Mentoring the Next Generation of STEM Leaders to Solve Inclusive Mobility Challenges

By 2030, as many as 50 million STEM jobs could go unfilled in the rapidly evolving global workforce. But at Otis we're committed to bridging this gap, we're aiming to spark an early, lifelong interest in STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — by giving students safe, hands-on experiences under the mentorship of our Otis colleague volunteers through our Made to Move Communities global student challenge.

This year, more than 270 Otis colleagues across disciplines and geographies volunteered to participate in the program's second year. For eight weeks, they guided and coached local students in developing STEM-based solutions to a real-world issue – improving mobility for older populations in their communities. Each mentor had a different reason for volunteering and a unique “take away” from the experience.

Here are just a few of our Otis colleague mentors rom around the world who are mentoring the next generation of STEM leaders and helping to solve some of today's inclusive mobility challenges.  

Xuewei, Otis China 

Xuewei is an electrical engineer with Otis China and a mentor in the Made to Move Communities global student competition. Together with his student team, he rose to the challenge of designing STEM-based solutions to improve mobility for older populations in their community - a pressing issue for a country where almost one-third of the population is over 60.

Xuewei reflected on the experience and his impressions of the next generation:

"Every time I exchanged ideas with the students, they were fully engaged. They kept proposing new ideas and finding suitable solutions and technical support for those new ideas. I personally learned more about how young people freely use and implementnew technologies and the passion they show when applying technologies to new projects."  

Sharon, Otis Taiwan 

Sharon, a project supervisor at Otis Taiwan, had seen firsthand the mobility challenges faced by her aging parents, so she "immediately volunteered for the Made to Move Communities student challenge to impact the elderly community and educate young generations."

As a mentor, she used her skills and experience to guide students in developing STEM-based solutions to help older populations in Nanzih Kaohsiung move around. Inspired by a conversation with one student's grandmother, Sharon's team designed a smart container for getting drinking water from local water stations more easily.

One of Sharon's favorite memories from the experience was observing the "tremendous changes her students showed – from hesitation to confidence" as she guided them through systematic thinking and problem-solving.

Carlota, Otis Spain 

Carlota, a purchase technician at Otis Spain, imagines a future in which older populations can move around without barriers. This year's Made to Move Communities challenge presented her with the opportunity to make this dream a reality.

Carlota's team designed an innovative tech device called LAGUN, which means friend in Basque, to help older people in their community move around, access healthcare, and reduce required paperwork.

She recalls her students' humility when interviewing older people about their mobility challenges. And the pride they felt in presenting their solution.

Nicole, Otis Colombia 

Nicole is an electrical engineer with Otis Colombia. She was also a passionate mentor to local students, sharing her knowledge and guiding their creativity throughout the challenge.

Nicole was motivated by the competition's focus on improving mobility for older populations because she wants to ensure they have the freedom to continue living independently and enjoying the world around them.

She appreciates the energy and empathy her student team brought to this challenge, leaving her both inspired and hopeful for the next generation's contributions.

Mentors like Nicole and programs like Made to Move Communities are essential to closing the skills gap, the widest in Latin America. In Colombia, 50% of employers struggle to hire people with the right skills.

To learn more about how Otis mentors are helping to advance inclusive mobility and empower the STEM workforce of the future, visit our Made to Move Communities page.