KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Missouri Department of Transportation engineers recently joined other local firms for a Lunch with Engineers event at Ruskin High School.  Students considering an engineering career had more than an hour to bounce ideas, questions and suggestions off successful mentors in the field. The event was part of the school's celebration at being named the first National Academy of Engineering (NAE) school in the Midwest.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics named engineering as one of the country's largest professions in 2008, and engineering was one of the top 10 fields adding positions in 2011 according to the CareerBuilder's job forecast survey.  

"Times are tough but engineering isn't going anywhere," said Dolon Silimon, MoDOT bridge construction inspector. "Focus on your studies, get good grades and you can absolutely be successful in this field."

Lunch with Engineers is just one avenue the department uses to reach the next generation in engineering and construction. MoDOT also offers the Missouri Teaching Out-Reach, or MoTOR, transportation and engineering program.

A hands-on career development education program, MoTOR was designed for schools to integrate into science, math, social studies, economics CADD, engineering and art classes. Volunteers go into elementary and secondary schools (grades 6 through 12) with an assortment of activities related to transportation.

For more information about MoTOR or other MoDOT projects, please visit MoDOT's Website at www.modot.mo.gov/kansascity. For instant updates, follow MoDOT_KC on Twitter or send questions and comments to kccommunityrelations@modot.mo.gov.

Download pictures of Lunch with Engineers here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/modot_kc/