High school students showcase STEM skills at Vincennes University Jasper's CTIM Challenge

Vincennes University Jasper once again demonstrated its commitment to bridging the gap between education and industry by hosting the annual Center for Technology, Innovation, and Manufacturing Challenge on Wednesday, Nov. 13. The competition fosters career exploration for local high school students and links them with local employers.

The CTIM Challenge offers students a unique opportunity to develop their STEM skills while connecting with top industry leaders, ensuring that Indiana’s future workforce is prepared to meet the region’s demand for skilled labor.

VUJ CTIM Director Jacob Berg said, “VU Jasper is honored to host the CTIM Challenge, an event that provides students with a valuable hands-on introduction to in-demand careers. By bringing together education, industry, and the community, we’re preparing students for successful careers and ensuring our industry partners have access to skilled, job-ready graduates.”

Approximately 128 students brought their creativity and problem-solving abilities to the forefront, competing in eight hands-on, industry-sponsored challenges that mirror real-world engineering, manufacturing, and technology tasks. Thirty-two teams from various schools participated, including Jasper, South Spencer, Lost River Career Cooperative, Heritage Hills, Pike Central, Southridge, Forest Park, Northeast Dubois, Perry Central, Tell City, and Washington. Additionally, high school students from the VU Jasper Automation and Robotics Academy (ARA) and Construction Trades classes through the Patoka Valley Cooperative were involved.

The competition challenged students to collaborate and apply practical STEM skills to solve complex problems through engaging activities.

These included designing a mini drone from popsicle sticks capable of flying a “turkey” to its destination for a designated amount of time without falling apart, engineering a multi-level chicken coop that could house the maximum number of “chickens” while adhering to specific dimensional and budgetary constraints, and constructing a car using various materials that could roll as far and as straight as possible when placed in front of a box fan.

Each challenge simulated real-world applications, exposing students to the innovation and critical thinking required in today’s manufacturing environment. Farbest Foods, Jasper Engines & Transmissions, Kimball Electronics, Kimball International, MasterBrand Cabinets, OFS, Wabash Valley Produce, and Waupaca Foundry sponsored the challenges.

Jason Recker, who coordinates community outreach for Jasper Engines and Transmissions, said, “Events like the CTIM Challenge allow us to get in front of young people to show them the value of problem-solving, critical thinking, teamwork – the kind of soft skills that help companies build and maintain culture. Effort and attitude are what we’re looking for in our workforce, and we can show students the value of those attributes by engaging with them in the CTIM Challenge.”

Cash prizes amounting to $4,000 were awarded to the top three teams in each challenge and the top three teams overall. Jasper High School was the top overall winner. The Heritage Hills No. 1 team placed second, and the Northeast Dubois No. 1 team took third.

By facilitating interactions between students and industry leaders, VUJ is a leader in helping bridge the skills gap and align academic preparation with the specific needs of local employers, ultimately supporting the region’s economic growth.

For more information about Vincennes University Jasper’s initiatives in connecting students with high demand career pathways and industry partnerships, please visit vinu.edu/jasper-campus.