Chairman's Corner March 2008
GOT HELP? Enrollments are up in almost all petroleum engineering departments across the country and K-12 outreach programs like those conducted here in the Gulf Coast Section are stimulating increased interest for future engineering and geosciences students. However, the growth of one of the most important components of attracting and retaining students in our profession is lagging – internship programs. Summer internship programs serve many vital functions, especially providing the students real-world application and thus greater understanding of their rigorous classroom work. This makes them better students, motivates them to continue, and enhances their interest in our industry. I am sure many of you can testify to this fact. In turn, our companies receive better-trained graduates who make a rapid transition from student to productive engineer or geoscientist. Not to mention the very valuable work product they can offer during their internship! Many larger companies in the …