2008-08-01 23:40:03 -

www.balseal.com - Aspiring Southern California engineers are honing their computer design skills and getting a jump on college studies with the help of a new program launched by Bal Seal Engineering, Inc.

The "Engineering Outreach Program," introduced in June of this year by the global sealing and energizing products manufacturer, is giving local high school students a hands-on opportunity

to experience the latest engineering hardware and software technologies in action. It's also helping them understand how designs move from the computer screen to the production floor.

"This program is a fun, no-risk way for young adults who are considering a career in engineering to get their feet wet," says Mario Diaz, a corporate trainer at Bal Seal and coordinator of the Engineering Outreach Program. "Since we manufacture products for aerospace, automotive, medical and many other markets, students who participate in this program get a crash course in the design challenges we often encounter in these markets. They also get a first-hand look at how engineers approach the task of creating innovative solutions."

Using a combination of classroom and observational methodologies, the Bal Seal Engineering Outreach Program educates participants over the course of a single day. Students attend abbreviated classes in SolidWorks, a state-of-the-art mechanical design and three-dimensional CAD platform, and tour manufacturing cells where they can see the detailed specifications from engineers' drawings become fully-realized products.

Diaz, who started the outreach program with the help of Bal Seal's executive management, engineering and production staff, says he's encouraged by the feedback his company has received about it.

"We hear great things from students," he says. "They appreciate the real-world perspective they get from the program." He adds that teachers and parents also recognize the benefits, "because they see how well it complements the student's critical career exploration phase."

The first Bal Seal Engineering Outreach Program "class," which consisted of a dozen seniors from Trabuco Hills High School in Mission Viejo, Calif., was held on June 6th. More are scheduled through the remainder of 2008, in cooperation with schools in communities immediately surrounding Bal Seal Engineering's Foothill Ranch, Calif. world headquarters.

About Bal Seal Engineering, Inc.

Bal Seal Engineering, Inc. is a privately-held, global provider of custom-engineered sealing, connecting and energizing solutions for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). By using its material science capability and leveraging its unique canted-coil(TM) spring technology, the company develops new products, enhances existing designs and discovers new ways to propel technology forward.

Bal Seal Engineering, Inc.
Alicia Parker, 949-460-2262
aparker@balseal.com