Starting this February, children throughout the surrounding Ahwatukee area in Arizona will have a new opportunity to make use of afterschool hours with an innovative course offering with engineering concepts as a focus. Engineering for Kids, with franchising started in 2011, is branching out even more across the U.S. in various communities.
A winning concept that’s broken down by age group, children from ages 4-14 are able to take advantage of a highly unique educational concept introduced by Dori Roberts. Leaving her teaching job behind, Roberts kept her focus on education with a new slant: get kids involved in engineering, a course subject often overlooked, to promote childhood and future interest in all things engineering, as well as diverse analytical problem solving skills.
With this new location, local families can choose to get involved with parents enrolling their children for a modest time commitment during after school hours. One hour after school per week over the course of about six weeks and a small student-teacher ratio allows for a straightforward course that also leaves a powerful impression on children. Franchise investors of the education concept aim to highlight engineering as a viable course for children of various ages, as well as a career field to aspire to in the hopes of drawing attention to this rich sector.
The first of its kind to enter Arizona’s education circuit, this Engineering for Kids franchise stems out of the headquarters in Virginia where the concept originally started. Statewide locations in various cities as well as international locations indicate the versatility of the concept, which captures the attention of educators, investors, parents, and most importantly, children, from various cultures and language backgrounds. Subjects range from math to technology to science and thus maintain their relevance in education around the world.
After school programs are not the only options either, with a variety of scenarios made possible with a flexible education format. Children can work on engineering concepts from pre-school up, while home schooling, during parties, at scout and in school workshops and field trips, to name just a few of the ways the system makes engineering education accessible in various settings. The franchise concept has proven a highly effective way to bring as many communities as possible access to a rich engineering-based education opportunity.