For the second year in a row, O.Z. Enterprises partnered with local high school S.T.E.A.M. programs to help expose high school students to real world problem solving. This year we worked with Upper St Clair and Bethel Park high schools. O.Z. Enterprises presented students with multiple projects intended to solve problems currently facing the company. The students were broken into teams, chose projects of interest to them and then worked with mentors from O.Z. Enterprises for twelve (12) weeks to develop solutions. Sample projects included:

 

• Develop a process to convert existing building “blue-print” floor plans into system-embedded floor plans (2D and 3D) to make the systems O.Z. installs easier to navigate and use by our customers

• Design and build a portable product demonstration kit to showcase the various components that make up a system installed by our company

• Create a searchable database of documentation for the various components included in an installed system

 

The process included brainstorming sessions, development of prototypes, progress update meetings between the students and their mentors and concluded with a formal presentation of solutions by the teams to their mentors, school administrators and other companies who have also participated in the program. We were amazed and impressed with the students’ dedication, creativity and ability to listen, understand the problem and implement feedback to develop solutions that are used by the company today.