Wednesday, October 12, 2011

PTC supports high school engineering design challenge

By James M. Connolly

Targeting a sector with an aging workforce, software developer PTC of Needham helped to kick off the 2011-2012 Real World Design Challenge on Tuesday in an effort to drive student interest in aerospace and in careers in science, technology, engineering and math.

PTC was one of 45 organizations gathering in Washington, D.C., at an event hosted by U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) to launch the competition, which was won last year by a team of students from the Xavier High School Engineering Club from Middletown, Conn. PTC noted that 7,800 students participated in the statewide and national competitions last year.

This year’s competition will focus on “Green Aviation”, with student teams designing three airplane fuselages of different lengths and three different propulsion systems for those fuselages, gas, diesel and electric.

PTC (Nasdaq: PTC), which develops product development and product life cycle tools, noted that the aerospace industry needs to attract young people for its workforce. Currently, PTC said, 54 percent of the aerospace workforce is over age 45 and 33 percent are eligible to retire today.

To participate in the real world challenge, student teams must register by Nov. 18 . Winning teams at the state level will participate in the national competition in Washington, D.C., in April.

As a partner in the program, PTC provides teams with product development software, including Creo Elements/Pro (3D product design software), Windchill (product lifecycle management software) and Mathcad (engineering calculation software).