School Sustainability Challenge 2021
(organized by JA and supported by AbbVie Operations Singapore)
The Competition:
The competition encourages Polytechnic and ITE students to use and enhance their STEM knowledge by thinking of creative and problem-solving ideas around sustainability that can be applied to the manufacturing and pharmaceutical industries in Singapore.
Background:
The manufacturing industry remains a mainstay of Singapore’s development and growth, contributing up to 25% of the country’s GDP. Within manufacturing, the pharmaceutical and bio-technology sector plays a vital role in the country’s vision of developing innovative pharmaceuticals.
The manufacturing industry is however changing, with technology innovation growing and production activities becoming increasingly intertwined with sustainability. Globally, issues around resource scarcity, pollution, environment as well as social and governance issues are impacting how industries and organisations are viewed.
Singapore has recently set forth a ‘whole-of-nation’ sustainable movement and a green plan for the next 10 years for industries to commit and develop responsibly around the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Agenda – among the initiatives include using cleaner energy, reducing carbon emissions, keeping the environment clean and saving precious resources.
Objectives:
This competition aims to:
Participation Criteria:
Level: Polytechnic & ITE
Target students: Students across all different disciplines
No of students: 3 students per team
No of teams: 15 teams
No of mentors: 1 AbbVie mentor per team
The Challenge:
The student teams are to develop an innovative STEM idea or solution that will enable manufacturing facilities in Singapore to be sustainable in their operations and development of products and services.
The idea solution can address one of the following areas:
Guide for students:
Using the UN Sustainable Development Goals (https://www.globalgoals.org/) and Singapore Green Plan 2030 (https://www.greenplan.gov.sg/) as a guide, the idea should reduce the impact of manufacturing on our environment by reducing the consumption of energy and natural resources in the manufacturing and supply chain operators. Solutions can address the reduction of plastic consumption, water consumption, and waste production.
The competition encourages Polytechnic and ITE students to use and enhance their STEM knowledge by thinking of creative and problem-solving ideas around sustainability that can be applied to the manufacturing and pharmaceutical industries in Singapore.
Background:
The manufacturing industry remains a mainstay of Singapore’s development and growth, contributing up to 25% of the country’s GDP. Within manufacturing, the pharmaceutical and bio-technology sector plays a vital role in the country’s vision of developing innovative pharmaceuticals.
The manufacturing industry is however changing, with technology innovation growing and production activities becoming increasingly intertwined with sustainability. Globally, issues around resource scarcity, pollution, environment as well as social and governance issues are impacting how industries and organisations are viewed.
Singapore has recently set forth a ‘whole-of-nation’ sustainable movement and a green plan for the next 10 years for industries to commit and develop responsibly around the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Agenda – among the initiatives include using cleaner energy, reducing carbon emissions, keeping the environment clean and saving precious resources.
Objectives:
This competition aims to:
- interest, excite and provide students a unique platform to stretch their imagination and push their boundaries to learn to think global, innovate, create and pitch an idea or concept by making use of STEM and technology.
- provide an opportunity for students to display their innovative ideas and passion while being mentored by volunteers to complement their learning journeys.
- Help increase students’ knowledge and understanding of STEM. Get them excited about STEM
- Enable students to by applying their STEM knowledge to real-life issues in the business world
- Provide students with insights of the work environment in a pharmaceutical organisation
- Encourage students to apply technology & STEM to their solutions.
- Develop innovation, creativity, design thinking, entrepreneurship, pitching and presentation skills.
- Empower students to be problem finders and change makers.
- Provide training and mentorship from industry leaders.
- Learn to create a prototype to demonstrate their solution to the problem.
- The student teams are to develop an innovative STEM idea or solution that will enable manufacturing facilities in Singapore to be sustainable in their operations and development of products and services.
Participation Criteria:
Level: Polytechnic & ITE
Target students: Students across all different disciplines
No of students: 3 students per team
No of teams: 15 teams
No of mentors: 1 AbbVie mentor per team
The Challenge:
The student teams are to develop an innovative STEM idea or solution that will enable manufacturing facilities in Singapore to be sustainable in their operations and development of products and services.
The idea solution can address one of the following areas:
- Reduction of recycling of Plastics
- Reduction and reuse of Water
- Reduction, recovery or recycling of Waste
- Reduction of energy use
- Sustainable Packaging for pharmaceuticals
- Sustainable Manufacturing Process
Guide for students:
Using the UN Sustainable Development Goals (https://www.globalgoals.org/) and Singapore Green Plan 2030 (https://www.greenplan.gov.sg/) as a guide, the idea should reduce the impact of manufacturing on our environment by reducing the consumption of energy and natural resources in the manufacturing and supply chain operators. Solutions can address the reduction of plastic consumption, water consumption, and waste production.
