The Iowa Association of Business and Industry Foundation is the recipient of a Union Pacific Railroad Community Ties Giving Program grant, which will support the expansion of Innovators Quest: The Quest for the Crystal of Innovation, an initiative designed to inspire the next generation of manufacturing workers. Innovators Quest, developed by the Manufacturing Institute, is a gamified program that connects students to modern manufacturing careers through interactive characters, hands-on activities and real-world problem solving. ABI will use the grant to work with Iowa manufacturers to expand access to Innovators Quest statewide. “Manufacturing today is innovative, technology-driven, and long-term career focused, yet many students are not aware of the opportunities,” said Nicole Crain, ABI president, in a prepared statement. Union Pacific’s Community Ties Giving Program supports initiatives in safety, workforce development, community vitality and environmental sustainability through grants to organizations across its 23-state network.
