MIT-Portugal Master’s students in Complex Transportation Infrastructure Systems (CTIS), like their colleagues in the Program’s other courses, are always receptive to substantive career advice. So several of them recently took advantage of the opportunity to connect with alumni of the course – and with companies that partner with and help support it – in a workshop led by MIT’s head of career development. Melanie Parker, Executive Director of the MIT Global Education and Career Development Center, visited Lisbon on February 1–3, 2010, to offer a career development workshop for CTIS students, and also for students who are MIT-Portugal PhD candidates in Transportation Systems. It was the second such workshop given by Parker and her team. Also on hand with their input were several CTIS Education Affiliates, companies that provide annual tuition scholarships for the course – in this case, Alstom, BRISA, Mota-Engil, Odebrecht, and Siemens.  Melanie Parker (center) and several workshop participants Parker also facilitated two career development sessions with just the current CTIS students, aided by a Web-based career self-assessment she distributed prior to the sessions. Proactivity is Key Among other things, Parker urged the students to take a more proactive approach to creating career development and networking opportunities, by creating student-led career societies and career fairs, as students commonly do at MIT. “The senior executives who attended our industry session today clearly ‘get it’ that they need to connect more regularly with students and articulate career opportunities within their industries,” she said. “These students have a lot of creative desire to develop their careers in new ways opened up to them by the CTIS program, and I hope to be back here next year to continue helping them create lasting relationships with the companies that support the program.” | 
