[SBE] Some Labor Day thoghts

[Henry M. Seiden]

My instructor at MDCC when I was at school was oriental (don't  
remember if Japanese or Korean, or even Taiwanese). But the accent, he  
was a fantastic instructor! I'll never forget, when he explained a  
problem or gave an illustration he'd say, his clipped english,  'In  
this particular case...", and go on to an excellent case study. I  
enjoyed his class and the labs thoroughly!

Henry
On Sep 1, 2008, at 11:31 AM, Larry Bloomfield wrote:


> Henry:

>

> I was chairman of the Electronics dept. for the Government of Guam's  

> adult education program with several instructors working for me  

> almost the whole time I was stationed there in the USN. I taught an  

> entry level electronics course. I had some very mixed classes with  

> both state-siders as well as people who spoke English as a second  

> language from all over Asia. That kind of mix certainly can hone a  

> person's teaching skills quite fast. I also taught evening classes  

> in electronics at Southwestern College near San Diego for nearly  

> four years after that. Back then, an FCC license was required and  

> during the summer time I taught an FCC license course as well. I  

> know the summer FCC course is long gone, but I'm not sure if any of  

> the other courses are still there. The only teaching besides the  

> Taste of NAB Road Show that I do is a once a year Ham Radio license  

> course in my home town. I love to teach. It is probably the most  

> rewarding thing I've ever done in my life.

>

> Larry Bloomfield - KA6UTC

> 1980 25th St. - Florence, OR 97439

> (541) 902-2424 (Everything)

> WWW.Tech-Notes.TV

> See you on The Taste of NAB Road Show

> & the video @ www.Tech-Notes.TV/DVD.html

>

>

> Henry M. Seiden wrote:

>>

>> As to training, I went to my local junior college where they had a  

>> general electronics program. I graduated with a electronics/pre- 

>> engineering Associate Science degree. Is that program still there?  

>> When I went to school, (ahem!) years ago the classes were full. Now?

>>

>> Henry S.

>> On Aug 31, 2008, at 23:47 , Larry Bloomfield wrote:

>>

>>> As we move through and past this Labor Day weekend, it comes to  

>>> mind that as labors in the broadcast industry, many of our  

>>> contemporaries are retiring, leaving and/or dyeing off. The  

>>> question comes to mind, where are the replacements coming from?

>>>

>>> Having met and spoken with probably more SBE members during my  

>>> tour with the Taste of NAB Road Show than most any other SBE  

>>> member, I’ve certainly gotten a feel for some of the wants and  

>>> needs of our industry as expressed by many I’ve spoken with. There  

>>> is one thing that is very much implied, but isn’t discussed very  

>>> much and that’s the issue of vocations into our industry. There  

>>> are many schools that teach how to operate, how to edit and do the  

>>> “artsy-craftsy” stuff, but the places that teach how to trouble  

>>> shoot and fix gear are few and far between. There are a few that  

>>> teach studio repair, but try to find someone who is able to  

>>> skillfully work on transmitters, be they TV or radio, and you’ll  

>>> know what I’m talking about.

>>>

>>> There are a few things we can do to find vocations. A natural  

>>> place is within the amateur radio community. Many “hams” have a  

>>> good working knowledge of electronics and some even can diagnose  

>>> and repair transmitters. Don’t pooh-pooh this source as I’ve never  

>>> met an electron that knew the difference between amateur and  

>>> commercial communications. Two way radio guys are another possible  

>>> source.

>>>

>>> If you live near a military base, there are any numbers of folks  

>>> getting discharged who are looking to apply their technical skills  

>>> in one way or another. Not sure how you’d find out who or where  

>>> they’re at, but it might be worth a shot. I was a Navy electronics  

>>> tech and there isn’t much that I could not work on and/or repair.  

>>> Most Navy techs are very broad based in what they can work on –  

>>> especially the guys who are on board ship. This isn’t to say that  

>>> the other branches of service don’t have talented folks as well.  

>>> If you get someone from the military, you’ll probably get someone  

>>> who can take direction and follow orders. (What a novel concept!)

>>>

>>> Another approach is for local SBE chapters to do some simple  

>>> marketing. Marketing is a term we normally associate with the  

>>> sales department, but in this case, marketing is the selling of  

>>> our craft to others; a craft that has been a lot of fun for most  

>>> of us. (Just read some of the fun stuff that is posted on the  

>>> various list servers many of us subscribe to.) Our national SBE  

>>> offices have taken the first step in that direction by setting up  

>>> the “Internship on Line” program. I don’t know how they plan to  

>>> promulgate this program, but I’m doing my part by sharing the  

>>> program during my Taste of NAB Road Show. The concept is a great  

>>> one and may well result in these interns learning about SBE and  

>>> eventually becoming members.

>>>

>>> Akin to this would be to invite science teachers and other  

>>> instructors and even their classes to join your SBE chapter at a  

>>> mutually agreeable time when the program would be of general  

>>> interest. Getting programs of general interest to members and  

>>> prospective members, students, etc is not a problem. Our chapters  

>>> in Oregon (124, 76 and 141) are booked through the fall of next  

>>> year. There’s little doubt in my mind that several of these  

>>> programs would meet this criteria. To accomplish this kind of  

>>> approach, chapters have to be flexible and not maintain the “we  

>>> always meet on such and such a date and time and can’t change”  

>>> attitude.

>>>

>>> And yet another way to market our industry is by participating in  

>>> job fairs and the like. Most high schools, junior colleges, some  

>>> universities and even trade schools have these to help students  

>>> who are undecided or wish to find out more about different carrier  

>>> path opportunities. Local SBE chapters can help stimulate interest  

>>> by going to these events and participating. Many chapters have  

>>> retired folks who would probably be more than willing to help out  

>>> in this area. If nothing else, seeing the SBE logo up on a table  

>>> could well generate some interest. Hearing about the broadcast  

>>> industry from an “old salt” SBE member could well lead to that  

>>> person to get interested in our industry and who knows – they may  

>>> eventually becoming a member of our society. These retired folks  

>>> are also a resource and their stories can be very captivating, if  

>>> you give them a chance to share.

>>>

>>> In closing, I’d like to ask those thirty SBE chapters remaining on  

>>> my itinerary to invite folks from outside the chapter – ham clubs,  

>>> high schools, junior colleges, universities and even trade  

>>> schools. It might help make us know in our community, which may  

>>> not be a bad thing. You might even invite your GMs. Having them on  

>>> your side might help you get the time off to attend your monthly  

>>> SBE meetings.

>>> -- 

>>>

>>> Larry Bloomfield - KA6UTC

>>> 1980 25th St. - Florence, OR 97439

>>> (541) 902-2424 (Everything)

>>> WWW.Tech-Notes.TV

>>> See you on The Taste of NAB Road Show

>>> & the video @ www.Tech-Notes.TV/DVD.html

>>> _______________________________________________

>>> The SBE Roundtable, SBE at sbe.org

>>> To unsubscribe, go to http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/options/sbe

>>>

>>> http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/sbe

>>

>> --

>>

>>

>>

>> ®

>> Techworks Professional Systems, Inc. Henry M. Seiden, Founder

>> henry<at>techworkspro<dot>com

>>

>>

>>

>>

>> _______________________________________________

>> The SBE Roundtable, SBE at sbe.org

>> To unsubscribe, go to http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/options/sbe

>>

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> _______________________________________________

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