News

Building productive business relationships is often a key to professional success, but many students and young professionals need guidance to develop these crucial skills. To facilitate the ability of these younger professionals to learn about interpersonal skills, communications, and teamwork, the IEEE Foundation awarded a grant that will allow IEEE Member and Geographic Activities (IEEE MGA) to pilot a new initiative – “IEEE MGA Building Business Relationships Workshop.” 

This new IEEE-MGA initiative features workshops designed to help student and young professional members develop the necessary skills to create more effective and productive working relationships, ultimately contributing to their personal and professional growth. The workshops leverage a blended learning approach, combining the Everything DiSC® Workplace assessment, instructor-led activities, and video clips to provide a comprehensive learning experience. Prior to attending a Workshop, participants will take the Everything DiSC® Workplace assessment to better understand their behavioral style and how it interacts with others in the workplace. By the end of the workshop, participants will gain insights into their behavioral styles, enhance their self-awareness, learn new approaches to improve their communication styles, discover techniques to reduce conflict in a professional environment and foster engagement, and develop leadership skills. 

Thanks to the funding from the IEEE Foundation, IEEE-MGA expects to reach more than 200 workshop participants during the following four IEEE events:

1. 2025 IEEE Rising Stars from 3-5 January 2025 in Las Vegas, NV, USA 
2. 2025 IEEE SouthEastcon from 26-30 March 2025  in Concord, NC, USA
3. 2025 IEEE WIE International Leaders Conference from 15-16 May 2025 in San Jose, CA, USA
4. 2025 IEEE Young Professionals Climate Summit – date to be determined

When asked why he thought it was important for the IEEE Foundation to invest in this type of initiative, Jerry Hudgins, IEEE Foundation Vice President, Programs, explained, “This collaboration between IEEE MGA and the IEEE Foundation aligns with our programmatic goals to invest in initiatives that educate the next generation of innovators. Together, the Foundation and IEEE-MGA will be helping to prepare IEEE student and young professional members for success in the workforce.”

Curious to learn more about how the IEEE Foundation and our donors are investing in the next generation of innovators, explore our Opportunities for Students and Young Professionals webpage.