Perhaps the best learning is ‘on-the-job’ training where novice can try their hand at production right out of the gate and determine what the job expectations are like.  However, to do so requires the coursework and experience to find a job placement.  Tas Tabassum gave us a first-hand look of two industries in Silicon Valley, the first in the mature manufacturing sector where change was more incremental and the faster start-up culture of she began her work at after graduating with a Master’s in engineering from Cornell.

Her experience in that fast paced ‘just in time’ order fulfillment meant the constant stress culture, meant a high-demand high achievement emphasis which could only be thought of to our Rose Scholar minds sitting around the table as a perpetual preliminary exam schedule.  However, we were impressed by hearing about this environment, where companies converged for those above reasons.  The Valley we were told was a beehive of startup companies on their way to maturation who were able to recruit folks wanting to be on the cutting-edge of their industry.  It was fascinating to think of all these companies, so competitive with each yet cordial and close, at least in proximity.  Tas described the culture as cordial when the question came up, how do folks get along with others from competitor companies.  We all were somewhat impressed that many who work in the Silicon Valley companies know many of the others who work in Silicon Valley.  The combination, of creative energy and similar industries brings people together who would ordinarily become fast friends anywhere in the world.

I realized that the proximity of industries allowed folks to jump ship from one company and join another, where a year’s worth of employment may not be frowned upon if the job felt dull or stagnant.  Having the freedom to find those industries where the point was to have passion for the work seemed like the ideal for many of the Organizational Behavior lectures I’ve had stating that workers are drawn towards doing their best work in an environment that is stimulating and novel.  Tas did point out that not all of the industries are as fast-paced or demanding as the start-up culture.  She now works in a mature industry assembling solar panel coatings.  Here, there is marginal growth rather than rapid innovation and here a typical workday is 9am until 5pm and while there is a high cost of living, home for her was fifteen minutes away and job stability and satisfaction was present.  Even how she ended up in the position she’s at now was through mentor’s advice based on her fit.  Rather than continued research in the Master’s area, she found more growth managing a team and that continually seeking those sorts of opportunities for lateral growth came about in Silicon Valley.