Have you ever wondered where electricity comes from? I know I have. I’ve also wondered about the people that make it happen. I recently had the opportunity to tour Siemens Charlotte Energy Hub and find answers to my questions.

I visited the three major areas of the plant: advanced gas turbines, steam turbines, and generators. The massive machines are the heart of power plants across the country and globe. What intrigued me about the facility was the quietness and cleanliness that has become the standard in advanced manufacturing.

The facility in Charlotte was designed based on LEAN manufacturing practices, which means it was built nearly 100,000-square-feet smaller than would have been needed a generation ago. It was also designed according to the U.S. LEED Gold building standards.

I left in awe of the complexity of the machinery, technology and workforce that creates modern day power plants.

Siemens Energy is very active in career-readiness initiatives such as STEMersion and STEM Industry Day, where teachers visit for immersion experiences during the summer. STEMersion is organized for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ teachers who visit several advanced manufacturing sites over a two-week period.

STEM Industry Day is organized by NC New Schools/Breakthrough Learning; the half-day experience is for teachers across the state and is coupled with a professional development conference called Summer Institute. Teachers select their site by choosing from options such as Coca Cola Bottling Consolidated, Duke Energy, NC Research Campus, Great Wolf Lodge, S & D Coffee and Legrand.

These experiences help inform public school educators about STEM practices and the 21st century skills that are expected in today’s corporate world. By visiting labs, manufacturing sites, logistics, engineering and other departments, teachers are able to bridge concepts from traditional education to real world technology and solutions.

Siemens also has an apprenticeship program modeled after its successful, established programs in Germany. Here in the U.S., students attend classes at Central Piedmont Community College to earn their associate degree in mechatronics or computer-integrated machining. They also work at Siemens Charlotte Energy Hub as an apprentice to apply the skills they are learning in the classroom. Siemens pays both school tuition for school and the wages they earn while working as apprentices. Just imagine if the majority of businesses offered robust career readiness opportunities like Siemens…

NC New Schools/Breakthrough Learning recently held an industry innovation council meeting at Siemens Energy in Charlotte. During the meeting, leaders from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, higher education professionals and several industry representatives met to discuss best practices to develop career readiness for students and career awareness for faculty. The group agreed on the following five areas for improvement:

Prepare students for experiences before they arrive at a business site

Terrell Hill from Edgecombe Early College High School leads an internship class to prepare students for upcoming internships. Numerous topics are covered including being properly dressed, the importance of punctuality, and communication practices inside a work setting.

Promote the positives for industry to be involved in work-based learning

Several industry council members have expressed that sharing knowledge with others builds the employee’s morale. Providing employees with a voice and platform to explain how their role is vital to the company’s success and contributes to making the world a better place is good for all involved.

Know and address regulations (school and industry)

Some companies find it difficult to confirm enough students for an onsite visit because of timing issues. Many school systems require schools to have off-site paperwork submitted early in the school year and if this window is missed it is difficult to get the proper approvals a few weeks before a visit.

Provide engaging experiences at industry sites

Dawn Braswell, Training Manager from Siemens, believes that industry visits should include hands-on activities where visitors learn by doing. Educators participating in STEMersion manufacture a picture frame at Bosch Rexroth that later holds their certificate of completion for the program.

Foster interest within a business, C suite to middle management

LORD Corporation has made industry-school connections a top priority. The company created a STEM committee that consists of executive level staff, human resource professionals, and technical leaders. Because of this culture, LORD Corporation promotes student internships, teacher externships, co-teaching, and site visits.

More students and teachers need to be aware of the numerous career opportunities that are now available. Siemens is setting a great example in the energy and advanced manufacturing sectors and many other companies see the importance of this work as it affects our collective future.

Darrell Kain is the Director for Industry Partnerships at NC New Schools/Breakthrough Learning.