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66 FLEX007 MAGAZINE I APRIL 2019 production technology. Is that something that is appealing? What sort of response do you get toward a manufacturing job of the future? Parmeter: We have been very conscientious about approaching Generation Z as a genera- tion that's uniquely suited to Industry 4.0. If you look at Industry 4.0 as defined by IoT blended with the internet of people (IoP), that looks a lot like the world that young people are growing up in right now; they fully expect to be communicating with machines through technologies designed to facilitate human- machine interface and interaction. Generation Z is uniquely suited to adapt to Industry 4.0 environments. One of the most rewarding things we have overcome through the program is the common misperception about working in advanced manufacturing. After students tour an innova- tive manufacturing facility, they realize that working in the field requires them to operate in extremely advanced environments. That is the most important aspect of Industry Engage- ment Day where students get to see that future for themselves and make decisions based on firsthand experience instead of what their par- ents or guidance counselors have told them. As Clarence said before, it is a very high-per- formance, high-technology environment that excites the students—one that lets them solve problems they care about for our whole soci- ety. McGrath: One of the things that the program highlights is that technology is used to solve problems for students who really want to do good for the world and have a positive impact on people. Students often think the best way to help people is through a medical profession or something similar, but once they get to a place like Jabil or DuPont, they realize that helping invent a new technology is a way to impact far more people than they could if they were just going patient to patient. It really opens their eyes. Matties: There are definitely a lot of ways to contribute to society. McGrath: Yes, we've partnered with the Mor- gan Family Foundation, which is a nonprofit that focuses on several things, including envi- ronmental education. To help achieve their objectives of increasing student engagement with local environmental issues, we are run- ning several iterations of FlexFactor focused on problem areas related to forestry, water resource, and global climate change. Students in those classes are looking at the intersec- tion of environmental challenges and technol- ogy and learning how advanced products and materials can make a positive impact. Clarence and Mikayla just kicked off the first iteration. Do you want to talk about that and what the students saw at DuPont and the Silicon Valley Water District? Ridi: Yes, we brought the first Morgan Fam- ily Foundation class to DuPont's new Silicon Valley Technology Center where the students toured the facility to learn about the range of products and materials DuPont makes and see how they can be used to lower greenhouse gas emissions, etc. Additionally, DuPont's CTO, Alexa Dembek, gave the students a presenta- tion on the biggest challenges the world is fac- ing and how technology can be used to address them. Her remarks helped the students to think about their own product ideas. Mikayla Ridi