Dhairya Patel and his three teammates from Marysville Early College High School have observed the evolving landscape of package delivery. With companies like Amazon developing autonomous drones to deliver items such as wireless earbuds or clothing, the group of sophomores and juniors sought to improve the technology.
"What we designed was an algorithm that runs on the drone to provide the fastest route and an app that can provide customers with the support that they need," Patel said. "And if they ever need to track the drone, we got that."
In addition to writing the code for the app, the group 3-D printed an auto-release winch mechanism for the drone to ensure packages are dropped off undamaged. The team developed the project for the Ohio STEM Learning Network Statewide Design Challenge at Battelle.
Heather Sherman, who leads the program at Battelle, said the project illustrates what her company and others seek in future employees.
"We're looking for innovators at Battelle," Sherman said.
A recent International Monetary Fund analysis suggests that finding or keeping a job will increasingly depend on a worker's ability to update or learn new skills.
Rich Granger, with the Ohio Department of Transportation’s DriveOhio agency, helped judge the Battelle program. DriveOhio assisted in developing the challenge question: how to improve transportation and mobility in the state through drones, electric cars or flying taxis.
"We had high school teams pitching us on policy topics. We had kindergartners showing us hand-built prototypes with wind turbines, and we had middle school teams talking about business models for their drone delivery and battery technology," Granger said.
Granger said young people are considering the job market in new ways, questioning the necessity of a college education, the importance of company loyalty and the impact of new technology.
"I've done student presentations where they ask what I'm getting paid, and then they're also dreaming about what they wanna accomplish," Granger said. "I think it's good advice to look at both of those things."
The IMF report found that nearly 40% of global jobs are now exposed to AI-driven change.
The report noted that while workers with emerging skills can command wages up to 8.5% higher in the U.S., the rise of generative AI is specifically reducing entry-level hiring for tasks that can be automated—a trend that poses a unique challenge for students just entering the workforce.
Patel said pay is not his primary focus right now, but he is considering the role of artificial intelligence. He said while AI could take over one's life, using it minimally for important tasks can help improve job performance.
Nithish Kolaram Senthil Kumar, a member of the Marysville team, said finding a long-term job may come later in his career, but his initial goal is to find a good fit.
"(When I am) 20 to 30, I'll keep switching jobs, finding the best fit," Kumar said. "And if I do, then I would like to progress into the higher boards in my company."
Others are pursuing different career paths. Mark Hunter, training director for the local union of Plumbers and Pipefitters, Welders and HVAC Service Technicians, said not all STEM fields require a college degree. He noted that high-level roles requiring degrees often rely on the work of skilled tradespeople, citing projects such as the Intel development, data centers and the new Ohio State University Hospital tower.
"It’s our tradespeople, the electricians, the sheet metal workers, the iron workers, the pipe fitters, the cement finishers, the painters. We're all giving those people the tools to go to work before they get there," Hunter said.
Hunter said addressing the shortage of skilled tradespeople begins in the classroom. He noted that more schools are communicating that a college degree is not a universal requirement. Since Hunter took his role 2 1/2 years ago, he said interest has grown significantly.
"At the time, our numbers were sub 300 applicants per semester. Now we're seeing applications (in the) more than 600 to 700 range, which is fantastic for us," Hunter said.
Sherman said there have been significant strides in career technical education programs across Ohio.
"Perhaps you don't need a PhD in engineering. Perhaps you don't need a four-year degree. Perhaps you could go to a local career technical education program and still engage in the STEM workforce," Sherman said.
The four Marysville students said they intend to enter fields such as health, cybersecurity, aerospace engineering and dental work, which may require college degrees. Kumar, who is eyeing a career in cybersecurity, said he has worked with coding for a long time and feels prepared for the future.
"I first made a website when I was 10 years old and that interest kept growing. That inspired me to make an app that has a beneficial purpose," Kumar said.
