Sales Manager by Day, College Professor by Night

San Jose, CA – July 15, 2015 – Earlier this year, Robert Werkman, the Automation Sales Manager at Buckles-Smith Electric, started his dual career as a Professor at San Jose State University. In June, he wrapped up his first Electrical Automation and Control course at the university. This course included a weekly lecture and lab with 40 engineering students passionate to learn.

“I had always wanted to teach, but thought that the opportunity would present itself later in life. I was on San Jose State’s campus recruiting college seniors for an entry level sales position at Buckles-Smith Electric, when I was approached by a SJSU professor with this teaching opportunity. I couldn’t pass it up,” Robert admitted.  With Robert’s educational background in mechanical engineering and business, in addition to his experience working in electrical distribution and system integration, he felt confident in his ability to teach the course.

The focus of the course was theory and application of automation products, including analog and digital sensors, controllers, indicators and actuators. At the end of the semester the class had to work in teams of 4-5 on a project to design and build an automated system which gave students the opportunity to apply their lessons in automation systems and controllers in a real world application.

With Robert’s on-campus presence, Buckles-Smith has improved its college recruiting efforts for both internships and full time new hires. Additionally, the student body is more aware of the career opportunities within the electrical industry. Buckles-Smith is a regional independent distributor supplying the industrial markets and the contractors that serve them throughout Northern California and is currently ranked in the top 130 largest distributors in the country.