Engineering is more than just formulas and theories – it’s about passion, creativity, and solving real-world problems. Unfortunately, traditional education often leaves little room for hands-on learning. That’s where Next Engineers steps in – putting practical experience at the heart of the learning process.
The program is designed for 8th grade primary school students and 1st and 2nd-year high school students from the Warsaw Metropolitan Area, and implemented by Perspektywy Education Foundation. Through this initiative, young people are given the chance to explore engineering through real-world challenges and hands-on experiences that ignite a genuine passion for STEM fields.
The First Workshop at a Warsaw High School: Mission Drop Zone!
The very first sessions took place in a Warsaw high school, where 5 engineers from GE Aerospace guided 107 students through an engineering challenge that required logical thinking, ingenuity, and teamwork.
The task, known as Drop Zone, involved designing a device made from a limited set of materials – just 8 sheets of paper, tape, and a few other supplies – with the goal of keeping it in the air for at least 4 seconds and landing it as close to a target as possible, after being dropped from a height of no more than 2 meters.
The result? No one managed a perfect solution – but that’s the point! In engineering, failure is merely a steppingstone to innovation. The best result came from a team of all girls, who managed a flight time of 3.3 seconds! In fact, both winning teams were composed entirely of female students, demonstrating that the future of engineering might just be in their hands.
The designs were truly engineering masterpieces! From airplane-like models to parachute-inspired structures, the students used their creativity to come up with a wide range of innovative solutions – all crafted from limited materials. The results are a testament to the participants' incredible ingenuity.
Engineering in Practice – Because That's Where Passion is Born
Traditional schools rarely offer the chance to put theory into practice. In Next Engineers, it's all about doing – because true passion for engineering emerges when theory meets reality. Each task in the program is designed to show how engineers think and work in the real world. And here, in Poland, students are getting a unique opportunity to dive deep into the world of engineering.
And this is just the beginning! More sessions are on the horizon, bringing even more challenges, creative experiments, and engineering discoveries. The journey into the world of technology is just starting – stay tuned!
