Jean Eason (Chair), Chuck Elliott, Don Herres, Gary Blank, Peggy Hutcheson, Tarek Lahdhiri, David Machiorolla, Ken Doniger, Nigel Bristow.

Scott Grayson reported that the budget will remain flat for 2005.  The Committee will have a 2005 budget of $32.7K. To date, the budget shows that the committee has expended $10K Scott noted that due to the November meeting and the various projects underway the committee will most likely expend its entire budget line item.

Gary Blank reported that the IEEE-USA Board of Directors OpCom charged the ECS committee with recommending a new member service that would provide members with more job listings than the current IEEE JLS but would be a supplemental service to the IEEE Job Listing Service. 

The committee ultimately recommended that Gary Blank report that the committee is currently developing a plan to accomplish the task of providing members with enhanced job search tools.  Jean Eason will contact Gary Johnson to let him know the plans of the committee prior to the upcoming IEEE-USA BoD meeting.

The committee discussed some options:

a) Regional Approach.  Region 3 is a wonderful model for regional web pages. 
b) Spherion:  The Committee will pursue the Spherion's product--WorkStar. The Committee has asked Scott to negotiate a business arrangement with Spherion. (More discussion under Spherion)

Region 1: Don Herres:  Don Herres reported that he made a presentation for the Portland Section. He mentioned that he has gotten some positive feedback from foreign engineers on the workshops that are on line. 

Region 2: No Report

Region 3: David Macchiorola: David reported that he has received a few requests for help from local IEEE members within his region.  David mentioned that he has started sending emails to local members about career, professional development and employment resources asking if anyone needed assistance.  He did not receive much of a response. 

Region 4: Tarek Lahdhiri reported that he had conducted a number of Project Management workshops during the past year (SouthCon, Milwaukee, Santa Clara-GSPx, and in Portland.  Tarek announced that he had created PowerPoint slides of his Project Management Workshop accompanied by an article that can be published on the web.  Tarek has also developed another CD with an "autorun" menu that includes the information from the 2004 IEEE-USA Leadership Workshop CD as well as other material for local PACE leaders including the QRT modules. Tarek will send Scott the article to be posted to the web.

Region 5: Jean Eason reported that the IEEE Denver Section had a workshop on How to Plan, Manage, and Brand Your Career.  Jean is currently working on the Engineers Guide and will have it ready for submittal to the IEEE-USA Office by 8 January 2005.  The intent is to publish it in time for the 2005 IEEE-USA Leadership Workshop.  Jean explained that she was planning to launch a networking VC but IEEE had put a moratorium on establishing new VCs for now.  Jean will revisit this issue and potentially promote the networking issue on the current ECS VC.

Region 6: Ken Doniger asked for assistance with the article he wrote.  Ken, Dave and Tarek have been monitoring the JLS and working with Alex Witkowski.  Ken has been posting issues on the virtual community and on the Region 6 site.  He mentioned that he has become more active in the PACE Network. 

Peggy reported that she is working on a draft article on Quality of Worklife Balance.  She plans to finalize the article this week.  Once this article is completed we will post it to the CareerNavigator website.  Peggy will send Scott the Quality of Worklife before year end.

Committee members thanked Nigel for his work on the document.  The Committee approved the document to be posted to a members only site.  It will be linked to the CAM.  [Subsequently, Peggy provided Scott with additional edits] Scott will post by 15 December 2004.

Scott Grayson reported that the IEEE-USA OpCom approved the reallocation of $10K from the voluntary contribution fund to be used on the publication of the Fieldbook.  Scott noted that the business arrangement with Nigel Bristow is as follows:

• IEEE will own the copyright
• Nigel will receive rights to use chapters of the Fieldbook as he wishes
• Nigel will receive rights to reproduce the book as he wishes as long as it is not identical to the IEEE publication
• If IEEE is not willing to reprint the Fieldbook for any reason--rights will transfer to back to Nigel
• IEEE-USA will pay all costs associated with printing, editing, format, publication.
• IEEE-USA will print 5,000 copies
• IEEE-USA will sell Nigel 2,500 copies at IEEE-USA's cost per unit (book).
• IEEE-USA will split any surplus 50/50 once IEEE-USA recovers its costs (staff overhead not included).

The Committee endorsed this approach.  Scott reported that the Fieldbook will be published by year end.  [The Fieldbook is currently being printed and will be finished by mid December 2004]

The Committee discussed the Spherion WorkStar Product and conculded that it appeared to be a product that they would like to offer to IEEE members.  The product includes a job listing service that uses "Spider Technology" which captures an estimated 20 Million corporate and local newspaper job listings on the web.  The spider does not pick up jobs from established jobsites such as Monster, DICE, IEEE, etc.  This service also includes an automated resume assistant with templates to be used to develop one's resume.  Additionally, the WorkStar program has an extensive database that allows job seekers to research the industry within which they are interested in working, and allows them to find key contacts at specific companies.

The Committee authorized Scott Grayson to negotiate a business deal with Spherion.  The Committee would like to offer a user rate of no more than $60. If possible the committee would like to offer a reduced rate to unemployed members.  Member rates will be set once a deal is negotiated with Spherion. 

Committee members also want to explore ways of incorporating the Regional job listings in one place.  It was recommended that the ECS Virtual Community be used for a Regional Job Listing.  [Scott will work to arrange the current job listings by Region]

Subsequent to the meeting, Mike Lightner, (current VP IEEE Publications adn 2005 IEEE President Elect) approved of the type of service that Spherion offers as well as the use of the Virtual Community to list jobs.  They do not see either service as competing but complimentary.

Peggy will continue to spearhead this project.  Once committee members have reviewed the website they will meet via telecon after the new year.  The committee will pursue this project futher in 2005.

ECS Public Relations (Grayson)  Scott reported that a product and services brochure is underway and will be ready for distribution at the 2005 IEEE-USA Leadership Workshop.

The Committee will most likely send speakers to the IEEE-USA Leadership Workshop.  Scott reported that there would most likely be sessions on Employment and Career Services.

Reported on GSPX

Discussed on line professional workshop:  Fieldbook Success Fulfilment, Organizational Building Professional Networking, Electronic Network (Jean and Don) Mentoring,  Leadership Scott will prepare a calendar and program.  Will publish a calendar

Non U.S. Professional Activities: Scott Grayson

Public Relations

Reviewed the Employment significant decrease in services being offered.

Web Template talk to John
Send Don Salary Survey
Send Committee Entrepreneurs
Send Committee Employment Survey to get input back by Friday.

Gary will put together a workshop on line.

Need more articles

Make it known to the PACE Chairs that they should be posting job listings on the site.  Scott reported that the site has become one of the most popular