Middle school students learn more about possibilities in STEM at NWTC in Green Bay. PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — It was all about hands-on and interactive learning at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC) on Thursday.
Eye-popping displays, like learning to play the piano using a lime and some bananas, helped introduce students to the possibilities of STEM.
“There’s like a whole bunch of different things around that you can just investigate and look forward to,” said Kayana Robinson, a student at Franklin Middle School in Green Bay.
Robinson was one of the roughly 500 students who attended Thursday morning’s presentation.
“I really like science. It’s really interesting to see like how chemical reactions can happen and what atoms sticks together can make this thing happen,” said Robinson.
It’s all part of the Mind Trekker’s roadshow. NWTC partners with Michigan Tech and the Northeast Wisconsin Manufacturing Alliance for the two-day event.
“The opportunities here with our two-year programs, our technical diplomas are incredibly affordable,” said NWTC Associate Dean of Trades & Engineering Technologies Jill Thiede. “And helping students see these affordable opportunities at college can lead to great careers.”
It comes amid a growing need for manufacturing employees in the region. Back in October, the NEW Manufacturing Alliance conducted a survey with 116 area manufacturing companies. The study found 84% of the companies are anticipating difficulty finding and acquiring talent this year.
“That was welding, machinists, engineers, and that’s all stem,” said Executive Director of NEW Manufacturing Alliance Ann Franz.
While that percentage is down from the year before, the Alliance recognizes the importance of both recruitment and engagement with the younger generation.
“We do have an aging workforce and we can’t just wait until they’re a senior in high school to try get them excited about these careers,” said Franz.
The students attending Mind Trekkers may not be getting in the workforce anytime soon, but the event gives them a glimpse into what’s possible in the future.
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