Collegiate Competitions: A Win-Win-Win Scenario

June: The month of Father’s Day, weddings, and, of course, graduations. And once again, the job outlook for 2010 graduates looks bleak. According to a survey by Michigan State University, employment for 2010 grads is expected to decline about 2% over 2009. Graduates will have to stand out as they enter a fiercely competitive workforce.

But, ask students that have been participating in the EcoCAR Challenge for the last two years, and many will tell you they already have jobs lined up at their first choice companies. They have made themselves stand apart by participating in this collegiate competition, offering both experience and an education, right out of school. Just as important, these students have established the contacts at these companies that they need to get their foot in the door.

Programs such as the EcoCAR Challenge, put on by GM and the US Department of Energy, and the Society of Automotive Engineers’ Clean Snowmobile Challenge, provide students with the opportunity to get hands-on experience while still in the classroom, and provide companies with the chance to work closely with this young talent before putting the job offer on the table.

But the win-win doesn’t end with jobs. Everyone benefits when emerging technologies are forged, refined and put to the test in these annual competitions. Sensors has been a proud sponsor of both of these collegiate events for several years. At this year’s Clean Snowmobile Challenge, the University of Wisconsin-Madison ran away with Sensors’ In-Service Emissions award and the first place overall. Their entry focused on improving the emissions of the internal combustion engine – improvements that can be adopted into commercial snowmobiles. In Year 2 of the three year EcoCAR Challenge, Mississippi State University drove off with Sensors’ Best Tailpipe Emissions award, as well as taking first place overall in the contest, with a biodiesel extended range electric vehicle. They will continue their work over the next year to have their designs “near showroom” ready.

So to all of you students out there: Take advantage of these collegiate competitions. Not only will it help you in your future career search, but it will help to build a cleaner future for the transportation industry. Not to mention that these competitions are just plain fun!