How manufacturers and retiring owners can give back through Engineers Without Borders USA.
Grateful for What You’ve Built? Give Back Through Engineers Without Borders USA
As many of our clients — owners and shareholders — approach retirement, they look back on all their hard work and feel grateful for the blessings they’ve gained over the years.
Some look forward to more golf, more time on the boat, or more time with the grandkids.
Others become a little panicked about what they’ll actually do once they finally do retire.
Regardless of which category you fall into, it may surprise you to know that retirement doesn’t necessarily have to mean “retirement.”
After spending the last 20, 30 or 40 years building a manufacturing company, you’ve accumulated an amazing amount of knowledge and experience. That experience can be incredibly valuable to the next generation of engineers.
You’ve Built the Experience. Now You Can Share It.
Most of us are familiar with Doctors Without Borders — medical professionals who travel around the world to help people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters and limited access to health care.
But what do you know about Engineers Without Borders USA?
We at Accelerated Manufacturing Brokers recently learned more about EWB-USA because my nephew, Colin, joined a local chapter at Boston University.
At the time, the organization included:
16,800 members
686 community-driven projects
42 countries
That’s an amazing reach.
What Engineers Without Borders USA Does
EWB-USA is made up of both professional and student chapters.
The organization harnesses the energy and fresh thinking of exceptional college engineering students — kids who haven’t yet learned the phrase, “We can’t do that” — and connects them with experienced engineering professionals to tackle real infrastructure needs in developing communities.
Projects can range from bridge and road construction to sanitation systems and access to clean water.
These Aren’t Short-Term Projects
One of the things that impressed us most is that projects are not simply started and abandoned.
Projects are selected and committed to for five years.
And get this — they don’t just set something up and leave.
EWB-USA works with local community partners and NGOs to design and implement engineering projects that can be sustained by the community itself.
They plan, monitor, evaluate and learn.
That long-term commitment is what makes the work so meaningful.
One Example: Work Being Done in Zambia
Colin’s chapter at Boston University is actively working on three projects in Naluja, Zambia, while also monitoring two projects that have already been implemented.
The three current projects include:
- Developing a rainwater catchment system
- Constructing latrines
- Installing a water pump that will provide water to hundreds of community members
Each project also includes some form of education related to hygiene improvement, sanitation and reducing the spread of disease.
Engineering Solutions That Make a Real Difference
The BU chapter is also monitoring a simple water-filtration bucket system that was installed in households throughout Naluja.
Another project involves an antenna system designed to detect cellular signals and improve reception so SMS text messages related to infant HIV diagnosis can be transmitted more reliably.
These may sound like straightforward engineering projects, but their impact on the community can be enormous.
Retired Manufacturing and Engineering Professionals Can Help
A large part of EWB-USA’s success comes from engineering professionals who volunteer their time and experience.
They need college mentors who can provide valuable guidance and expertise.
And the level of commitment can vary dramatically.
It might mean spending several weeks or months traveling to work directly on a project.
Or it might mean doing a virtual design review from your laptop while sitting on the sofa in your jammies.
Either way, decades of engineering and manufacturing experience can make a real difference.
Accelerated Is Getting Involved Too
Accelerated Manufacturing Brokers, Inc. is supporting Boston University’s project in Naluja, Zambia.
We’re really grateful for what we’ve got, so we’re giving back and getting involved.
And we’re still working!
We’ll also be attending the EWB-USA Northeast Regional Conference at Boston University in November. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about the organization and the projects its volunteers are working on.
Retirement Can Be a New Beginning
If you’ve spent decades building a manufacturing company, retirement doesn’t mean all that knowledge and experience has to sit on the sidelines.
Organizations like Engineers Without Borders USA provide an opportunity to share what you’ve learned, mentor the next generation and help solve real-world problems for communities that need it most.
If you’re grateful for what you’ve built and looking for a meaningful way to give back, this may be worth exploring.
You can learn more about the Boston University chapter here and about the national organization through EWB-USA.