Week of December 5 and 12

Essential Question

     How does the Sawnee Mountain Preserve Visitors Center embody an environmentally sustainable building, and what else can be done to obtain a Green Building certification?

     I selected this question because it fits perfectly into the environmental engineering field. I want to be the engineer that puts something back into the earth instead of other engineers who take away from the earth. Since I have been working with Forsyth County Parks and Recreation within my internship, a lot of great ideas have surfaced regarding an essential question. This one, by far, has been the one that I have been most interested in, so I will pursue the answer relentlessly. This question excites me so much because this is definitely something that I see myself doing as a career later on in life. This question fulfills my desires to pursue making something more environmentally sustainable, so generations to come have some earth that they can use as readily as we do. My goal is to use this question and apply it to many others buildings and visions that I can take part in, later in my career endeavors. 

Week of November 28

  A guaranteed way to get the job of your dreams   

http://growingleaders.com/blog/first-soft-skill-develop-students/

     This article goes into detail in the discussion of youth and how they can find themselves in trouble when applying and maintaining a job. Employers state that they find youth too loud, too forward, too self-absorbed, and lacking self-awareness. This all boils down to not having any social intelligence. As defined, social intelligence is defined as the capacity to effectively negotiate complex social relationships and environments. Social intelligence is knowing when or when not to speak up. It it also knowing when to talk about yourself. It is not however, taking advantage of your new job and acting like you are the best employee that the company has ever had. Remember, your first priority is doing the job you were assigned. If there is ever a time when youth should reign in their emotions and get to work is during this learning period of your first job. 

     This article made me realize that social skills are probably the most important part of every job. Knowing how to have a successful conversation with your boss and other coworkers is the key to having a long career with a single company. If every at the job likes you because you are easy-going and well versed, then you have just practically hired yourself. According to the article, this is want employers want. They want somebody that will fit into their company with no hiccups and who will not overstep their boundaries.