Exploring Technical Careers and College, Programming, Engineering Design, Creative Robotics, and all Hands-On STEM Education Strategies
Virginia Tech's DC Metro Area Thinkabit Lab STEM Education and Workforce Development Programs is the longest-serving collaborator in the Qualcomm Thinkabit Lab network. The mission of our Thinkabit Lab is to serve Washington, D.C. area students, teachers, administrators, parents, and collaborators in preparing the future technical workforce through career exploration and the hands-on electronic and programming foundations of IOT and Smart Cities, AI and robotics automation, sensors, actuators, and data collection and analysis.
In doing so, we are preparing our future STEM workforce and our increasingly diverse, technology-driven community in lifelong learning for jobs that may not yet exist. The VT-DC STEM Labs team will work with like-minded teams, organizations and individuals interested in promoting curiosity, innovation, creativity, and students’ self-actualization and self-determination.
Wednesday, June 29, 2022
Day 3 Speakers from Qualcomm
Volunteers from Qualcomm got up early to meet us virtually to discuss engineering careers and intellectual property protection, and their individual career pathways. Both Shannon and Achim described their training, values, how they made certain choices, and the role of chance and timing in their careers. They also offered tips with their encouragement for our 20 young engineers, scientists, industrial designers and artists.