The Brainstorm is a section of Product Design & Development where we talk with industry leaders to get their perspective on issues critical to the overall design engineering marketplace. In this issue, we ask: 

How do seasoned design engineers stay relevant, challenge their skills, and grow in their fields? 

Bill Dietrick, Vice President - Marketing, Proto Labs

Several generations ago, a newly-graduated engineer would emerge from college, carve out a niche in one well-defined area of expertise and remain there for a lifetime.  

Today, product cycles are shorter and the need for innovation is greater. The pace of technological change has increased, and in response, today’s engineers find themselves switching jobs more often, even if it is within the same company.

Numerous studies have pointed out that the half-life of an engineer’s knowledge – the time it takes for knowledge to become obsolete - is getting shorter and shorter.

Estimates range from five years to two years, depending on the specific engineering discipline. The rapidly changing technology environment has placed new demands on engineers to acquire more skills and knowledge to function in their day-to-day lives.

Choosing a career as an engineer in today’s business environment means a commitment to lifelong learning.

Each project that an engineer works on expands his or her knowledge base, but on-the-job learning, or relying on your company to train you is no longer enough. The primary responsibility for professional development for engineers is now almost entirely in their own hands.

How do today’s high-performing engineers constantly renew their knowledge base? Here are just a few ideas: 

• Read books and journals, both in your field of expertise and in tangential areas as well
• Go to professional meetings and listen to the presentations
• Join an Association or Trade Group within your area of expertise – and go to the meetings!
• Talk to other people at work, not just engineers, but marketing, sales and customers
• Join a mentorship program – seek out leaders in your field
• Explore distance-learning opportunities and online classes
• Join a Linked-in group, reach out to peers on Facebook
• Sign up for an RSS feed from a technical blog
• Sign up for The Proto Labs Journal and Monthly Design Tips 

Engineers must ensure that their technical competencies continue to keep pace with technological change. Adopting the philosophy of a “lifelong learner” will go a long way to maintaining a successful career path.

Tom Lee, Chief Evangelist, Maplesoft

Among the more practical techniques for keeping up with Mr. Jones P.E., the first things that pop to my mind are the various “new media” tools. 

Webinars, to me, are one of the greatest developments in recent years. When webinars are done well, all of us can access experts in a wide range of fields and have a chance to directly interact with them without the expense of a flight and a hotel room. Most companies are now realizing that substantive technical webinars work better than marketing propaganda. So, it’s much easier to find a wealth of good talks without ever leaving your seat.

Social networking is another amazing technology which, in the right context, is a great empowering tool. For example, the LinkedIn® system has evolved to be the most connecting network for professionals. Unlike Facebook®, it has stronger controls and behavioral guidelines to ensure professional decorum. The smart ones among the LinkedIn crowd will use the system to connect to experts in their fields to pick their brains, conduct surveys, and research how others might be approaching certain challenges.

Among the new media technologies are wonderful new variants of traditional communications media such as audio books, blogs, and online continuing education courses. Audio books allow us to engage in a huge volume of collective wisdom in a very convenient way. Blogs are timelier and livelier descendants of trade magazine editorials. And, colleges everywhere have begun shifting their creativity and technology to enrich their distance and continuing education programs. This more dynamic and accessible format encourages more of us to adopt life-long learning.

Part of the message here is really that the entire world seems to be working hard to provide all of us with more convenient ways to stay informed and in touch with colleagues, peers, customers, and even competitors. Sometimes, it’s really a matter of lifting our heads up from our keyboards, taking a deep breath, and taking a few minutes to consider such options. 

Tom Kruer, V.P. Product Development, TOH Products

As a Product Design Engineer and entrepreneur by trade, I'm always looking for new ways to use my skills and experience in order to improve my products, my businesses, myself and the world around me.

I believe everyone in the industry, and engineers in particular, need to search out and be aware of the latest technologies and methodologies that might help improve and expand their skills. PD&D magazine is one of the sources I use for staying up on relevant developments in the field.

For a challenge, I’ve really enjoyed participating in “open innovation” through an interesting new website called InnoCentive.com. This site allows me to work on problems that companies have posted for anyone to solve. Working on these problems has enabled me to challenge my skills while at the same time vastly expand my knowledge base outside my fields of expertise.

The Open Innovation model also allows me to offer potential solutions that might really make a difference. Most recently, my design for a low cost, solar-powered mosquito trap proved successful and is going into production. 

This device could help prevent the spread of malaria and have an impact on the lives of millions of people around the world. This fact is not only satisfying on a personal level, it pushes me to think about other ways I can contribute my skills beyond my daily work.

For I feel that the engineers and scientists are key change agents for society ... I intend to continue to fulfill that responsibility.

