WATERTOWN, N.Y. – New York Air Brake LLC (NYAB) commemorated Engineers Week 2023 with an event that reached out to future engineers and highlighted the contributions of the company’s own.
Its annual celebration of Engineers Week – this year held on March 1 – featured an open house for local area middle school students that included tours of the manufacturing floor and engineering labs at the company’s Watertown headquarters, along with an interactive design engineering activity.
Established in 1951, Engineers Week celebrates the positive contributions engineers make to society and is a catalyst for outreach across the country to children and adults alike. It is nationally observed the third week of February each year.
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The annual open house has been a staple of NYAB’s Engineering Week celebration and student education initiative for over 15 years. The highly anticipated event returned in 2023 after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19 pandemic precautions.
“We reach out to the young people in our community on a consistent basis,” said Rich Matusiak, senior director, engineering at NYAB. “Engineers Week is an opportune time to punctuate those efforts with a special program – engaging students in activities to raise awareness and spark interest in engineering.
“It’s also an opportunity to honor the work of our engineering teams, recognizing their ongoing contributions to our growth. The highly skilled men and women within our engineering ranks share an innovative spirit that is central to the success of New York Air Brake, which is built on technological innovation.”
Safety Glasses and Smiles
On March 1, New York Air Brake hosted the STEM/Engineering Open House, welcoming 40 middle school students into its facility. The students – from schools in the greater Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence County area – visited NYAB’s Watertown headquarters on Starbuck Avenue for the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)-focused program.
Students participated in round robin-style tours of the manufacturing floor and test lab facilities and took part in an interactive design engineering activity. NYAB employees were on hand to share their career stories, discuss the many types of engineering performed at NYAB, and facilitate the event. The theme for 2023 was “Creating the Future.”
“To get a true sense of engineering and the creative problem-solving that happens here, there is no substitute for an up-close view, and that’s what our open house gives the students,” said Matusiak. “Our activity leaders are enthusiastic and engaging, and they bring out a lot of smiles and wide eyes in the students. Some of these young people, we hope, may begin to see themselves participating in this kind of work one day.”
New York Air Brake is a proud supporter of STEM education opportunities. The STEM/Engineering Open House is one of several ways the company supports local schools in developing these interests in students.
“A career in engineering offers a lot of excitement and the opportunity to develop technologies that deliver value for our customers and impact for the places we call home. Through their work, NYAB engineers affect all our lives for the better. We couldn’t be prouder of them for the passion and commitment they bring through these doors every day,” said Greg Dalpe, vice president – freight business unit at NYAB. “The company is dedicated to celebrating them and providing opportunities to grow.”
In addition to its robust training and development programs, NYAB also employs engineering interns, allowing students to gain real-world, on-the-job experience.
