Purpose

The purpose of the Guidance Program is to foster active participation of all PCIC Conference first-time attendees.† The PCIC Technical Conference has a lot to offer. In order to gain the most from this conference and become actively involved, first-time attendees are encouraged to join the Guidance Program where they will be paired with a more experienced PCIC Technical Conference attendee (Guide). The Guides will then work together with the First-time attendees as per the following suggested structure.

Pre-Conference Assignment

Prior to the start of the conference first-time attendees will be matched with a Guide by the Young Engineering Development Subcommittee (YEDS). The ideal is a one-to-one match, but depending on the availability of Guides, multiple New Attendees may be placed with the same Guide.

Pre-Conference Communication

Once the Guides are paired with the first-time attendees, their contact information will be shared so that the Guide can contact the first-time attendee and vice versa prior to arrival at the PCIC Technical Conference. Communications will also come from the YEDS to encourage the first-time attendees and Guides to join the YEDS at the Sunday Evening YEDS Social, Monday Orientation Breakfast and Tuesday YEDS Luncheon.

Place to Meet During the Conference

The YEDS hosts a Sunday afternoon YEDS Social in a section of the larger Thermon social at which the Guides are encouraged to meet and mingle with the first-time attendees. The Sunday afternoon YEDS Social is intended to provide a relaxed atmosphere for first-time attendees to come in and meet other conference goers as well as the other new attendees.

Planning the Agenda

In order to make the most of the PCIC Technical Conference, the Guide should discuss the Conference Program with the first-time attendee to review the Technical Papers being presented and the other events that will take place in order to plan an agenda. This can be done Sunday afternoon or Monday morning. The Guide could help to determine which papers would be of interest for the first-time attendee. It is also suggested that the Guide attend a Subcommittee meeting on Tuesday afternoon with the first-time attendee.

Hospitality Suites

One of the additional benefits of the PCIC Technical Conference is the vendor hospitality suites hosted Sunday through Wednesday evenings. It is recommended that the Guide take the first-time attendee through some of the suites to provide introductions to some of the other PCIC Technical Conference attendees.