Specifics about the IBM Corporate Service Corps program can be found on the official IBM Corporate Service Corps Web site. Below are some thoughts that I have about the program.
The IBM Corporate Service Corps program provides IBMers like me with an exceptional opportunity. I've often heard previous participants describe their participation in the program as a life changing event. I don't know about you, but I draw the line pretty high when it comes to classifying something as a life changing event. In fact there are very few events in my life that I would classify as life changing.
An example of an event that I would classify as life changing is my decision to major in computer science. That decision led me to seek employment at IBM. Working for IBM has impacted my life every day for the last 33+ years. Likewise, my decision to attend the University of Scranton is an example of a life changing event. It was a Scranton that I met my wife. If I did not meet my wife I would not have the 3 wonderful children I have today.
Last night as I pondered the question of how the Corporate Service Corps program could be life changing it hit me. I felt like Frank Cross in the movie "Scrooged." In the final scene Frank has an ah-ha moment where he realizes what the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future are trying to tell. Likewise I realized that a life changing experience does not necessarily imply my life has changed. A life changing experience could mean that the experience impacted the lives of others.
The Corporate Service Corps program is providing me with an opportunity to do something that can have a positive impact on the lives of others. In my case I will be working with the non-profit organization ONG Canales. ONG Canales strives to improve the technical educational system in Puerto Montt. Their goal is to have a positive impact on the lives of the youth in Puerto Montt by joining forces with local industry and local technical schools to remove barriers to high quality technical education in the Puerto Montt region. My Corporate Service Corps participation provides me with an opportunity to help ONG Canales meet their goals. If I am successful at helping ONG Canales meet their goals then I really will be part of a life changing experience.
While it might seem a bit cliche to say that Corporate Service Corps is a win-win for everybody, I truly believe that it is. The experience will be eye opening for me. It will cause me to look at the world in a different way. It will help me become a better leader. It will provide me with a level of self-satisfaction that would be difficult for me to achieve in my normal day to day job. ONG Canales will benefit from the technical expertise that a Corporate Service Corps team provides. The youth of Puerto Montt will benefit as a result of ONG Canales being able to expand their reach. IBM will benefit from the experience and knowledge that Corporate Service Corps teams bring back to the work place. It will help IBM become a better corporate citizen and provide valuable insight into an emerging market.
The IBM Corporate Service Corps program provides IBMers like me with an exceptional opportunity. I've often heard previous participants describe their participation in the program as a life changing event. I don't know about you, but I draw the line pretty high when it comes to classifying something as a life changing event. In fact there are very few events in my life that I would classify as life changing.
An example of an event that I would classify as life changing is my decision to major in computer science. That decision led me to seek employment at IBM. Working for IBM has impacted my life every day for the last 33+ years. Likewise, my decision to attend the University of Scranton is an example of a life changing event. It was a Scranton that I met my wife. If I did not meet my wife I would not have the 3 wonderful children I have today.
Last night as I pondered the question of how the Corporate Service Corps program could be life changing it hit me. I felt like Frank Cross in the movie "Scrooged." In the final scene Frank has an ah-ha moment where he realizes what the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future are trying to tell. Likewise I realized that a life changing experience does not necessarily imply my life has changed. A life changing experience could mean that the experience impacted the lives of others.
The Corporate Service Corps program is providing me with an opportunity to do something that can have a positive impact on the lives of others. In my case I will be working with the non-profit organization ONG Canales. ONG Canales strives to improve the technical educational system in Puerto Montt. Their goal is to have a positive impact on the lives of the youth in Puerto Montt by joining forces with local industry and local technical schools to remove barriers to high quality technical education in the Puerto Montt region. My Corporate Service Corps participation provides me with an opportunity to help ONG Canales meet their goals. If I am successful at helping ONG Canales meet their goals then I really will be part of a life changing experience.
While it might seem a bit cliche to say that Corporate Service Corps is a win-win for everybody, I truly believe that it is. The experience will be eye opening for me. It will cause me to look at the world in a different way. It will help me become a better leader. It will provide me with a level of self-satisfaction that would be difficult for me to achieve in my normal day to day job. ONG Canales will benefit from the technical expertise that a Corporate Service Corps team provides. The youth of Puerto Montt will benefit as a result of ONG Canales being able to expand their reach. IBM will benefit from the experience and knowledge that Corporate Service Corps teams bring back to the work place. It will help IBM become a better corporate citizen and provide valuable insight into an emerging market.