• Posted: October 6, 2022
• IN-TECH, Northwestern University, STEM Competition

 

The IBEW/NECA Technical Institute (IN-Tech) recently partnered with Northwestern University to host more than 140 students from high schools throughout the Cook County area for a STEM competition. The science, technology, engineering and math-based competition challenged students to take their classroom knowledge and apply it to a real-life scenario.

“We’re tying it around President Biden’s initiative of bringing back manufacturing into the United States, specifically chip manufacturing,” said IN-Tech Director Gene Kent. “Our students today are competing as the final architectural firm that’s rendering a building to a chip manufacturer moving back to the United States.”

The purpose of the competition was to introduce students to the connection between the STEM skills they learned in the classroom and how those skills apply to the electrical industry, with the goal of helping them discover a potential future career.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for students to connect real-world applications to what they’re learning in the classroom,” said Elbert Walters III, Powering Chicago executive director. “Everything from calculating electrical systems to actually moving conduit, working on lifts, things that are actually associated with our industry.”

“The buildings that they will be designing will include PV installations and wind energy installations,” said Kent.

Northwestern University provided the high school students with an incentive of a ticket to an upcoming football game at Ryan Field. 

“We are thrilled to be part of it and excited to play a role in helping the students find a passion that they may not have had before,” said Daniel Nunes, associate athletic director of marketing at Northwestern University.

The students competed in groups of four for a total of 36 teams. At the end of the competition, the top three teams were awarded for their efforts.