Mentor recruiting help needed

[Ivan Helmrich]

I have the opportunity this fall to make a presentation to the entire professional technical staff at my employer, about 120 scientists and engineers, about FIRST. One of my main goals is to recruit more mentors for area teams. I have sent out invites in previous seasons trying to get other engineers involved, but rarely get any takers. The company is very supportive of volunteering so I’d expect a better response.

What messages about FIRST and mentoring have you found to be effective in generating interest in mentoring among technical people? I’ve got lots of ideas, but I want to know what really works. This is too good an opportunity to just throw some stuff out there. If you’ve got any tips on how to convert mild interest into action, I’d love to hear that too. Thanks.

-Ivan

[EricH]

This is just a theory... but it might actually work.

If you could show a video of a robot that is evidently well-engineered beating a not-so-well engineered bot, then you could point out that a lot of teams are like the latter team. They know what they want to do, but have trouble making it happen. But with the engineers' help, they can take their robot to the upper level.

For that matter, see if you can borrow a local team's robot that could use some help with design or execution for a day. Try to borrow some team members, too. Doesn't have to be the whole team, just a couple reasonably knowledgeable students. Have them show up at said presentation, but kind of sit back a bit. Let the engineers figure out what could be done better and how to do it better--then it's time for the kids (or you) to step in and explain that they don't know how to/have the facilities to do that, and invite the engineers to help them out.

And, if you have a list of teams that would like help, post it. Have a place where interested engineers can put their contact info, and try to steer them to teams in their area.

This isn't a message about FIRST and mentoring (if I was going to do that, I'd look in the Kickoff speeches the last two years), it's about getting the interest of the engineers. And nothing attracts an engineer like a piece of engineering, especially if it can be improved.

[RoboMom]

Nothing "sells" the program better than bringing a robot and some team members to speak.

[Akash Rastogi]

Originally Posted by EricH

nothing attracts an engineer like a piece of engineering, especially if it can be improved.

This is awesome advice Eric.

Its something I know us and a lot of other teams do when we present to companies searching for mentors and/or sponsors. Have the engineers try to find the biggest flaws in your design and what you could have easily done better and also what other drastic changes would have been better. Then the students and the engineers both discuss why and how different design decisions were made and how that can be improved too. Just the fact that the students might say something un-engineer-like may also be enough for someone to want to mentor.

[Don Rotolo]

I've been wildly unsuccessful at recruiting, but maybe this will help with what didn't work.

Direct 1on1 appeals. Most colleagues expressed some interest, but couldn't commit to time after working hours - family commitments and such

Indirect appeals, via the company newsletter/website. Got some calls from people, but it always seemed they were interested until I asked them to visit the school. There was some reason they couldn't.

One thing that almost worked was a casual conversation with a General Manager (3rd level of management in our company, just under VP), and engineer I knew for years when we were colleagues. He was interested, and wanted to visit the school...a week after build season. I arranged for him to get a plum volunteer job at a regional, but he was traveling for business then. He did ask some of his engineering staff to consider it, but again the season was over by then. (I'll hit him up in November)

Direct guilt trips. Colleagues nervously laughed these off.

So, for my situation, these did not work.

My helpful suggestion? Contact the senior mentor in the area and get their advice. Invite them too, if possible. Get a FIRST video to show.

[Molten]

There are a lot of Rolls Royce mentors if I recall correctly. Anyone know how this came to pass? I'm not sure how, but somehow FIRST had to be presented to them.

[nlknauss]

Definitely see if you can't get some team members and robots to your demonstration. Having the students and even the robot convey their enthusiasm about the program will make a huge impression on the people you're trying to recruit. Many of these employees may see that high school student that they use to be and might wish they had that opportunity.

Maybe suggest that they try shadowing the team this coming year rather than taking the full-time plunge. The time put in prior to and during the 6 weeks can appear to be overwhelming initially to any volunteer who is coming in for the first time. Many mentors who take part in the build-season often buy into the program and may end up committing more time once they see the value in you're program and how the work pays off.

While the experience of being a part of this program is invaluable, my last suggestion is to think about what some of the payoffs will be to your stakeholders. Some volunteers receive special commendations from school districts, employers, the team, and even FIRST. Show them that the sky is the limit and it is what you make of it!

[delsaner]

Along with bringing to robot and a few team members to talk about it, I would recommend explaining how FIRST benefits this years generation of teenagers. Emphasize the fact that the teenagers who are involved with FIRST are the ones that will be keep our technological level at its finest. I would imagine that mentors would like to know that they are helping out students with the field of engineering to prepare themselves for college. Mentors want to know that they are helping teenagers pursue a career in engineering. The teenage generation will be the ones "driving tomorrows technology". To me, that would be a strong point in grabbing the attention of a mentor, and inspire a mentor to help out.

[Ivan Helmrich]

Thanks to all who responded so far.

Eric, really great ideas. It's true, engineers love to add their 2 cents. I hadn't even considered soliciting design suggestions. Very nice. Now I just have to find that not-so-well engineered robot to borrow. I like Nate's shadowing idea also, I'll throw that in for good measure along with a list of area teams that would like the help.

I'm in good shape with a robot (or two) and a few students available. They never fail to make the case for the program, but so far I've found that the program is sold but the activity of mentoring isn't. I guess I'm having trouble linking the two ideas with my coworkers.

My experience is backed up by Don's experience. (Thanks Don, I feel better knowing it's not just me.) I've gotten lots of great verbal responses from other engineers, but only a few will show up. This is great though, I have a few more ideas to try and plenty of time to prepare. Thanks again.

[Cascade]

Bring robots, students, and video of the final match from the 2006 World Championships. If that video does not generate interest and mentor participation, I would be stunned.

