The new IEEE NZ Central Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD) group invites you to a free session on career planning specifically targeted for young engineers in electrical, electronic and computer engineering.

Richard Gibbons is a highly accomplished professional engineer and he will share his experience to help you set goals in your career.  This talk has been very highly received with similar audiences: participants rated it the best of all the sessions at the IEEE Region 10 (Asia-Pacific) Student/GOLD/WIE Congress in Auckland earlier this year.

Refreshments will be served after the talk.  We’ll also run a short discussion on how we should be supporting you as a young professional.

Abstract

For a whole range of reasons you have ended up with an engineering degree. When completing forms that ask for your occupation, you proudly write the words “Professional Engineer”. It’s a great achievement to have got this far - but you have perhaps 35 or 40 years ahead of you.

• What are your goals?

• How do you set your goals?

• How much do they matter?  How fixed should they be?

• Do you know if what you are aiming for is right for you – will you be happy when you achieve get there?

This presentation will help you look at options and make choices as your career moves forward.

Drawing from my 40 years of experience in the profession I will share the experiences of making a variety of career moves (not necessarily all good!) that may help you when faced with your own choices.

About the Speaker

Richard Gibbons has over 35 years’ experience in the electrical power industry.  He is presently the General Manager of both LineTech Consulting and TLM Consulting Ltd.  He is also a member of the Standards NZ Council (Director) appointed by the Minister of Commerce.  Ir Gibbons’ earlier career involved roles in construction, planning, operation and fault response for power systems in London.  Later, in Auckland, he held managing roles with the Auckland Electrical Power Board and Mercury Energy.  He has subsequently held executive roles in contracting and consulting companies as well as providing consulting assistance to contractors, power and gas companies, regulators and industry bodies in both New Zealand and overseas.  He has been involved in many aspects of the power industry including investigating human error incidents/accidents and helping prepare or co-authoring industry documents.  Ir Gibbons has also acted as an expert witness in several legal actions.

Ir Gibbons is a past president of the Electricity Engineers’ Association (NZ) and a current member of its Executive Committee, a Fellow of IPENZ and the IET, a Chartered Engineer (UK), a Chartered Professional Engineer and an International Professional Engineer (NZ), a Fellow of the NZ Institute of Management and an Accredited Member of the Institute of Directors (NZ).