FAQs
What is this event about?
MdQI Outreach is a Subcommittee of the larger Maryland Quality Initiative organization. We host at least three virtual or in-person engineering outreach events annually for middle and high schools with strong math and science programs. At these events we promote career opportunities, entry level jobs, training and internships available in the transportation industry. We also post this information as well as scholarships, through the MdQI Students website and social media pages.
During the event we collaborate with transportation industry engineering and construction companies to present this information to students to engage their level of interest in those fields to increase the pool of candidates for the future.
How do these events work?
Students are rotated to different tables/areas inside and outside in 10-minute sessions. Inside presentations are usually via Powerpoint Presentation and are a part of the “Engineering” portion of the day, while the presentations that feature large construction vehicles or equipment are a part of the outside "Construction" portion of the day.
Lunch is provided for both, students and volunteers.
This sounds great! How do I volunteer?
You should’ve received an event flier or an invitation via email with a link or QR Code to sign up. If you didn’t please fill out this form to be added to our general volunteer list or email us at outreach@mdqi.org to be sent a specific event sign up form.
I signed up to volunteer. What should I do next?
We ask the volunteers to prepare a 10-minute presentation to present during the event. Presentations can be in the form of a powerpoint, video, display or other engaging methods discussing what your company does and how you and/or your team members contribute to the industry.
If the presentation features a large construction vehicle or materials it will be a part of the outside "construction" portion of the day. We want volunteers to be informative but also to be creative and have fun with it. Thank you for your time and we look forward to having you at the career day!
Are there specific goals / objectives for these presentations?
The goal of MdQI Outreach in general is to improve awareness of career opportunities and the technology used in transportation engineering and highway construction in order to increase the pool of qualified candidates for related positions.
The objective is to raise the level of awareness of at least 1,000 Maryland middle and high school students, as well as their counselors and teachers annually, through interactive virtual presentations and in-person events.
We want the students to leave these events feeling inspired and interested in learning more about becoming an engineer or entering the construction industry.
What do I need to bring as a volunteer versus what is provided for me?
All volunteers are required to bring a 10-minute creative presentation or construction equipment that will encapsulate what you do everyday in your field. If you have company paraphernalia that you’d like to bring to stand out: such as, a custom table cloth, retractable logo or banner, informational displays, etc. you are more than welcome to bring those as well. You can also bring prizes or giveaways for the students, like drawstring bags, keychains, pens, water bottles, notepads etc.
We provide tables, chairs, electrical outlets, and some extension cords. If you feel that you may need to have extras of any of these provided items, feel free to bring those as well or ask us and we will try to accommodate your request.
We also provide a lite breakfast and hot lunch for all of our amazing volunteers!
Will there be outlets and extension cords available?
Yes, there will be both available. However, if you feel that you may need to have extras of any of these items, feel free to bring those as well or ask us and we will try to accommodate your request.
Is this a job fair? Can I hire people at this event?
No, this event is not “technically” classified as a job fair, but we do encourage you to bring fliers and hiring information for high school entry-level positions, internships, and scholarship opportunities. You will have access to over 250 students ages 11-18, so it would be a great idea to use that time to spread this information.
What is the target age group for this event?
Each event hosts students from middle school and high school ages 11-18.
I’ve never presented to students before, got any tips?
No worries we got you covered! Take a look at this short presentation on How to Present to Teens and Young Adults.
About how many students will be in each session?
At each event we try to host from 200-400 students with at least 10 volunteers to present both inside and outside in 10-minute rotational sessions. However, the number of volunteers may vary which means that each group could be anywhere from 10-20 students.
How long will each ‘session’ last?
The students are rotated in approximately 10-minute sessions. Sometimes events will have a morning half and an afternoon half. Each half is about 75-90 minutes. We ask all of our volunteers to plan and stay for at least 6 hours for the full event.
Parents: You and your children can stay for the morning half, afternoon half, or both.
Are group activities or challenges okay?
Given the short time-frame it is preferred to keep it verbal and informative. Feel free to add some interactive activities that can be done during the presentation. Such as, asking open ended questions or making the presentation only 5-7 mins and leaving time for questions or discussion. You can also give away prizes if they answer questions well.
Is a combination of some printed displays with a computer and projector okay?
You may bring printed displays and a computer or projector for your presentation. As long as the presentation is done within the allotted time frame of 10-minutes, you are able to use your time creatively to keep them engaged! However, please let us know in advance if you will need special assistance with extra electrical outlets, tables, etc.
What time should I arrive?
We ask all volunteers to show up at least 30-60 minutes early to the event start time to prepare their table/booth for the presentations. This helps to mitigate any issues with technology and other problems that may arise last minute.
Also, we provide a small breakfast for our volunteers as a thank you for being with us for the day.
Are there other activities that presenters can participate in during the event or will we be occupied from start to finish?
Presenters will be occupied throughout the duration of the event. If you’d like to be involved in other activities, you may sign up as a floater instead to be assigned to multiple activities for the event.
I can't volunteer, but I want to support these efforts.
We understand that everyone doesn't have the ability to spend time at these events, however sponsorships are the key to our overall success and how we continue to do the work that we do! Fill out out our Sponsorship Form to give to a great cause today!
Our sponsors are thanked and recognized on our sponsorship board at every event. We also shoutout and tag sponsors on our social media pages (if your company has one) and post your company name on our website.
Thank you in advance for your support!
I want my child to attend, but their school doesn't get invited. What do I do?
Thank you so much for your interest in our events! Parents may bring their child(ren) to these events as long as the following prerequisities are met:
Students must be in middle or high school
Students may not be dropped off and picked up - a parent or legal guardian 18+ must stay at the event all day as a chaperone.
Your child must attend a school in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, or Anne Arundel County. (This information will be verified beforehand)
Please fill out the contact form on our site to email us about your attendance!
How can I contact you?
If you couldn't find your answer in these FAQs and need additional assistance please contact us HERE.