Making STEM Fun

As one of the nation’s longest-operating engineering firms, HR Green is dedicated to expanding its interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education. However, how do we encourage students to engage with STEM education?

By making STEM fun.​

Across the country, HR Green offices work with local schools and universities by providing students the opportunity to meet engineers in a fun and engaging way to build student interest as they prepare to pursue careers in STEM.

HR Green’s Cedar Rapids, Iowa office welcomes students to an Exploring Engineering Day. The office hosts high school students from the local area interested in engineering careers. This event is an engaging, hands-on experience that introduces students to engineering in the transportation, water, municipal services, and land development fields.

The HR Green Colorado Springs, Colorado team makes STEM connections with the community by helping to educate future engineers and builders. The local team works closely with Careers in Construction, a non-profit organization that brings construction-based vocational education into high schools throughout Colorado. The organization provides an invaluable opportunity for students to learn about land development, homebuilding, trade skills, and possible career paths within those trades. Team leaders speak with high schools, bring students to projects under construction, and share career information with students at our office for presentations.

For the past 10 years, seniors from the Waukee School District have come to HR Green’s office in Des Moines, Iowa, and worked for 10-20 hours a week throughout the school year to gain experience in civil engineering. Many of these students go on to major in Civil Engineering in college, and some have even returned to HR Green as college interns.

In Houston, Texas, HR Green, and ASCE team together to give high school students a chance to experience a day in the life as an engineer.

In St. Paul, Minnesota, team members collaborate with the University of Minnesota by mentoring students on their senior design projects.

The Sioux Falls, South Dakota, office participates in South Dakota State University’s Ready-Set-Go workshop. This one-day workshop introduces high school-aged women to engineering, math, and science through a highly dynamic program of hands-on activities.

Learning about STEM can be fun. But engineering companies like HR Green must continue to lead the way for programming to get students involved, not only to develop a sustainable workforce for our own companies, but also for the future of our industries.