Can you guess how many volunteers it takes to operate the ISA Society? See the answer at the end of this blog post. 

Volunteering is Resoundingly Rewarding

Volunteering with ISA provides an opportunity to contribute to our mission and create a better world through automation, all while accentuating your resume with an esteemed ISA committee. Volunteers can contribute to and lead/manage a committee, section, division, or Society leadership group, as well as provide guidance on operating our 100+ sections, 16 divisions, or 100+ student sections.  

Automation impacts the basics of our every day—including food and clean water production, the safe extraction of essential minerals, and manufacturing items we need in a sustainable way while simultaneously safely helping humanity live comfortably. Automation professionals have come together to selflessly give their time to create that better world.  This important workload is made much lighter by the gracious efforts of thousands of volunteers the world over. 

Want Management or Project Management Experience? Volunteer for ISA!

For a young professional, it can be frustrating to reach the hierarchy and become a manager or project manager. You need management or project management experience to become a manager. To get management experience, you need an opportunity to be a manager or a project manager.

Does this sound like a hamster wheel you've been on?

Volunteer organizations have projects and groups to manage. 
By contributing to a committee and then advancing to the committee chair, you will be able add impressive leadership to your resume. A committee may need a task or project completed, which provides the project management experience you may draw on.

Many section leadership tracks (secretary, treasurer, vice-chair, section chair) that provide you the experience to create an agenda, lead a meeting, and even execute the projects that the section may have. Similarly, divisions and other ISA committees have needs and roles that can be filled by young professionals. 

Volunteer as a Mentor for a Young Professional 

Consider becoming a mentor – either on your own or through ISA Mentor. As a mentor, you offer career guidance and professional development advice, as well as discussing technical requirements and project situations. Having an hour-long coffee every few months is not overly time -consuming, but certainly goes a long way to demystifying this complex industry. Paying it forward is always beneficial to all! 

Check out the mentor program for young professionals that ISA has created!  

What Volunteer Opportunities are Available to Me?

As a volunteer, your technical expertise is key to the robust thought leadership reputation that ISA has in the market. I encourage you to write a blog, contribute an article to InTech, and even author a book!   

You could also consider becoming an instructor for ISA’s industry-leading training courses. Whether teaching the course or helping to develop its content, volunteers provide the expertise for our training and certification programs, as they have a deep understanding of their technology or industries and can provide the background for ISA training and certifications.

Training provides the educational foundation to improve our careers, our companies, and our planet.  Certifications developed and evaluated by our members help prove that a practitioner has the skills to develop and engineer automation systems. The contributions these volunteers have made ensure that ISA offers the highest quality education and training services, and that we continue to enjoy our well-earned reputation as the home for automation and industrial cybersecurity training.  

Volunteers Have Day Jobs- and a Life 

Your limited time that you choose to spend with us between work, family and life does not go unnoticed. If you do not have a vast abundance of time to spend volunteering with us, even a few hours per month goes a long way. 

ISA depends on professional staff for the day-to-day, month-to-month, year-over-year consistent organizational plate spinning that a professional society needs. Managing standards, certification and training, business and IT (Information Technology) system management, event management, marketing, and membership services —all of these require leadership and professional management. But they also require technical expertise, and that is where our ISA volunteers can make a tremendous impact working in partnership with the Society’s staff team.   

The Volunteer Portal

The volunteer portal provides a central home for ISA leaders to post positions and act as a match maker with some volunteers that are looking for a way to contribute. Leaders have posted their requirements on the portal, like a job portal. Volunteers can browse, apply, and be accepted across the abundance of committees that need your input and support. Opt into the volunteer portal and create your volunteer profile today! 

Click here to opt into the volunteer pool - opting in will allow you to receive email invitations to apply for new opportunities that match your interests and qualifications. You have a toggle at the top of your volunteer profile if you wish to opt out at any time.    

Complete your  volunteer profile. Add your time commitment preferences to the Ways to Get Involved and select your Areas of Expertise. The more information you supply, the easier it is to invite you to apply for future opportunities that align with your interests and qualifications. Set your privacy settings to what information you want to share with colleagues and peers. 

Open Opportunities 

The full list of global volunteer roles is available through the Volunteer Opportunities List. Apply for the roles that interest you.  

Some 3,500 members volunteer their time for the benefit of the Society, and ISA is exceedingly grateful for your time, commitment, and ideas. We hope you’re inspired and consider contributing to any time commitment you have the bandwidth for to help ISA create a better world through automation.