As an engineer, you represent your profession to society at large. One of the best ways to do this is through volunteer work, for which there are many opportunities. By volunteering your professional skills, you promote your profession, its values and its goals.

You might, for example, offer your technical skills in the public sector by serving on a local or state board or committee. You might also participate in public policymaking through state and local employer associations such as the Associated Industries of Massachusetts or your local Chamber of Commerce. These groups often take positions on technical issues affecting their members, and can benefit from the your expertise. See the PPC module Engineering Public Policy: Policy Gear for a more in-depth discussion of how you can contribute to the making of public policy.

Reach out to your local elementary, middle or high schools. Engineering is not always prevalent in the school systems and working with young people and teachers can be very rewarding. You can encourage teachers to introduce engineering concepts into their science, math and technology lesson plans or incorporate into after-school initiatives and get students excited about engineering. ASME has made it easy for you to approach a school with various Planning/Resource Tools to begin the process.

You can also tutor, advise or mentor individual students, serving as a role model and a support person. There are many fine organizations in which to become involved. The FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) program, for example, conducts regional and national robotics competitions in which volunteers from industry and universities team up with high school students to design, construct and control remotely operated robots for a sports-style competition. Like the FIRST Robotics Competition, FIRST Lego League combines an academic challenge with a sports-like competition, specially designed for students aged 9 through 14.

JETS, the Junior Engineering Technical Society, promotes interest in engineering, science, mathematics, and technology, and is dedicated to providing real-world engineering and problem-solving experience to high school students. JETS puts students in touch with engineers, shows them what engineers do, and demonstrates how the math and science concepts they are learning in class are applied in real life to engineering problems.

Other engineering societies, such as the Society for Women Engineers and the National Society of Black Engineers, have volunteer programs which provide valuable services beyond introducing engineering to youths. Mentored teens are 46 percent less likely to use drugs, 59 percent get better grades, and 73 percent raise their goals, according to NetMentors, a Web-based organization through which volunteers are brought together with students in their communities.

Participate in engineering focused events/projects - you can make a world of difference and learn something in the process. National events include Engineers Week and National Manufacturing Week.

Depending on the activity you choose, and how closely related it is to your work, your employer might allow you to participate in these activities during work time.