[SBE] In Need of Mentoring

[russ at russvanderhorst.info]

Hi Henry,

A while back I asked if public safety radio would come under the realm of broadcast 
engineering...the vast majority of people said no. However, based on what I am reading on 
this list, it may be better to diversify into not just radio and television, but into other radio 
related fields as well (public safety, private companies who lease airtime to customers, etc). 
While this may not be 'broadcast engineering' in the truest sense, all of these disiplines 
follow all of the same general electronic practices, and perhaps would offer more job 
opportunities. One person on this list said "they have never met an electron that knew the 
difference"...and I can see this persons point. 

There is a Christian Radio Station in my area that I am thinking about offering my help at 
free of charge just for the experience (and based on their transmission quality and down 
time, they need the help). I have also asked about volunteering at a local television station 
(telemundo) (sp?) and was told that there would be complications with OHSA laws, would 
have to get approval from higher up, etc...I have asked this more than once, and have 
received the same answer each time...so I am under the impression that my free help is not 
desired, and have given up on this. Hopefully I will have better luck at the christian station. 

I would appreciate any thoughts on this. 

Sincerely,


Russ


On 13 Oct 2009 at 10:45, Henry M. Seiden wrote:


> The mentoring subject has taken an interesting turn and should really  

> be about all our careers, goals and motivations, right?

> 

> Edwin nailed it down in a short sentence or two. Here are my thoughts,  

> FWIW.

> 

> To add to, maybe expand what's been said so far, I think the new  

> candidates in engineering should look for entry into television or  

> radio rather than as an end or even a career path. How many people  

> look to gain entry to production positions each year? I think it far  

> more folks try and fail to break in than even look here. The numbers  

> seem to work in your favor for entry into tech jobs within this  

> business. Also there are many more facets to this business than  

> working at a studio or even for a station. There are engineering truck  

> jobs in audio and video for example. That trend is one the SBE's  

> working to change. But change doesn't come easily.

> 

> The reality is that there will be fewer of us (not more of us) who  

> make engineering a life-long career, perhaps there should be more of  

> us who use it as a path towards larger roles- be they business-  

> perhaps more generally the arts, sciences. I'm talking personal  

> growth, not SBE-wise.e

> 

> News for engineering wanna-be's is not as bleak as one might think,  

> though. Out of 100 or so 'production school graduates' (many with four  

> year degrees), zero to two find immediate work within a year after  

> graduation, based on numbers I heard before the economic downturn. I  

> know of one guy that started delivering pizza, targeting a production  

> studio nearby, just to get his foot in the door. I think that it was  

> innovative for him to try that, though unproductive. Did he get a job  

> at the studio in question? No! Our (membership) numbers that find work  

> out of school are higher, but not even close to 100%. Keep in mind the  

> overall numbers involved.

> 

> Clearly you'll need to know both electronics and computers, they are  

> totally intertwined now. It's surprising how few 'computer-savvy'  

> folks, even those with high levels of hardware skills, have both  

> television/radio engineering principles and an IT core knowledge. I  

> think the SBE is working on that one too. Making yourself valuable and  

> demonstrating that ability is part of finding work in this economic  

> climate.

> 

> That said, your ability to troubleshoot a problem to it's cause, and  

> the experience gained working with electro-mechanical systems, (even  

> training) in this profession we call radio/TV engineering will ALWAYS  

> stand you as the candidate in good stead. Most importantly, I think,  

> it cannot easily be duplicated anywhere else. For my part, I do not  

> regret my years in it. Nor do I think of it as a dead end profession  

> in any way, as some here have opined.

> 

> There probably will continue to be the old 'warhorses' (meant in  

> nothing but a good way, and perhaps count myself one of those being  

> around 40 or so years in related fields)- those who made their careers  

> in this business from the ground up. I think that good, basic  

> electronics training is what's actually needed in terms of formal  

> experience to do our jobs. You don't enter our profession as a game- 

> winning major leaguer. Sometimes it happens, but less and less often.  

> Sometimes want and need are not the same in impressing a potential  

> employer in an interview.

> 

> The associate experience, hands-on training opportunities offered in  

> this business were fabulous in the past. You can start young and learn  

> by experience- many of us did just that- and had a great time doing  

> it, too! Edwin's point about what the future holds as the business  

> evolves and changes is a good one. This industry is downsizing from a  

> diverse industry to one that is highly concentrated- a more  

> centralized universe. One that is more mature. This trend won't change  

> anytime soon.

