Engage students in conversation. For instance, ask if anyone knows an engineer. "Can you guess what TV personality Bill Nye The Science Guy and the head of NASA have in common?" (Both are engineers.)

Students are not at a loss for words. Be prepared to answer the following questions from junior and senior high school students:

"If I can make more money with a business degree than with an engineering degree, why should I become an engineer?"

"What do you do in a typical day?"

"What do you like most/least about your job?"

"Where did you go to school and was it hard?"

"Why did you become the type of engineer you are instead of another kind?"

"What kind of job can you get as an engineer?"

"In your job, are there any hazards to you or the environment?"

"Do I have to be a math or science whiz to become an engineer?"

"Why should I become an engineer?"

"How much money do you make?"
(Students will want to know whether or not engineering is a lucrative field. According to a 1996 National Society of Professional Engineers survey, the median salary for experienced engineers is $65,800. Compare that with other 1995 salaries, reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: accountants, $32,188; reporters, $32,084; and lawyers, $58,500.)

"Why did you become an engineer?"

"What colleges offer engineering?"

(Contact your professional society or the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc., 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, Maryland 21202.)

"What kinds of engineers are there?"

Younger students may ask anything from "Do you have any children?" to "How do bridges stand up?" to "Do you drive a train?" Keep your answers simple and straightforward. Click here for special tips on working with younger students.

Working through school counselors is another way to reach students. Go to the "Visiting A School" section to review a sample letter.

Next: Working with Younger Students