the ranks of the unemployed this weekend as our youngest went off to university.

She's now a former stay-at-home career Mom with the question of "What's next?".

But there’s two pieces of really good news in this message of unemployment….

1) My wife will join me in Houston and end my 100,000 mile commute.

2) My daughter is on a path to join the industry as a chemical engineer

Last year, I posted an entry called “The Mathematics of Integrity” which touched on the looming and even-greater shortage of engineers than we face today and how the PAS Integrity software might help ease the pain…

I also posted an entry called “Grandfatherhood & the Retirement Wave” which touched on the same topics and opportunities ahead for grandson, Erik – who’s just turning 1 this month but still has some 20 years to go before he can help solve the world’s engineer crisis.

But today, I am honored that the last of my 4 children is entering university to study engineering – chemical engineering just like the old man at that!

The world desperately needs many more kids to study engineering…

So how is it that my youngest chose to study engineering? 

Was I such a good example?  (No)

Thinking back, it was likely that conversation we had one day about what subjects she liked and did well at in high school (Math & Science), and which ones she would prefer not to do more of (English & History).

And then when she found out that most engineering programs are so packed full of math and science that there is little room for the “softer” studies, the deal was done and “engineering” started appearing on her college applications.

So off she goes to college – to do her bit to solve a problem that she may not even know about.

Hopefully, most of her class will stick with it so that the industry can welcome them aboard in 4 years…

Stay tuned!

Until then, it’s up to the leaders of our industry to start doing something to help solve the problem and not just talk about it….

Any suggestions?  Email me…

And if unemployment in our industry becomes a reality, not because of the economy, but because there are too many young graduates, then we’ll really say…

“Unemployment = Good News!”

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