IHI Yokohama Office Takes Young Manufacturing Engineers-in-the-Making on an Exciting Journey
The IHI Yokohama Office held a manufacturing class in its i-Base space on July 23. This initiative was part of the IHI Group’s ongoing efforts to contribute to the science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) learning of young people. The site has held these classes for the past 17 years. This year’s event was very successful. It attracted 70 children and parents, with 45 employees taking part. The employees voluntarily run the class program, putting together the educational materials and content and publicizing it.
The Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM of the United States defines STEAM Education as a learning approach that uses its constituent disciplines to guide student inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking.
IHI Yokohama Office collaborated with teachers and students from the Tokyo University of the Arts to help immerse the children in a giant art production by building a cardboard space station. The children took to the challenge like ducks to water, occasionally seeking ideas from IHI staffers and parents about how best to transform their ideas into reality.
Other activities at the event included building electronic devices, programming smartphone-controlled cars, making soap, and creating objects things with wire and plastic sheets. IHI staffers incorporated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics concepts that they use in the course of their work in providing explanations to children engaging in these activities. As well as making things, the children gained insights into how they work. For example, they learned some basics about control algorithms for mobile robots associated with smartphone-controlled cars and about how materials properties change with soap, wire, and plastic sheets.
Judging by the feedback, the children had a lot of fun. One was delighted to have been able to create a large object, which would have been impossible in the confines of home. Another was gratified to get some very handy tips from an IHI employee about how best to overcome a challenge. Parents were also pleased, variously noting that the experience sparked kids’ interest in making things and that the children found the day thoroughly absorbing.
IHI employees who planned the event also found the day satisfying, noting that they learned a lot from being able to share their knowledge with the children and found themselves having even greater regard for IHI and its manufacturing ethos. Through initiatives like this, IHI will keep striving to help children learn more as they journey through life while offering fruitful and fun ways for employees to enhance their job satisfaction and expertise in the IHI community.