> 

> So what can newer, technically gifted individuals expect in the  

> industry they see from the outside as a challenge? Not a free ride,  

> that is for sure.

> 

> Why go into a career that has such low growth potential? Taking some  

> opportunities for granted is a buzz (oops, I mean adrenaline) kill,  

> though. Opportunities provided through organizations such as this one  

> are for training more than employment. Guidance more than guarantees.  

> Find work opportunities within the business instead of looking in from  

> the outside. You might need to sweep floors. Stardom is possible,  

> regardless of your entry level. And it's not easy, we're not all stars.

> 

> Take on the challenge then, study and train for innovation. Don't come  

> in from the sidelines expecting you will win the game on the first  

> pitch (sorry, it's October, sports metaphors abound!) Our businesses  

> will likely continue, perhaps in a smaller ways, and similar to any  

> general employment positions. If you are lucky to find entry, take  

> advantage of specialized training geared toward your specific long  

> term goals, outside of the day-to-day work (what do you want to do  

> next?) or general schooling (if you have no idea which direction to  

> pursue) towards a 4 year degree. Meanwhile, concentrate on looking for  

> opportunities to demonstrate your skills to people who are hiring.

> 

> If you want to do engineering support at a station, youneed to be  

> lucky enough, and talented enough to find a spot to start work, you  

> will then have to become more of a skilled, self directed manager in  

> addition to what you are doing, and developing your skills as a  

> technician second to advance or even to stay there. Why? Your boss  

> wants results- the project complete, the station on the air making  

> money- think larger than yourself. Everyone wears multiple hats in  

> what they do. We will likely continue and wear more. So make hats!

> 

> There still will be a need for practical, innovative technical folks,  

> especially at smaller market stations, but going forward, I think, is  

> clearly declining (and maybe now in radio is at the point) where the  

> concentration of ownership makes engineering operations a cookie- 

> cutter design, if not centralized. However, there will always be those  

> opportunities even in that environment, to innovate.

> 

> Said differently, in a smaller market more of an ownership path. I  

> think that soon you'll need to buy into that by owning/starting up a  

> small station on an entrepreneurial basis and doing that yourself if  

> you really have the motivation.

> 

> Henry S.

> On Oct 11, 2009, at 16:54 , russ at russvanderhorst.info wrote:

> 

> > Hi Jeff,

> >

> > over the last 15 years, there has been a 'dumbing down' of high  

> > school courses and

> > students. I have literally seen high school honor society students  

> > who couldn't multiply.

> >

> > This being the case (and don't get me wrong, I am not trying to  

> > start a debate about h.s.

> > education)...but wont some degree of technical knowledge beyond the  

> > h.s. level be needed,

> > even if that is just an associates degree?

> >

> > Thanks,

> >

> > Russ

> >

> >

> > On 11 Oct 2009 at 15:50, Jeff Carter wrote:

> >

> >> What do you think will happen, long term?

> >>

> >> I predict that technology will completely do away with the need for a

> >> real engineer, and common tasks will be done by someone at a high

> >> school competency.

> >>

> >> For heavier things,  contracts with the transmitter manufacturer will

> >> be the norm for the rare occasions that something must be serviced.

> >>

> >> Jeff

> >>

> >> On Sun, Oct 11, 2009 at 3:11 PM, Edwin Bukont <ebukont at msn.com>  

> >> wrote:

> >>> Jeff is correct.

> >>>

> >>> We have two radio CE's in DC that did not even graduate HS.

> >>> One even brags about it!!  Some could care less about color codes,

> >>> electrical codes, good practices etc.  I had the DOE of a publicly  

> >>> traded

> >>> group tell me that standards are a waste of my time and his  

> >>> money!!  TV

> >>> appears to return a better value on the cost of education,,,but  

> >>> there are so

> >>> many changes that the learning is quickly outdated.  I think  

> >>> vendor seminars

> >>> are a better use of one's time, talent and money.  Studio Hub has  

> >>> removed

> >>> alot of the need to spend money on learning audio wiring.

> >>>

> >>> Edwin Bukont CSRE, DRB, CBNT

> >>> V- 240.417.2475; F- 240.368.1265

> >>>

> >>>

> >>>

> >>>

> >>> _______________________________________________

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> >

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> 

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