MakerMinded Web Portal Takes Ohio Students Inside Manufacturing

From Business Wire: The Lightweight Innovations for Tomorrow (LIFT) national manufacturing institute announced the launch of MakerMinded across Ohio. The effort is made in partnership with Battelle and Tennessee Tech University’s iCube. MakerMinded is a new online STEM learning and competition platform designed to inspire students about advanced manufacturing and provide them with transformational STEM learning experiences that set them on track towards 21st century manufacturing careers.

“By delivering fun, self-driven learning experiences, MakerMinded will show more students that STEM is for them.”

MakerMinded’s digital platform will connect Ohio students to leading-edge STEM and advanced manufacturing education experiences, while galvanizing participating students and schools around a student-driven, pro-manufacturing campaign and competition. The platform’s goal is to provide students access to the right programs that will encourage and prepare them for further education and careers in advanced manufacturing. Examples of programs included on the platform are Learning Blade, a mission-driven online STEM curriculum; Science Olympiad, standards-based science challenges; and the “LIFT Assembly Line” Virtual Reality game.

“Manufacturers across the country lament a widening skills gap—which is projected to leave 2.5 million jobs unfilled over the next decade if we don’t act now to engage and prepare a skilled workforce,” said Emily DeRocco, director, education and workforce, LIFT. “MakerMinded is a game-changing strategy that has the potential to re-write the future of not only manufacturing, but also today’s young students, who need the inspiration, experiences and skills to pursue meaningful careers.”

Battelle will recruit students through the Ohio STEM Learning Network. The network was founded in 2008 and today represents 35 STEM schools across the state. Battelle manages the Ohio STEM Learning Network as part of the company’s commitment to preparing the next generation of innovators.

“Parents and students understand that STEM careers are lucrative. That’s not the problem. Instead, we must find ways to show students that these majors and jobs could be the right option for them. That’s where MakerMinded comes in,” said Aimee Kennedy, Senior Vice-President of Education, STEM Learning, and Philanthropy at Battelle. “By delivering fun, self-driven learning experiences, MakerMinded will show more students that STEM is for them.”

Manufacturing employs around 700,000 Ohioans with a total payroll of $39 billion, according to the Ohio Manufacturers Association. The industry is hugely important to Ohio’s economy, ranking the largest of any other sector and accounting for more than 16% of the state’s output.

The MakerMinded Ohio competition will officially launch in August 2017 at the start of the school year.

Watch a video to discover how MakerMinded works.

Students, schools, employers and others interested in joining the MakerMinded campaign should visit here.

Image via Pixabay