Become a member of STC and join the San Diego Chapter! Learn about our Mission and Vision.
If you are already an STC member, Renew Now to continue all of the benefits of membership.
Membership in STC provides technical communicators with access to best-in-class professional resources, including:
- Career development
- Professional networking
- Education and training
- Events and workshops
- Exclusive member benefits
Your membership and participation help support STC’s core mission to advance the theory and best practices of technical communication, for the benefit of consumers worldwide. Join Now, and complete the enrollment form. Be sure to choose San Diego as your community to enjoy the many benefits of membership in our chapter.
Our Story
Technical communication was firmly established during the First World War as the need for technology-based documentation in the military, manufacturing, electronic, and aerospace industries grew.
In the United States, two organizations concerned with improving the practice of technical communication were founded on the East Coast in 1953: the Society of Technical Writers and the Association of Technical Writers and Editors. These organizations merged in 1957 to form the Society of Technical Writers and Editors (STWE). STWE merged with the Technical Publishing Society in 1960. It was through this merger that the Society of Technical Writers and Publishers was born. Over the next eleven years, the organization flourished, continuing to grow and expand its membership. In 1971, the organization changed its name to the Society for Technical Communication.
In the early 2000s, STC grew as the growth of online content exploded and the need for content professionals expanded with it. The advent of new software tools for developing content significantly increased the impact of technical communicators. In 2009, the Society successfully lobbied the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics to recognize Technical Writer as a discrete profession to be tracked by the Department of Labor.
Today, the field continues to grow and change. Increasingly, content includes visual and graphic information, and it is expected to be accessible through multiple devices. The line between technical documentation and marketing gets blurrier every day. The Society for Technical Communication exists to help our members understand these changes in the field and to help them adapt their skills to the needs of the marketplace. We are proud of the contributions STC members make in every industry and the benefits that consumers and society gain from clear, concise communication.
