Kiilto supports science competition for Finnish and Estonian schoolchildren
In the Future of Industry competition (“Tulevaisuuden tekijät/Tuleviku Loojad”), teams of 13–14-year-olds are given tasks to solve that concern real challenges of companies’ production and operations, with a focus on sustainability. Kiilto is taking part by setting a task of its own and providing mentoring to solving it.
The Chemical Industry Federation of Finland, the Finnish Food and Drink Industries’ Federation and Finnish Forest Industries have together with their sister organisations in Estonia launched a competition for 13–14-year-old schoolchildren. Companies and schools are paired up in the Future of Industry competition, with the schoolchildren visiting their assigned company to be given a task to work on. The task may be related to climate change or energy transition, for example. The company’s mentors help the children to solve their task. Kiilto’s partner school for the competition is Sääksjärvi school in Finland.
The idea of the competition is to introduce the children to actual everyday sustainability challenges faced by companies, in a way that would not be possible in a classroom. The competition may even result in innovative solutions for the companies to use.
“The competition can encourage young people to study science and to show how important science can be in the environmental and sustainability work of companies. We hope to show young people what an impact their work may have for the future,” says Soilikki Kotanen, RDI Director at Kiilto.
Nine Finnish and ten Estonian teams and schools are taking part in the competition. The schools are located in various parts of the two countries, and were selected on the basis of active local industry. In addition to Kiilto, other well-known companies include Akzo Nobel Baltics, Atria, Bayer, CABB, Eesti Energia, Estanc, Fazer, Metsä Group, Orkla Eesti, Tallink and UPM.
The country finals will be held in November in both countries, with the final for the entire competition in Tallinn on 16 January 2025. Five teams from both countries will be attending the Tallinn final.
The competition’s patrons are the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture and Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications. The competition is supported by the Confederation of Finnish Industry and Employers (TT) Foundation and the Estonian Research Council.
Tags:
