In a competitive job market and tight economy with layoffs happening every day, electrical and power engineering students at Sacramento State have realized they need to go the extra mile to understand and prepare for the industry they will soon enter.

To help students see what professionals do within the industry, the two engineering clubs on campus hosted an open forum for students to meet with representatives from local companies and state agencies. The group includes SMUD, the State Department of Water Resources, computer chip maker Intel and state power grid monitor California Independent Systems Operator, or CalISO.

Electrical engineering major and Vice President of The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Club Wayne Dias has been an active member of the club since 2007. Dias has found support with the club and recently obtained an internship with CalISO through the club.

“We bring companies to tell students what they do, what their company does, how is their hiring process then it is up to the students to be proactive and talk to companies, and pass out resumes,” Dias said.

CalISO’s Public Information Officer Gregg Fishman said that there are a lot of different opportunities for students, especially in the engineering field. CalISO tries to recruit and let students know the types of jobs offered and also get people interested in engineering.

Students interning at CalISO not only get valuable experience, they also are paid.

“We give our engineering interns the opportunity to experience the real world work that engineers do,” Fishman said.

Even though the economy is not at its best, Fishman said that the engineering field has a lot of opportunities and students could start interning to get their feet in the door.

According to its website, SMUD sponsors a college student employment program. While the participating students receive valuable work experience, SMUD benefits from their expertise.

Participating students work up to 20 hours per week during the academic year, full-time during the summer, and sometimes in academic breaks if the student is available. SMUD’s student hiring is conducted through the local public colleges and universities such as Sac State, UC Davis, American River College and Cosumnes River College. Engineering instructor and club adviser Dennis Dahlquist said that his goal is to help students be connected to the engineering industry.

“Technology is always going to be a demand, regardless of the economy,” Dahlquist said. He said that there is nothing better than being creative in the engineering field and approaching the companies.

Dias appreciates all the work of the previous engineering club members and advisers because they brought many representatives to talk to the club. Dahlquist said that was how he was able to get his job at CalISO.

The Industry Here For You forum was designed so students can take advantage to direct questions towards real professionals in the field.

Edwardo Gonzalez, engineering major and president of the Power Engineering Society, is also one of the organizers of the open forum event. Gonzalez said there will be approximately 10 to 12 speakers from the engineering industry.

One of best experiences Gonzalez has obtained while being in the club is “being able to meet with the possible employers, know what they are looking for and what skills we need to bring from our education to apply to those job sites,” he said.

Karina Yepez can be reached at [email protected]