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Museum Exhibit Offers Energy Education for Future Engineers

A new power grid exhibit opens June 7 at the Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh, N.C. Kid Grid—sponsored by ABB—will introduce children to electricity and power grid technology through hands-on play.

Utilities have a vested interest in maintaining an educated workforce and breaking through traditional gender stereotypes. Studies have shown that the U.S. is lagging behind other countries in fundamental skills and that companies are facing a talent shortage of entry-level workers. In 2012, high school students from 29 industrialized nations outperformed the U.S. in math, and 22 nations outpaced the U.S. in science.

The new exhibit promotes early learning in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, inspiring the next generation through interaction and simulation. The project is designed to give children positive encouragement in STEM education at an early age.

ABB employees and families collaborated with Team Marbles during initial design, brainstorming creative ways to get kids talking and thinking about energy. Engineers and experts from ABB continued to provide guidance and knowledge throughout design and construction to ensure Kid Grid accurately reflects a real power grid. The exhibit is complete with play versions of cables, control systems, motors, towers, and transformers, as well as real equipment provided by ABB (Figure 1).



1. Kid Grid opens June 7 at the Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh, N.C. Courtesy: ABB

“Although Kid Grid is unique to North Carolina, the concept shouldn’t be,” said Greg Scheu, CEO of ABB North America. “STEM-focused industries are growing both nationally and internationally. We need to stay competitive as a nation and encourage kids to explore these areas in new and creative ways.”

According to STEM Advantage, a non-profit coalition, STEM-related jobs are anticipated to increase by nearly 17% over the next decade. Of the jobs currently filled across the U.S., the percentage that will require STEM education is expected to grow to more than 20% by 2018.

STEM industry jobs offer significant benefits. According to the Economics and Statistics Administration—a bureau of the U.S. Department of Commerce—individuals employed in STEM jobs consistently earn wages up to 26% higher than their non-STEM counterparts. In fact, eight of the top ten college degrees, as ranked by income, were in STEM fields.

“It is our hope that by engaging children at a young age, we can inspire them for a lifetime,” said Scheu.

(For more on energy industry education, see “New Technology Is Key to Recruiting New Power Workforce” in the June issue of POWER.)

Aaron Larson, associate editor (@AaronL_Power, @POWERmagazine)

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