[rwood359]

The problem with attracting practicing engineers is that most engineers don't work a 40 hour week. Fifty and sixty hour weeks are not uncommon. Add family time and there is precious little left for mentoring.

I would see if you can attract some about to retire or newly retired engineers. The demands on their time are substantially less. We have several retired mentors on 359. Some of us come in Tuesday and Thursday for 3 or 4 hours from the start of school til build season and every day during build season.

I read about the team in the fall of 2007 and "stalked" them by reading the daily updates to their web site during the 2008 build season. I attended the 1st Hawaii Regional. Two days wandering around the pits talking to the mentors, volunteers, and kids was enough to convince me that it was something that I wanted to do.

Here are some of the rewards that you can tell them about:
1. It could save their marriage. My wife didn't want me home 24/7 anyway.
2. Learning new things is good for you. I had to learn about robotics, LabVIEW, and how to teach. My doctor said "That's great. You will grow these long things in your brain that will keep the dementia away."
3. THE KIDS! They'll keep you young, they'll make you laugh, and they'll give you great pride. I tell my friends that the robot is the kids product and the kids are the mentors product. And I am very proud of our (FIRST's, not just 359's) product.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Originally Posted by RoboMom

Nothing "sells" the program better than bringing a robot and some team members to speak.

This is by far, one of the best approaches. When fellow professionals can have an opportunity to touch a device and see inside they will be touched. When they find they will have an opportunity to advance students, while working with a team, they will start to think about how they might fit into the equation. I would invite them to bring their own children along. When they see the interest in their eyes, it won't be hard for them to come over and help.

[ebarker]

Originally Posted by Don Rotolo

Direct 1on1 appeals. Most colleagues expressed some interest, but couldn't commit to time after working hours - family commitments and such

some random thoughts and observations in lieu of an intelligent response on my part.....

young engineers - before they have children are more accessible.

engineers with children are not particularly accessible, unless their own child is in the program.

Old engineers, like myself are more accessible. After my daughter went to college I had a choice of golf, boating, robotics ? etc as a past time. At a personal level robotics is personally cheaper and more rewarding than the other things.

Originally Posted by Don Rotolo

If you’ve got any tips on how to convert mild interest into action, I’d love to hear that too.

The mild interest audience I think would naturally resist making a commitment into an 'unknown' program. Ask them if they would be willing to come in just one or two Saturdays to help with a specific aspect.

'helping' is different than 'committing'.

Engineers personalities tend to decide things on their own. If you are having to 'sell' the program you are probably already in trouble.

Just present a) the information and b) the opportunities to help.

Give them a chance to 'dip their toe in the water' and don't ask them for the belly flop.

presenting the information is a little challenging. video of robots ? video of people ? personal appeals from students or other mentors ? etc

(at risk of self promotion) The video at www.kellrobotics.org is an experiment in communication.

The obvious question is "who are we trying to communicate to ?"

The next obvious thing is we were probably trying to communicate too many things to too many people but that is okay because we know what we want to do next.

A few things of interest in the video at these time marks.

6:45 - obviously my favorite when they tell you how wonderful you are, haha

17:01 - Where's Waldo - talking about how they get real learning from real engineers, (with all due respect to the teaching profession)

24:00 - The director of engineering for F-22 talking about how FIRST is like a giant rock concert, not a nerdy science fair.

Ultimately we need targeted videos for a) potential mentors, b) educators, c) sponsors, etc. Each audience has their own perspective or points of interests that need to converge.

For a mentor recruitment video what you all of you like to see packaged into a tight 10 minute video. This is for mentor recruitment ? Suggestions anyone ? 10 minutes max.

[IKE]

[quote=ebarker;861594]

The mild interest audience I think would naturally resist making a commitment into an 'unknown' program. Ask them if they would be willing to come in just one or two Saturdays to help with a specific aspect.

'helping' is different than 'committing'.

Engineers personalities tend to decide things on their own. If you are having to 'sell' the program you are probably already in trouble.

[quote]

Ding ding. Leave the selling to sales people. If you are good at selling, you probably could be making more money than as an engineer.

Things that do work on engineers.
The toe dip is a great example. Plus, a half a dozen toe dippers is almost a pool party...

Flattery. Especially if you are not one of the top teir machines, ask them to do a critical design review. Engineers love to talk about how they would do things. DO NOT shoot down their ideas. Instead use compliments like, "Man if only we had you reviewing our designs during the build season."

Let them drive! There is a reason why suppliers give neat little puzzles and gadgets away to engineers. They like to tinker.

I have found that if you can get them to an event, they are hooked, but that is often very difficult. Usually you have to bring the event to them.

[Kim Masi]

There are other ways casual engineering support can be provided without having to "directly" mentor a team. In the Boston area we have a program where there is a group of mentors that act as consultants to a bunch of different teams, providing them guidance where needed, and pooling resources to a bunch of different teams. It's not ideal, but it helps teams that would not have any engineering support otherwise.

Another thing you could do to solicit for interested but not dedicated mentors would be a design review. During the build season each year our team does a design review with our primary sponsor, where they bring in their engineers and we present our design to them. It takes place in one night and these engineers get a chance to offer their advice and suggestions. While this is only a one night thing-sometimes a one time participation can get a person hooked.

It is interesting because I am going to do a presentation for my company very soon as well. One thing I am going to discuss is the different levels of involvement a mentor can have, and how its the little things that a mentor can do that really helps a team. Obviously you are speaking to a group of engineers, but maybe there are some that might be interested in other aspects of mentoring, like working with the drive team or helping to raise money.

If you've been involved with FIRST for a while, it might be interesting to discuss your personal experience as a mentor and how it's affected you. A lot of people won't be interested if they don't know where they can reap the benefits, so understanding the benefits of working with these students is important.