On May 4th of this year, we at Cavalier had a visit from a group of students from Lapeer County Intermediate School District, specializing in networking technology. They had come for a tour of our technology, and related discussions.
Now I know that the first image in your mind when you read that is a blend of disaffected/bored and hyper/reckless teens running through the hall, or lighting stuff on fire, etc., right? Wrong. These students were well-behaved and attentive, and more importantly, inquisitive. Of course, the bummer of the visit was that it was very brief (we *do* try to earn a living here 😉 ); and even though they were watched and guarded closely, we could not take them to where the really cool stuff is, due to security concerns.
Unfortunately, I could not attend the entire mini-tour since I was busy on other things. But I managed to join the group at the end when summaries were being given and questions were being taken. And to me, that was probably the coolest part anyway; because once the students relaxed a bit and starting asking questions, we all started to get the sense that this group was really absorbing what they saw, and was truly interested in what they are doing.
They asked questions that ran the gamut; about the validity of technical certifications, resume writing, the prevalence of older technology still in the workplace as tech generations change, honesty, human networking, volunteering, and so on. The small group of Cavalier employees clearly got a kick out of it, and it was over all-too-soon.
After they all left, I was left with a strange feeling… I clearly did not realize how much I would enjoy interacting with students that are interested, and I was left thinking I’d like to do it more. Hmm. Maybe volunteer to be a guest lecturer in school technical classes? Maybe get involved in community technology groups? Hmm. Hmm……
I want to thank Kelly R. and Terri W. for bringing the kids… er… young adults… out for the visit. And I want to thank the students for interacting, and making it fun; remember gang, we all started somewhere, and you’ll all be well on your way if you apply focus and diligence.
It was a kick, and I really enjoyed it.
🙂