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In this episode, we talk with Bill Woodburn, founder and chairman of the board at Engineering Tomorrow, about the creation and impact of Engineering Tomorrow and the significant talent gaps in engineering education.
***The video version of this episode can be viewed here.***
Engineering Quotes:
Here Are Some of the Questions We Ask Bill:
- What made you decide to start your company, Engineering Tomorrow?
- Can you give a brief background on Engineering Tomorrow and what you do there?
- How can teachers become involved in your program?
- What significant gaps in engineering education do you encounter, and how is Engineering Tomorrow working to address them?
- How did your roles at GE and your experiences in other companies prepare you for designing and building Engineering Tomorrow?
- What are the main barriers to entering engineering today, and do you see your students overcoming them?
- What meaningful impact have you observed Engineering Tomorrow having on the students and teachers you work with?
- What are some of the most popular classes you offer?
- Can you elaborate on the impact Engineering Tomorrow is having, and how can someone interested in getting involved do so?
- Do you think having these classes in high school would have made it easier for us to choose a career in engineering?
- What advice do you have for new engineers starting their careers?
Here Are Some of the Key Points Discussed About Powerful Ways to Address the Hidden Gaps in Engineering Education:
- The decision to start Engineering Tomorrow came from a desire to help underserved high school students by exposing them to engineering principles. By focusing on grades 9 to 11, the aim was to inspire more students to pursue engineering, providing them with a strong foundation in math and science.
- Engineering Tomorrow provides 22 hands-on labs in fields like aerospace and biomedical engineering for high school students. These labs make math and science exciting by connecting them to real-world applications, reaching hundreds of thousands of students online.
- Teachers can join the Engineering Tomorrow program by signing up on the website to receive free kits and lesson plans, with the program handling most logistics. This makes it easy for teachers to incorporate into their classrooms.
- High school students often lack exposure to real-world engineering applications of their math and science lessons. Engineering Tomorrow bridges this gap in engineering education by providing hands-on experiences that show students how subjects like physics, chemistry, and calculus are used to solve real engineering problems.
- Bill’s roles at GE and experiences in other companies equipped him with strategic thinking, budget optimization skills, and team-building expertise. These experiences helped him organize and create effective teams, leading to the successful design and implementation of Engineering Tomorrow.
- Engineering faces barriers like limited exposure to different disciplines and a lack of resources or mentorship. Programs like Engineering Tomorrow offer hands-on experiences and mentorship, helping students overcome these hurdles and pursue engineering careers.
- Engineering Tomorrow has made a significant impact on both students and teachers, fostering increased engagement and enthusiasm for STEM subjects among students while providing teachers with a comprehensive curriculum and dynamic learning experiences.
- Some of the most popular classes offered by Engineering Tomorrow include electric car design, water reuse, space labs, and machine learning projects. These classes engage students in hands-on learning experiences that ignite curiosity and cultivate practical problem-solving skills in STEM education.
- Engineering Tomorrow has greatly increased the number of students applying to engineering schools, particularly among minorities. To get involved, individuals can reach out through the organization’s website or social media to volunteer, sponsor programs, or offer financial support.
- Having engineering classes in high school would’ve made choosing a career in engineering much easier. It would’ve given us practical exposure to the field and helped us understand engineering concepts early on.
- Young engineers should explore diverse disciplines to broaden their skills and boost confidence. Experienced professionals should embrace multidisciplinary teams for creative problem-solving and more rewarding work.
More Details in This Episode…
About the Guest: Bill Woodburn
Bill is the founder and chairman of the board at Engineering Tomorrow, a public charity dedicated to inspiring high school students to pursue a path in engineering. Most recently, he is a Founding Partner of Global Infrastructure Partners — a private equity fund focused on energy and transportation asset investing and ownership. Prior to the formation of GIP in 2006, Bill spent 23 years at GE, where he most recently served as president and CEO of GE Infrastructure.
Before leading GE Infrastructure, he was president and CEO of GE Specialty Materials, where he oversaw key acquisitions, including those that led to the GE entry and expansion in the water technology business. Prior to joining GE, he held engineering and marketing positions at Union Carbide and was an engagement manager at McKinsey & Co. focusing on energy and transport industries.
Bill holds M.S. and B.S. degrees in Engineering from Northwestern University and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, respectively. Bill is a Member of the National Academy of Engineering.
About the Hosts
Mathew Picardal, P.E., SE
Mathew is a licensed engineer, practicing on structural projects in California, with an undergraduate degree from Cal Poly Pomona and an M.S. in Structural Engineering from UC San Diego. He has designed and managed various types of building structures, including residential wood apartment buildings, commercial steel buildings, and concrete parking structures and towers. He also hosts the new YouTube channel “Structural Engineering Life,” through which he promotes the structural engineering profession to engineering students who are not familiar with the industry perspective.
Rachel Holland, P.E.
Rachel is an experienced R&D engineer, developing and patenting multiple new structural connectors. She also offers her expertise to both the end user and specifiers as a branch engineering supervisor. She represents Simpson Strong-Tie as a deck expert, educating others how to properly build code-compliant decks. Before her career working for a manufacturing company, she spent many years working for engineering consulting companies. She earned her Architectural Engineering undergrad degree from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from California State University, Monterey Bay. Rachel is a licensed P.E. in California, Arizona, and New Mexico.
Sources/References:
Engineering Tomorrow
United States Merchant Marine Academy
Northwestern University
Union Carbide
Dow Chemical
McKinsey & Company
BlackRock
University of Notre Dame
This Episode Is Brought to You by PPI
PPI has helped engineers achieve their licensing goals since 1975. Passing the FE and PE exams can open doors to career advancement and new opportunities. Check out PPI’s wide range of prep options, including Live Online courses, on-demand courses, and digital study tools, to help prepare you to pass your licensing exam. Check out PPI today at ppi2pass.com to see all the options available for FE and PE exam prep.
Please leave your comments or questions in the section below on how you address the hidden gaps in engineering education.
To your success,
Mathew Picardal, P.E., SE, and Rachel Holland, P.E.
Hosts of The Structural Engineering Podcast
