Blackfalds, Ponoka County students’ drone-building skills take flight at ASET STEM Camp Series day camp
29, Nov, 2024
EDMONTON, Nov. 29, 2024 – The sky was the limit for a group of 14 students from Blackfalds and Ponoka County who learned how to build and fly drones as part of a STEM Camp Series day camp presented by the Association of Science and Engineering Technology Professionals of Alberta (ASET). With the generous sponsorship of The Personal Home and Auto Insurance Program and the involvement of Wolf Creek Public Schools, the day camp took place at the Alberta Aviation Museum in Edmonton on Nov. 21.
The ASET STEM Camp Series day camps give students a hands-on introduction to the engineering technology profession, which offers a wide range of interesting and well-remunerated career opportunities for those considering post-secondary education options.
Grade nine, 10 and 11 students participated in the day camp with 11 students from Iron Ridge Secondary Campus in Blackfalds and three from Mecca Glen School in Ponoka County.
The emphasis of last Thursday’s day camp was on two of the 21 engineering technology disciplines: electrical and mechanical. The day camp was divided into two sessions. During the morning session, the students were taught both mechanical engineering technology and electrical engineering technology skills. They designed and soldered the drones and assembled various pre-purchased mechanical components.
In the afternoon, they focused on flying the newly built drones and troubleshooting any glitches that emerged. During this session, some of the students had minimal issues and their drones took to the sky as hoped. Other students had to take apart their drones and do some problem-solving.
“The drone project was a challenging and exciting one, and we’re pleased to say that the students exceeded expectations with all teams finishing their drones with plenty of time to test out flying them,” said ASET CEO Barry Cavanaugh. “It was inspiring to see the students work through issues as they arose. In the end, all the drones flew and the students enjoyed the learning process.”
According to ASET’s 2023 Salary Survey, mechanical engineering technologists starting their careers as technologists-in-training (TTs) command an average annual salary of approximately $57,849. For electrical engineering technologists, the entry level salary is $63,808. TTs are graduates of polytechnics/technical colleges, have engineering technology diplomas, and are registered with ASET and in the process of accumulating the necessary field experience to earn their designations as certified engineering technologists (CETs).
ASET is partnering with school boards to develop student outreach activities in association with Alberta’s polytechnics.
According to the Government of Canada website, this nation has become a world leader in STEM fields, and many emerging jobs and career opportunities are STEM-related. It forecasts that as more businesses and organizations look to innovate, modernize and grow, the demand for professionals who can fill STEM-related jobs will increase.
A study signalled the urgency of attracting more Canadians to STEM careers, including youth poised to enter post-secondary education. In August 2022, the C.D. Howe Institute released a report called The Knowledge Gap, which indicated that Canada faces a significant digital and STEM skills shortage due to the aging population and rapid digitalization across the economy. One of the report’s recommendations was to increase STEM enrolment and graduation numbers by raising students’ performance in STEM subjects.
About ASET
ASET is the professional self-regulatory organization for engineering technologists and technicians in Alberta. ASET currently represents over 17,000 members, including full-time technology students, recent graduates and fully certified members in 21 disciplines and more than 120 occupations across a multitude of industries.
Media Contact:
Michele Penz, Calico Communications for ASET
1.778.888.2249
calicocomm@telus.net