BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Engineering graduates are in short supply across the nation. Because of this, local engineers are working to inspire potential future engineers at a young age here in Arkansas.
Engineers with Garver tells 5NEWS that the nationwide shortage of engineers can be felt right here at home. From our water systems to our roads, engineers play a big role in helping our community to thrive, which is why they’re working to show kids, starting as young as elementary school.
Friday wrapped up E-Week, where engineers around the country visited elementary schools to teach kids about the career. One of those schools included Willowbrook Elementary in Bentonville.
Engineers participating in E-Week said this is a year-round commitment to making an impact on potential future engineers.
Through hands-on activities like building water filtration systems, the goal is to show kids how many different kinds of engineering there are and how it makes a difference in the community.
“Nationwide, and in Northwest Arkansas as well, there's a shortage of engineers,” Transportation Engineer Zach Moore said. “For communities to continue to thrive, we do everything from road design, water and wastewater treatment plants to airports, and especially in a growing community, we need engineers that can keep up with the pace of that growth.”
Moore said he has seen firsthand the influence these visits can have.
“In fifth grade, actually, I went to a field trip to the University of Arkansas civil engineering lab, and they had these concrete cylinders with a machine that would smash them to test how strong they were,” Moore said. “As a fifth grade boy, I just thought that was the coolest thing, and they actually sent me home with a concrete cylinder that I still have today. I think that's one of the reasons that probably made me familiar with what civil engineering is, and inspired me to become the civil engineer I am today.”
Willowbrook was among more than 30 schools visited by Garver engineers during E-Week.
Watch 5NEWS on YouTube.
Download the 5NEWS app on your smartphone:
Stream 5NEWS 24/7 on the 5+ app: How to watch the 5+ app on your streaming device
To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com and detail which story you're referring to.