Siemens’ Hour of Engineering to Spark Middle School Interest in STEM

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Siemens Digital Industries Software announced Hour of Engineering, an engaging online learning program to empower educators to introduce students to engineering and technology with right-sized, kid-friendly learning content in as little as one hour.

Through this new program, Siemens intends to inspire, engage and educate students about the role and fundamentals of engineering before they begin high school, helping to create a robust pipeline of future engineers. Without that spark of interest, by the time students reach high school many will have already decided against engineering, based on common misconceptions about the field.

“Until now, the E in STEM has not been well understood in K-12 classrooms.”, said Jan Morrison, CEO and Founder TIES (Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM). “Siemens’ Hour of Engineering closes that long overdue gap and gives educators and students a powerful platform for engaging in engineering.”

“A career in engineering can take many different paths, all of which can be rewarding and help make the world a better place. It is vital that pre-high-school students are exposed to engineering careers and concepts earlier. Our aim is to empower educators to do exactly that with resources that can be deployed without additional training and don’t place additional burdens on tight budgets,” said Brian Grogan, Senior Director, Product Management, Mainstream Engineering, Siemens Digital Industries Software.

Hour of Engineering is a direct response to the predicted national shortage of engineers. The U.S. Department of the Census estimates that there will be more than 125,000 vacant engineering positions on average annually through 2030. Hour of Engineering aims to get students excited about engineering careers early and build confidence and problem-solving skills that they can apply in all fields of study, including engineering disciplines. Hour of Engineering learning content is aligned to science, technology, engineering, mathematics standards. Each learning activity is easy to implement and includes a teacher guide that provides suggested sequences for learning with options for one to 20 hours. 

“Building engineering habits of mind like creativity, systems thinking and collaboration are at the center of the Hour of Engineering curriculum. The standards-aligned activities and lessons provide a practical roadmap for the educators to seamlessly integrate engineering concepts that help students achieve more across all subject areas. This is a truly groundbreaking resource by Siemens.” said Alex Urrea, Founder and CEO of Eduscape, a curriculum development contributor chosen by Siemens.