Would any layout techs possibly be interested in a "live system", completely free, to help each other complete projects and learn? There are already web applications out there that let you share your computer screen with multiple people while being amazingly low on computer resources, you can talk via your computers microphone or chat, and it would be interesting to see how much more productive a group of layout designers would be using something like this from around the country, or even cross-country. When tricky problems sprang up, senior techs could help less-advanced techs learn what they need to, and save a bunch of time for the newbies. To return the favors, the less-advanced techs could do some of the menial 'busy work' for the senior know-it-alls, to help them save time. All in all, both types would benefit, the seniors would be doing more challenging/fun work, the newbies would be learning faster, the seniors would get some of their boring work done for them, and the companies allowing this to happen would have a boost in productivity, especially in the long run.

It's just an idea. Really, don't take this too seriously. What are your thoughts/ideas? Do you think it could work or would you be interested to try it someday? As far as I can tell, it would improve the quality of work done and the knowledge base among techs greatly, like a 'world wide web' for techs, while offering a time saving and satisfying service for those who don't really need to learn anything more, and are tired of doing menial tasks.

In case you were wondering, the services to do this already exist and are free, it's also extremely secure - you can limit what the mentor/busyworker could do (not be able to open files, exit program screen, or right click, on and on). It's not meant to be a completely 'cold and heartless' idea though, mostly it would be just friendly helping and based on the honor system, abusers would be banned by group voting, etc...