INDIANAPOLIS — Leaders from the engineering field are laying the groundwork to inspire the next generation of engineers in classrooms across the state as part of National Engineers Week, which runs February 22-26.
“We're going to be visiting over 200 classrooms, which is about 7,000 students statewide,” Liz Walker said.
Walker is the Director of Workforce Development at the American Council of Engineering Companies of Indiana, or ACEC Indiana. Walker says civil engineers from a number of consulting firms will be meeting with students all week.
“ACEC Indiana provides presentation material to our volunteers,” Walker said. “We also arm them with some activities that they can do with students.”
Whether it’s an activity book or marshmallows and toothpicks, ACEC Indiana is encouraging every student to think like an engineer.
“My dad was an engineer,” Ken Olson said.
Olson is continuing in the footsteps of his father as the Indiana Road Group Leader at American Structurepoint. It was a natural fit for Olson.
“I always liked looking at maps as a kid and construction was always an interest to me, being outdoors, and I was good at math, so it all clicked.”
Getting it to click for area kids is what it’s all about for ACEC Indiana.
“It's so important for kids to meet an engineer when they're going through school,” Walker said. “If they can't see someone who looks like them, if they can't look at projects that they have been around in their community, that's what helps connect students with the opportunity to be an engineer.”
Click here to learn more about National Engineers Week.
