The Independent Center for Integrative Education: Learning without Limits

12/07/2010

In our fourth class, we looked for ways to finance our colony. It was not easy to estimate the total cost of the project. We needed to find a similar project such as the NASA space station one, to use as a starting point in our estimations. We also needed to divide the projects into stages, where in the first stage, we perform research, planning and engineering. After that we will be in a better shape to estimate the cost of the whole project. The first stage also needs funds. It would take about a year or two and many people will be involved, and equipment and computers will be needed. Altogether, we are talking about something like $10 million for the first two years.

 

 

 

Caoilin was our first presenter. She noticed that there are many things we can offer to rich countries in return for their help in financing our colony. The project has a potential for dealing with overpopulation, promises interesting scientific and engineering achievements, and new sources of power and food. In addition, the project will employ people and by that give jobs to those who will work on the project directly, as well as to those who will produce equipment and food and provide services to those who will work on the project directly, and also those who will provide transportation, equipment, food, and services to those who will provide transportation, equipment, food, and services to those who will work on the project directly, etc, So, many people will get jobs. We decided to put her ideas on trial.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sasha, as a representative of Atlantis, was convincing governments of different countries to participateinfinancingofour project. Akiva represented China, and Sasha convinced him to help us, offering apossibility of future expansionof the overpopulated country underwater using the experience and support of our colony. Dan was an American representative, and his character was appropriately arrogant and annoying. He agreed to provide us witha large research grant but in return required American representation in our Board of Directors (his attempt to take control of our government was rejected). Caoilin played an Irishdiplomat and explained to us that her country is not very richand cannot provide agrant but rather a loan to bepaid back in food, specifically fish. Adina,in her role of the Russian PM, required in return for her precious rubles to allowmorerepresentation for the FSB (former KGB) members than America will have. Eventually, Adina agreed for representation on par with America and a discount for Russian tourists. Eugene, a Canadian, told us that Canada is very “green” and concerned about ecology. He was informed that we can utilize much of the garbage, which usually ends up in landfalls,and use it to level the sea floor by filling the pits. Zack and Caoilin,onbehalf of India, requested that we allow their scientists to participate in our research and weregranted the permission in return for financial and material support. Adina, in her second role as a representative of the United Arab Emirates, offered more money than all the othercountries put together (“We have oil, you know?”) but in return required that our colony be ruled by an Islamic government. She was politely explained that our colony will besecular and that using our experience and support, the Emirates will be able to build their own colony and do there what they want.

 

 

 

 

 

Eugene suggested another source of financing – large corporations. As proof of concept, he chose Apple Computers, and all of us pretended to be their Board of Directors (the Steves, after two of the three founders, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak). Eugene argued that sponsoring our project would give Apple a great public image, potential future market, proving ground, and a possibility to build a research and development center protected from industrial espionage. The Board unanimously voted for giving us a grant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adina’s appeal was to the general public, with a common motto of “Every Penny Counts!” She argued that our project will give people jobs; fight overpopulation, corruption, homelessness, and addiction to drugs; advance peace, and altogether make the world a better place. We the people agreed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John, Emma, Sophie, and some other participants were engaged in all discussions, helping sometimes one side and sometimes the otherwith finding compelling arguments.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then we had a break.

 

 

 

 

Now, when our financial future looks reasonably safe, we could start to hire the team. We discussed what kind of professionals we need and ended up with the following list:

·         General coordinator or Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

·         Architects

·         Engineers

o        Materials

o        Civil

o        Computer

o        Communications

o        Etc.

·         Doctors and Life Support Specialists

·         Ecologists

·         Biologists

·         Psychologists

·         Public Relation Specialists

·         Entertainers

·         Labor

 

As we won't have too many people at the initial stages of our project, it is desirable that our specialists would be trained in more than one area so that they can do more than one job, if needed.

 

Dan volunteered for a trial mock interview. After a few minutes, he and everybody else agreed that a successful interviewee indeed needs to spend some time on preparation.

 

 

 

 

  

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT:

 

In our next class, we will be interviewing and hiring the applicants for our jobs. Those who want to apply (and I encourage each of you to give it a try), please prepare a resume and a cover letter. In real life, your resume is supposed to reflect your real education and experience, but here you are free to invent your biography for the sake of this exercise. Just make sure that you know what you are talking about. For example, if you suggest that you have 10 years of experience as a software developer, be prepared to be asked about the types of computers and programming languages you worked with (nobody expects you to really know those languages, but please at least know their names!). The cover letter contains the most important and relevant points of your resume as well as an explanation of why you are a good candidate for the job. Please limit your resume to one page and your cover letter to two or three paragraphs (not including the "Dear Sir/Madam” and “Sincerely yours” parts).

 

Even though there is no standard for resume shape or structure, usually a resume contains the following sections:

 

·         Header with your name and contact information

·         Objective, one line that explains what kind of a job you are looking for

·         Summary of your expertise (optional)

·         Relevant working experience. This section usually includes a list in a reverse chronological order (latest coming first) of the companies for which you worked, positions you occupied, your responsibilities and achievements.

·         Your education, the most advanced degrees first.

 

To provide you with an example, I prepared a mock resume and a cover letter for a fictional applicant.

 

The interview questions cover a wide range of topics, from specific technical questions to questions about your strengths, weaknesses, and job ethics. Personal questions, especially about religion, ethnical origin, and age, are a taboo for fear of being accused of discrimination  (the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD) makes it unlawful “to subject people to differential treatment based on race, creed, color, national origin, nationality, ancestry, age, sex (including pregnancy), familial status, marital status, domestic partnership status, affectional or sexual orientation, atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait, genetic information, liability for military service, and mental or physical disability, perceived disability, and AIDS and HIV status”).

 

Among typical general questions often asked during the interview, there may be the following:

·         Tell us about yourself (essentially, you are asked to explain the Experience part of your resume)

·         Why do you want to work on this project?

·         Why have you decided to leave your current/last job?

·         Where do you see yourself in 5 years from now?

·        On the scale of 1 to 10, how do you rate your knowledge of <…>

·         How do you like it so far? (You are expected to pinpoint a couple of reasons you like the company where you want to work)

·         And usually the last, but certainly not least: Do you have any questions?

 

You are expected to have questions. After all, any interview is a two-way process: “they” decide whether they want to hire you, and you decide whether you want to work for “them.” It is a good idea to prepare and ask meaningful questions about the company, the project, and the people.

 

Please note that we are going to interview exceptional people with great experience and credentials and there is no doubt that all of them will be a great asset for our project, so we will hire them on the spot.

 

As always, please feel free to use all the available resources. You can talk to friends, parents, and teachers (including me, you can reach me at edu@fradkov.com), read books and magazines, watch YouTube or Discovery Channel videos, google around, etc. In your presentation, you may want to use visual aids and all other expressive means your creativity would suggest.

 

I look forward to seeing you all on Tuesday.

-Valéry