1 Engineering Education and Practice for the Global Community Preparing Engineers for a Global Workplace – CDM’s Experience Mary Leslie CDM University March 17,2006

2 Who is CDM? Employee-owned consulting, engineering, construction and operations firm founded in 1947 in Boston Employee-owned consulting, engineering, construction and operations firm founded in 1947 in Boston 3,500 employees; 350 in 26 global offices - 30 US citizens, the rest locals 3,500 employees; 350 in 26 global offices - 30 US citizens, the rest locals First international project in 1960 First international project in 1960

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4 Preparing Engineers for a Global Workplace Providing opportunities to work overseas on international projects Providing opportunities to work overseas on international projects Networking with international staff Networking with international staff Learning to work overseas via OJT Learning to work overseas via OJT Minimal training prior to overseas assignments Minimal training prior to overseas assignments Career paths and development planning Career paths and development planning

5 Preparing Engineers for a Global Workplace (Continued) Corporate support for professional association memberships and conferences; papers, presentations, committees and boards globally Corporate support for professional association memberships and conferences; papers, presentations, committees and boards globally Annual technical papers awards; $5K award for best papers Annual technical papers awards; $5K award for best papers Career development/training by pre-eminent CDM experts through CDM University Career development/training by pre-eminent CDM experts through CDM University Recruiting diverse candidates from 30 US schools including WPI!! Recruiting diverse candidates from 30 US schools including WPI!! Providing continuing education opportunities to meet professional license requirements Providing continuing education opportunities to meet professional license requirements

6 CDM University CDM’s corporate university founded in 1996 CDM’s corporate university founded in 1996 Professional training staff Professional training staff Provides/supports continuing education/training in all CDM offices globally; all delivery methods Provides/supports continuing education/training in all CDM offices globally; all delivery methods LMS accessible globally via internet LMS accessible globally via internet Training on tools and skills, in English only Training on tools and skills, in English only

7 Training Lessons Learned Overseas local staff are more aggressive about accessing online training of all kinds even on their own time Overseas local staff are more aggressive about accessing online training of all kinds even on their own time Difficult and expensive to get visas to bring people to US for work or training; train overseas or do virtual training, online or blended approach Difficult and expensive to get visas to bring people to US for work or training; train overseas or do virtual training, online or blended approach

8 Global Engineering – A two-way Street? US no longer produces enough engineering grads to meet US demand US no longer produces enough engineering grads to meet US demand 100 times more international engineering students in US than vice versa – many are fluent in English. 100 times more international engineering students in US than vice versa – many are fluent in English. Technology transfer may be two way; some foreign countries catching up fast Technology transfer may be two way; some foreign countries catching up fast Overseas offices predominately local staff; senior CDM engineers/project managers Overseas offices predominately local staff; senior CDM engineers/project managers

9 Typical Project PRASA Program Management Contract PRASA Program Management Contract - Formed CDM Caribbean - Detailed design work must be performed in PR largely by local engineering resources - Must be registered PE in PR - Robust program for interns and coops from 4 local PR universities required -Technology Transfer