First area GOLD Meeting January 10, 1998

"There's GOLD in them thar hills!!"

The first GOLD meeting for

Boston and Worcester County Sections will be held this January!

Read on to find out more!

What the dickens is GOLD?

GOLD stands for Graduates Of the Last Decade, and it was created by the Membership Development Committee. It is pretty much an equivalent to PACE's YP (Young Professionals) program with the exception that, while both can target recent graduates, GOLD is indiscriminate of age - if you have received any degree in the last 10 years, you are considered a GOLD member!

Why is GOLD important?

Both the GOLD and YP programs were designed to retain recently graduated Student Members as continuing and active members of the IEEE. Our GOLD meetings are open to anyone who cares to attend - and most especially, STUDENT members are encouraged to attend. What is interesting or applicable to a GOLD member is most likely interesting or applicable to anyone in any age group.

So what?

Let me toss out an amazing statistic: only 17% of graduating Student Members are still members just a short four years after graduation!! There are several possible reasons for this severe decline, including full-member-priced-dues, financial burdens (like student loans) and the change of demands for time and on lifestyle commitments.

IEEE's Financial Advantage Program, the Graduated Dues program (available to graduating students), personal networking, and obtaining mentors (not to mention all of the world-class IEEE publications!), could help retain some of these recent graduates, but only if they are informed and supported by those of us who are willing to take the time and effort to include recent graduates of all ages.

The GOLD program was designed to facilitate this desire to help these recent graduates and second career individuals and demonstrate to them the great many benefits IEEE can offer.

Where and When:
The meeting will be held on

Saturday, January 10, 1998 at

Framingham State College

College Center

100 State Street

Framingham, MA 01702

from 11 AM - 3 PM.
Refreshments and lunch will be served.

What:
The topic for this first GOLD meeting will be

contracting/consulting vs. permanent employment.

A brief introduction of the GOLD program and IEEE will start off the agenda to aquaint attendees with the main sponsor of the meeting.
Each of the speakers will briefly present (~10 min) how his/her career path decision was made and how things have progressed since.
A question and answer session to follow the presentations.
Questions relating to the presentations, personal networking, the GOLD program or IEEE in general are all welcome.
(My professors used to say: "The only stupid question is the one that's never asked.")

This meeting marks the start of our GOLD program in Massachusetts so bring your resumes and/or your business cards. There will be a tray at the entrance for resumes.

Confirmed Presenters To Date:

Larry Nelson, Sr., President of Nelson Research based in Webster, MA (current Worcester County Section Chair) will be speaking on what his consulting work has been like.
Jason Ford of Logix, Inc., a high-tech placement agency based in Waltham, MA, will speak on what companies are looking for in permanent position candidates.
Koralia Franklin, Director of Server Systems Engineering at Digital Equipment Corporation's Acton, MA facility, will speak about her career.
Kevin MacGuire from the Newton, MA office of The Registry, a contract placement agency, will speak on what companies are looking for in consulting and contracting candidates.

Other presenters will include a contract recruiter, another consultant and persons who have been permanently employed.

Be sure to check back here on a regular basis
for up-to-date presenter information!

For more information:
For information on the confirmed list of presenters, directions to Framingham State College or to sign up for this program, please contact me at susan.foster@ieee.org or at work 978-264-5405. All information will be posted here and updated on a regular basis.

Thanks for all of your help and support... I look forward to seeing all of you on January 10th. Be sure to attend and extend your horizon to include the GOLD in those hills!

------- See you there! -------

Submitted by:

Susan Foster

GOLD Chair for Boston and Worcester County Sections

susan.foster@ieee.org

Last modified: 21 November 1997, 14:25