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Transform Your Future: Celebrate Engineers Week 2026 in Afterschool

Engineering experiences help young people build skills that matter for any path they may pursue. Through hands-on design challenges and problem-solving activities, youth practice critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and perseverance. These are skills that support success across school, work, and life, whether or not a student ever plans to become an engineer.

Afterschool and summer programs are especially well suited for this kind of learning. These settings create space for exploration, iteration, and real-world career connections. Youth can test ideas, learn from failure, and see how engineering relates to the issues and interests that matter to them. For many young people, out-of-school-time programs are also where they first experience engineering in a way that feels accessible and engaging.

Engineers Week—and this year’s theme, Transform Your Future—is the perfect opportunity for afterschool STEM educators to build momentum around engineering learning. Whether programs are introducing engineering careers for the first time or building on existing STEM experiences, Engineers Week offers a natural way to help youth expand their awareness of careers and build confidence in their abilities.

Below, we compile free, high-quality resources and activities that programs can use to engage youth in meaningful engineering learning during Engineers Week and beyond.

Engineering Mindset

STEM Next believes that one of the pillars of career-connected STEM learning is to promote development of an engineering mindset. An engineering mindset refers to the attitudes and thinking skills associated with engineering — using a systematic engineering design process, considering real-world problems, applying math and science, and working in teams.

Using these skills and many more, engineers design objects, systems, or processes that address the needs and desires of people, animals and society. Learn more about the 10 practices for an engineering mindset here. 

Engineers Week Resources for Afterschool

Illustration of two diverse cartoon characters, one jumping energetically, with Engineers Week 2026 and Transform Your Future text. Background includes playful shapes and the Discover Engineering logo.

Here are some resources from our partners at DiscoverE to help inspire students in engineering!

  • DiscoverE challenge videos featuring Engineering Design Process
    • Including a series of videos featuring STEM Next Flight Crew alumni Star and Miranda taking on 7 hands-on engineering challenges! (with links to activity instructions)
  • Chats with Change Makers: DiscoverE’s library of videos includes 45+ student-hosted chats with engineers and technicians that programs can watch with youth.

Webinar: For tips and advice to plan a successful Engineers Week event, Join DiscoverE and Teach Engineering for a fast-paced webinar full of free STEM resources, ready-to-use lessons, hands-on engineering activities, and tips for introducing the Engineering Design Process to students. Perfect for educators looking to energize their classrooms and other learning spaces with creativity and real-world problem-solving. 

Special offer: DiscoverE Store: Order Engineers Week Stickers, T-shirts, and Tumblers at a discount for STEM Next partners!

  • 10% discount code: STEMNext-EWEEK