Hawaii is investing in its future workforce by getting hundreds of public school students excited about engineering early, which is good news for the state's push to build a local tech and manufacturing base.

• Over 600 students took part in hands-on activities, including building small boats out of foam, chopsticks, and tape to learn basic engineering concepts.
• Organizers say the goal is to show kids that engineering and hands-on fabrication careers exist right in Hawaii, not just elsewhere.
• Students said the program opened their eyes to STEM career paths they didn't know existed, including more affordable ways to get into the field.
• The effort is part of a broader push to grow Hawaii's engineering industry by reaching kids before college or even high school.

Outlook: Organizers hope early exposure like this leads more local students to pursue engineering and fabrication careers within the state after graduation.