Podcast: Talking Technicians

I am pretty sure there are more podcasts out there than seconds in the day--I keep finding more that are terrific to listen to.  The Micro Nano Technology Education Center (MNT-EC) Talking Technician’s podcast is about connecting people, considering a career with micro and nano industries, with people who currently work in those industries. Their interviewees originate from many different walks of life, but all share a common experience of completing their certification through community college to achieve their career goal. These podcasts are windows into real experiences and could be useful for faculty to incorporate into their curriculum, perhaps assigning students to download and actively listen to episodes. Students could identify the component parts of working as a technician, such as: identify the technical and professional skills discussed; pay; and what a typical day looks like. Each podcast wraps up with concrete suggestions on how to find a career that works for you.

I listened to two of the podcasts: 

Amalia at Oak Crest Institute of Science:  Amalia moved to LA to become a star, but while waiting for that to happen she found her real passion in chemistry at a community college and now works at the Oak Science Crest Institute of Science, a biotech lab in Monrovia CA.

Martin at Medtronic:  Martin's journey started in Mexico at the age of 15, took him to community college in Rosemont, Minnesota, and ultimately led him to become an engineer at a Medtronic, a multi-national healthcare technology company.

It was really interesting to hear how these two people found their careers--I can't wait to listen to more!

Take a moment to listen to the latest episode of Talking Technicians: Web, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts

Talking Technicians podcast is produced by MNT-EC, the Micro Nano Technology Education Center, through financial support from the National Science foundation Advanced Technological Education (NSF-ATE) grant program.