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xxxx New York , NJ xxxx September 13, 1989

Mr. Richard Tax

630 Montview Place River Vale, NJ 07675

Dear Mr. Tax:

I recently had the opportunity to read your articles in the IEEE newsletter regarding unemployment among·engineers in the local area, particularly unemployment among recent graduates.

I also find myself in that situation, as I graduated in May of 1988 from NJIT with a 3.15 GPA and
I am currently working as

a bookkeeper, a job which is totally unrelated to engineering. In fact, as if to add insult to
injury, I was rejected for an electrical engineering officer position in the U.S. Air Force,
as the military is apparently cutting back on its manpower.

One of the problems I have encountered in my job search is that many prospective employers
scorn applicants who have been unemployed for long periods of time, and the longer one is out
of work, the worse the situation gets. There is still a belief among the general public that
an EE degree is a guaranteed ticket to a good job.

Also, there is a tendency for employers to categorize engi­neers according to specialty, even
at the entry level. For in­stance, my senior year at NJIT I had to choose a two-semester
"systems" sequence; I chose communications systems (which I

now regret, as this field seems to be very dependent on defense spending). During my job search,
I found that some employers .classified me as a communications engineer and would not consider
me for positions· in other areas. I personally don't think it is fair to classify an individual
into a particular specialty at that point in his or her career.

However, I would like to thank you for your articles, as I have gained a degree of moral
strength in knowing that I am not alone in my predicament. I would also certainly welcome any
useful information or advice that you may offer me. In closing I would like to say that we
engineers in the North Jersey area are very fortunate to have a PACE committee chairman who
is taking such a personal interest in the employment situation.

Sincerely yours,












Vxxxx x. xxx, J.

Dear Mr. Steele and Mr. Tax,

On behalf of the Coppell High School Engineering Booster Club, I want to thank you for being an exhibitor at the 4th annual Engineering EXPO at Coppell High School in November. I apologize for belatedly sending this, but it in no way reflects on our appreciation for your participation at the EXPO. EXPO continues to build more recognition with each passing year and the exhibitors we attract are the primary reason for our growing success.

The students and parents who attend the annual event benefit immeasurably from the focus on engineering education and careers and the opportunity to talk firsthand with practicing engineers and university recruiters. It is critical for students to be able to ask questions and discuss possible career paths from those who have gone before them. To that end, you have performed a much needed and valuable service in helping students from the Dallas / Fort Worth area to obtain the answers and information they will need in helping prepare themselves for a career in engineering.

EXPO 2012 is tentatively scheduled for Sunday afternoon, November 4th. We hope you will be able to join us once again as an exhibitor and look forward to your participation. The EBC will send out an informational e-mail at the beginning of the next school year that will include a confirmed event date as well as an online registration form and instructions.

Thank you once again for helping to make the Engineering EXPO a huge success for our students and our community.

Best Regards,
Lori Shaw
Vice President, CHS EBC

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Dear Richard:

Thank you for visiting and talking with my Introduction to Engineering class today. I personally heard feedback from students that they enjoyed your presentation. Not only did you give students information about the engineering profession, but you also gave them valuable advice to consider concerning the future of their profession. Please pass along my gratitude to Paul as well; I really appreciated the insights, stories, and humor that he shared with the students. Together, the two of you raised the students’ professional awareness and encouraged them to strive for success.

Again, thank you, and I look forward to maintaining contact with you in the future.

Sincerely,

Geoff Wang

Instructor, Engineering Department
Passaic County Community College
One College Boulevard
Paterson NJ 07505
Phone: (973)684-6826
Email: gwang@pccc.edu

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