Timeline:
Dates |
Activities |
31st Oct (Sunday) |
Registration Deadline |
6th Nov (Saturday) 9:00am - 12:00pm |
Challenge Kick-Off - intro to AbbVie - mentor-team pairing - Design Thinking Workshop |
27th November (Saturday) 10:00am - 12:00pm |
- Presentation and Pitching Workshop - Mid submission & Feedback / Mandatory Online Mentoring |
11th Dec (Saturday) 9:00am - 3:00pm |
Final - team presentation (7 min presentation + 5 min Q & A) |
Awards:
Registration:
Please register as a team by Sunday 31st October: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Space is limited. First come first serve.
We hope you find the School Sustainability Challenge 2021 a worthwhile competition and will encourage your students to participate.
Questions, please contact:
Ng Hau Yee (Ms.)
Director, JA Singapore
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: 96282704
Marissa Lim (Ms.)
Senior Program Manager
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: 97514026
- Certificates: Every participating student will receive a Certificate of Participation.
- Prizes: Teams will be competing for the following awards:
1st place team = trophy + iPad Pro
2nd place team = trophy + iPad Mini 3rd place team = trophy + iPad
Most Innovative Idea = trophy Best Pitch / Presentation = trophy - Internship: 1st place team will have the opportunity to intern at AbbVie.
- Funding: Funding is available for the top 3 teams (SGD 5,000 for the 1st place and SGD 3,000 for 2nd & 3rd place teams) for reaching approved implementation goals and milestones following the challenge to further develop the idea.
Registration:
Please register as a team by Sunday 31st October: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Space is limited. First come first serve.
We hope you find the School Sustainability Challenge 2021 a worthwhile competition and will encourage your students to participate.
Questions, please contact:
Ng Hau Yee (Ms.)
Director, JA Singapore
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: 96282704
Marissa Lim (Ms.)
Senior Program Manager
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: 97514026
About Junior Achievement
Junior Achievement (JA) is one of the largest global non-profit organizations dedicated to addressing fundamental social and economic challenges of young people by educating and empowering them to transform their future and own their economic success.
Through the delivery of cutting-edge, experiential learning in financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship, Junior Achievement effectively broadens the canvas of possibility for young people and enriches their ability to both engage in their own economic development as well as contribute to the strength of their families, communities and economies.
The 123 country JA Worldwide network is powered by over 400,000 volunteers and mentors from all sectors of society, reaching more than 10 million students around the world annually. In partnership with businesses and educators, Junior Achievement brings the real world to students, opening their minds to their potential. More information about JA is available at www.JAWorldwide.org and www.ja.org.sg
AbbVie and AbbVie Operations Singapore (ABS)
A global Fortune 100 company headquartered in North Chicago, Illinois, USA, AbbVie is a research- driven biopharmaceutical company that takes on the toughest health challenges. Globally, it is the fifth largest pharmaceutical company, producing a consistent stream of innovative new medicines spanning the key therapeutic areas of immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, women’s health and medical aesthetics.
The company is supported by AbbVie Operations Singapore (ABS) – one of the 22 AbbVie manufacturing sites across the world and the only one in Asia. Located in Tuas Biomedical Park, the plant is unique as it has both Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients and Biologics facilities that serve global markets, offering employees, of whom 85% are local talents, tremendous cross-exposure. Its products, which treat some of the most serious illnesses in the world, have put Singapore on the world map.
ABS won 2020 Plant of the Year, placing it right on top of all AbbVie’s manufacturing sites. It was certified Great Place to WorkTM in August 2021. It was also selected by The Straits Times as one of Singapore’s Best Employers.
Junior Achievement (JA) is one of the largest global non-profit organizations dedicated to addressing fundamental social and economic challenges of young people by educating and empowering them to transform their future and own their economic success.
Through the delivery of cutting-edge, experiential learning in financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship, Junior Achievement effectively broadens the canvas of possibility for young people and enriches their ability to both engage in their own economic development as well as contribute to the strength of their families, communities and economies.
The 123 country JA Worldwide network is powered by over 400,000 volunteers and mentors from all sectors of society, reaching more than 10 million students around the world annually. In partnership with businesses and educators, Junior Achievement brings the real world to students, opening their minds to their potential. More information about JA is available at www.JAWorldwide.org and www.ja.org.sg
AbbVie and AbbVie Operations Singapore (ABS)
A global Fortune 100 company headquartered in North Chicago, Illinois, USA, AbbVie is a research- driven biopharmaceutical company that takes on the toughest health challenges. Globally, it is the fifth largest pharmaceutical company, producing a consistent stream of innovative new medicines spanning the key therapeutic areas of immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, women’s health and medical aesthetics.
The company is supported by AbbVie Operations Singapore (ABS) – one of the 22 AbbVie manufacturing sites across the world and the only one in Asia. Located in Tuas Biomedical Park, the plant is unique as it has both Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients and Biologics facilities that serve global markets, offering employees, of whom 85% are local talents, tremendous cross-exposure. Its products, which treat some of the most serious illnesses in the world, have put Singapore on the world map.
ABS won 2020 Plant of the Year, placing it right on top of all AbbVie’s manufacturing sites. It was certified Great Place to WorkTM in August 2021. It was also selected by The Straits Times as one of Singapore’s Best Employers.