5 Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon | www.plso.org From the PLSO Office hearing was, “This is so exciting, I teach elements of this and they have such a hard time connecting to jobs in the real world.” That was followed by, “I would love it if someone came and spoke to them.” Our teachers know what they need, they just have to jump through a lot of hoops to get it. Our role is to find out how we can make it easier. Maybe create a lesson that you do every year for your local fifthgrade class, such as teaching them how to “survey” the playground, or volunteer to represent PLSO at one of the many youth career exploration fairs we get invited to. Once you get in front of teens, the question is about how to talk to them. First, not like they are kids. They hate that. Second, you are there to talk about a possible future for them. You are adding to their toolbox to decide what pathway to walk down. In short, professionals, you are there to market. Teens are highly susceptible to marketing influences, primarily due to their developmental stage, social environment, and exposure to media. It sounds calculating, but if you promise to use your powers for good, I will go further into what factors contribute to this susceptibility: 1. Developmental Vulnerability: Teens are in the process of forming their identities, seeking peer approval, and asserting independence from their parents. Being sure to stress the “identity” and “lifestyle” of a land surveyor is really important. By identity, I mean a problem solver, has a love for the outdoors and working on multiple projects, and likes technology. 2. Peer Influence: We all know that teenagers’ friends play a central part in their life. Highlighting group identity within teenage subcultures is important. This is a little harder for land surveying, but understanding that a good land surveyor doesn’t necessarily come from ONE subculture is important, and that not everyone has to have math as their favorite subject. Do they like to participate in hands-on projects? Do they have a STEM-inclined mine with an eye for design? Do they consider themselves a hiker? One may be a “goth” and the other “emo,” but they both certainly have roots to grow. 3. Media Consumption: Today’s teenagers are immersed in a digital landscape characterized by social media, online platforms, and targeted advertising. This provides us with unprecedented access to tailor messages for people who have interests such as the outdoors, technology, and design. 4. Emotional Appeal: Teens experience a wide range of emotions. If you are a parent, you may have seen your own child go through excitement, happiness, fear, and rage in a matter of 10 minutes. It’s a sight to behold. The truth is that emotional people are more responsive to emotionally charged messaging. Finding that emotional balance between the joy and freedom of walking through the woods and the fear of calculating least square is going to be important. We need to be consistent with our messaging that resonates with teenagers’ aspirations for their future, and if you can create FOMO (fear of missing out) on surveying, you will have discovered El Dorado. The significance of community partnerships is important to create holistic development of students, which helps shape a future workforce. We must help the schools provide insights into various industries, career pathways, and skill requirements. All of this helps students make a more informed decision about their future. It is then our responsibility to be sure and offer meaningful job shadow and scholarship opportunities, internships, mentorships, and authentic work environments to keep them working towards licensure. PLSO has many resources online for teachers and members. Our teacher page may be found at www.plso.org/Teachers and resources for you to use may be seen by logging in to plso.org and going to www.plso.org/plsomaterials, which includes the presentation made at the 2024 ACTE Conference. Please contact me at execdirector@plso. org if you are interested in being a part of our Outreach Committee.
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