Greg Cober, Training Manager, Altra Industrial Motion

A challenge all technology workers, engineer or not, face is staying current with changing and emerging technologies. Those who manage to do so bring an obvious edge over those who do not. 

Unfortunately it is a process that takes a commitment of time, as well as a commitment to openness of mind.       

One of my college professors made it a point to rise early two days each week and spend at least an hour looking through journals for new ideas and new technologies. 

A management speaker I met uses his travel time by going to the airport new stand and buying magazines on topics he is unfamiliar with and then clipping and saving website locations for products or services that he is curious about.       

If the goal is to institutionalize familiarity then a formal approach is required.  Many manufacturers these days bring multiple products to market. Any smart sales person would leap at a chance to present to a group of engineers either in person or over the web. 

Allow one per month to present on their new products with the assigned focus to be only on new products or new features that differentiate them in the market. In this instance you want to avoid hearing about Company A’s new product that is only new because it is their new copy of Company B’s old product. This approach requires some up front effort to screen out the commercial presentation and keep presenters focused on technology and solutions.

A variation on this would be to assign staff to present on new products or functions on a revolving basis. For a team of six, each would be assigned to bring the group a short presentation on something new they had found two times each year.

The advantage of this would be that you create an instant in-house ‘expert’ on the topic.

Randall Restle, Technical Marketing Manager, Newark  

When they start their first job, design engineering graduates realize that even after devoting four years to studying their chosen discipline, they have a lot to learn if they are to channel their skills into successful design and development.  

For the seasoned design engineer, the challenge is different.  While these professionals have significant experience, they don't have the luxury of time to devote to extensive periods of study. But, there are still steps they can take to ensure continued professional development and growth.

First, it is important to accept that it’s simply not possible to have in-depth knowledge of every single development in one, let alone multiple industries. With the wealth of focused media outlets, online resources and personalized digital communications, it is now easier than ever before to gain a high-level understanding of everything from new process technologies to legislation. It is then simpler to identify specific areas where deeper understanding - and, therefore further time commitment - may be required.

The question is how to gain the knowledge needed in the most efficient and cost-effective way. Obviously, appropriate training should be considered, and even in the current economic climate, it remains possible to obtain employer support if tangible benefits can be demonstrated.  

It is also worth investigating what assistance is available from companies that engineers deal with regularly, such as suppliers and distributors. While suppliers are often tapped, many distributors now often everything from technical product trainings to detailed design advice on popular applications. Distributors can also present many solutions from multiple suppliers for a design.

Finally, it is worth checking what opportunities exist though industry associations or local educational facilities. The IEEE for example, operates a number of societies where members can learn more in specific fields, while a number of universities offer continuing education courses for engineers. 

Carl Vieth, Director of Corporate Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Engineering Professional Development 

We live in a period of exponential growth of knowledge and technology. Engineers who have been practicing for ten years are working with technologies that didn’t exist when they were in school. Similarly, the challenge of globalization requires that engineers employ the latest processes to remain competitive. In this environment, growing your skills is not a luxury – it’s a necessity.

A key factor in the ability of an engineer to stay relevant is recognizing that lifelong learning is a requirement. Engineers have a professional responsibility to remain current, and apply the latest research, technology, and methods they learn to their work projects to positively impact society.

There are a number of strategies engineers can use to keep current.

First, regularly participate in formal professional development programs. Usually offered by universities or professional societies, these programs provide a wide range of learning activities and are scalable to the specific technical need and skill requirement.

Second, engineers should routinely study professional literature. Journal publications are a great source of information and stimulate the innovative spirit.

Finally, for some, an advanced degree provides the opportunity to redefine their professional practice and take their careers on new paths. 

Paul Perreault, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Anark Corporation

Delivering innovative products and processes in today’s competitive environment is more important than ever. 

Engineers are consistently pushed to decrease time to market, improve product and process quality, and consistently meet deadlines to ensure customer’s needs are met. Seasoned engineers not only have to deal with day-to-day deadlines and processes, but they also have to consistently stay on top of how to stay relevant in an increasingly competitive environment.

Become a lifelong learner – all engineers need to maintain a lifelong focus on education and continue to broaden their skill bases in order to stay competitive. Challenge your skills, take new courses, and stay on top of new and innovative products, process improvements, and efficiency gains. 

You know the main skills, you have the general skill sets – now take new classes, try your hand at projects or skills that you’ve never tried before.  Be more aware of what you can do to increase your efficiency as an individual by keeping current on new trends that will help the overall group, or company.

Think creatively, become aware of all processes involved in the workflow, focus on process improvement and efficiency – how can I help cut costs, how can I help to improve time to market.  Skills and technologies that facilitate improved collaboration are here now – take advantage of it.

Take the lead, communicate your ideas and then encourage people to follow.