Aviva Raucher, a systems engineer at Lockheed Martin in Owego, holds a strategy document, recycled paper of course, that her team put together prior to the “Duct Tape Challenge” event on Feb. 23. (Photo by JoAnn R. Walter)
At a final event during a weeklong recognition of National Engineers Week, employees at Lockheed Martin in Owego, N.Y. participated in an annual competition, the “Duct Tape Challenge”, on Feb. 23.
Yes, you read that right, duct tape. The Duct Tape Challenge is a competition created to stimulate creativity and ingenuity of employees at Lockheed Martin during Engineers Week.
What seemed like a simple exercise, basically taping one of their colleagues to a wall, at a height of no more than six inches off of the floor, and whichever employee stayed taped to the wall the longest won with their team, was perhaps one of the most unique challenges in their careers to date.
Nine teams were originally slated to participate, with each team consisting of five employees, and the individual selected to be taped to the wall had to weigh at least 120 pounds. Each team was given one roll of duct tape and just five minutes to tape their co-worker to the wall.
he winning team of the “Duct Tape Challenge,” team Statler, poses after the event on Feb. 23 at Lockheed Martin.
Strategy played at the event, with some teams citing they had brainstormed for quite some time. Imagination for team names was evident, too, with selections like The Rip Offs, Duct Tape Dynasty, Team Awesome and Sticky Business.
One team, The Rip Offs, confessed that it was their “rookie season,” while team Statler had an edge of having competed previously. Some teams utilized an entire roll of tape, while others, like Team Awesome, used just half a roll.
To win the challenge, the winning team co-worker had to stay taped up on the wall for 20 minutes. Only two teams were unable to stay up for the entire time.
Pictured are employees participating at the “Duct Tape Challenge” at Lockheed Martin on Feb. 23. The Duct Tape Challenge was one of several competitions created to stimulate creativity and ingenuity of employees at Lockheed Martin during annual Engineers Week. (Photo by JoAnn R. Walter)
Team Statler ended up taking home the prestigious first place win while team Jaakd placed second and Sticky Business finished third. The Rip Offs opted to take the wadded-up ball of duct tape they made after clean-up back to the engineering drawing board.
Engineers Week celebrates how engineers make a difference in our world while increasing public awareness about the need for engineers.
Engineering Manager, Paul Mittan, commented that one concept of Engineers Week is to convey that engineering can be fun, as well as challenging.
Employees also participated in various other events throughout the week, which included a “building block competition” and a “portable bridge challenge” that utilized the company’s additive manufacturing facility and 3-D printers.
“It’s a great opportunity to get together as a team, have some fun and solve difficult problems,” Mittan said.
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