Goals

ShapiNG aims to attract young students – specially girls – to the manufacturing field, within six EIT RIS countries: Portugal, Spain, Greece, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Estonia. Motivating and raising their interest is being achieved by conducting seminars, workshops, open days, and summer schools. The number of students and teachers involved in these activities, is a clear demonstration of impact. ShapiNG I covered 970 participants; ShapiNG II outreached about 2874 participants and ShapiNG III already engaged more than 6000 students and teachers.

ShapiNG IV proposes to:

1. Extend the age range to 6-18 years old, which will require new or adapted activities to be attractive for younger ages (enlarging the network of Smart Manufacturing Demonstrators created before)

2. Establish key collaborations with entities that perform activities with similar scope and vision, which will ultimately increase outreach and opportunities for students that might be able for instance to visit factories’ facilities and get testimonials from Women working in the field

3. Reach schools that lack technological equipment and have limited access to university facilities

4. Strengthen STEAM approach through the integration of innovative activities that require entrepreneurial mindset, presentation and creative skills

5. Promote gender balance and equality by challenging stereotypes

6. Introduce Design Thinking as a problem-solving approach for young generation to see Engineers as creative minds and decision-makers that need to listen to potential users

7. Extend teachers training of the demonstrators and workshop activities to level 2

Among others, target topics are Additive Manufacturing, Augmented Reality and Robotics. The developed activities will be used to attract and create interest in young students in RIS countries, to technological areas related to the manufacturing industry, creating a realistic and positive image of the industry.

EXPECTED PROJECT RESULTS

  • Expand the materials – with a focus on a STEAM approach – to students with ages 6 to 18 years old
  • Empower researchers, PhD and MSc Students in manufacturing industry-related fields to communicate with society, especially with school teachers and students
  • Empower school teachers with the tools and information created within ShapiNG so they can use in their classes
  • Offer students the opportunity to visit factories and have contact with different real work situations to raise their awareness for future career paths in the Manufacturing field
  • Contribute to the promotion of creative and entrepreneurial spirit among young students, as it plays a vital role in the labor market
  • Provide testimonials – in the form of seminars – from Women working in the Manufacturing field, with room for open Q&A
  • Provide students the opportunity to showcase their projects, empowering them with presentation and creative skills
  • Increase project’ visibility and scalability power