In 1999, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. held its first day-long event to educate area students in the field of engineering. Two decades later, that tradition continues to expand through Goodyear’s STEM Career Day, creating opportunities for students interested in pursuing such careers to learn about them.
STEM Career Day is designed to inspire and open doors for students who may not have had the chance to immerse themselves in science, technology, engineering
“All of us at Goodyear take great pride in our long history of encouraging young people to pursue careers in the STEM fields, which are core to our business and our ability to continually innovate our products and services,” said Chris Helsel, senior vice president
Goodyear’s STEM Career Day is celebrated in two annual events—one for high school students and one for middle school students. The high school event is held at and co-sponsored by the University of Akron and attracts approximately 500 students each year. The middle school event is held at Akron Public School Firestone Community Learning Center and engages about 1,000 students each year.
This year’s high school STEM Career Day will take place on Saturday, April 6, from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Students will be able to experience a free-roaming expo-style event with a Rube Goldberg Challenge, in which the winners will receive grant awards. There will also be tours of the University of Akron campus, mentoring with local professionals, and students and speakers discussing various topics. Additionally, several scholarships will be awarded to high school seniors.
The middle school event will take place on Saturday, May 4, from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Here, students will get a glimpse into the future of mobility, as well as attend a career fair, classroom interactive activities administered by local organizations and a group hands-on activity. Visit www.goodyear.com/careerday/ for more information on the events, including middle school student registration. The deadline to register is April 10.
Goodyear’s history with STEM education began in 1999 with the “Goodyear Engineering Career Day for Young Women” and was created to inspire young women to consider careers in engineering. Nearly 300 middle school and high school students would enter the doors of the former Goodyear Hall to attend this event each year, where female Goodyear employees and volunteers from other companies presented sessions on engineering disciplines.
By 2012, the number of student attendees grew to 1,000, and Goodyear broadened its engineering education program to include a wider audience. The program was renamed “Goodyear Engineering Career Day” to encompass male students interested in pursuing a career in engineering.
Three years later, Goodyear extended its scope even further to incorporate all careers in the field of STEM, not just engineering. As a result, the event was renamed to Goodyear STEM Career Day and restructured to introduce students to various STEM careers, which brings in approximately 1,500 students each year.
Goodyear’s commitment to STEM goes beyond the United States. In December 2018, Goodyear associates in Luxembourg launched the Goodyear STEM Student Challenge, in which all participating students between ages 14 and 21 are required to design a machine similar to a Rube Goldberg Machine. A total of 86 students registered for the challenge involving a project to move a load of model tires with an inflatable Goodyear Blimp. The event will culminate in July 2019 with a live demo day, where the top 10 teams will be able to demonstrate their machines for final judging at the Lycée Edward Steichen in Clervaux, Luxembourg.
