MADE, a project that continues to inspire and motivate young people to take part in STEM led activities, will be at The Big Bang Fair South West event in Exeter on 25 June.
Five schools will compete to win the MADE Manufacturing Challenge Finals. The Manufacturing Challenge involves year 7 and 8 students to work with a manufacturing business to design, test and produce a product which will promote their business to customers. By hosting the challenge at The Big Bang Fair it will show the activities that the students and businesses take part in, with a vision to deliver the project wider.
Deborah Passmore, Partnership Executive at TDA, said: “MADE is raising the profile of careers within the engineering sector and the opportunities available locally, both now and for the future. By informing young people of the sectors which are growing, we can help raise skill levels, create opportunities and maintain quality full time jobs.
“Our aim now is to broaden our reach and inspire more schools and businesses in other areas of the South West to take up the MADE project. The Big Bang Fair South West is the perfect opportunity for us to show the value of this project and the difference it can make for the young people we engage with.”
The Big Bang Fair South West is the largest celebration of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) in the South West region.
The event also celebrates and recognises student’s STEM projects. During the day the event will host the South West regional heats of the Big Bang UK Young Scientist and Engineers Competition, culminating in a glittering awards ceremony, with the winners progressing on to the national finals the following March at the NEC, Birmingham.
MADE has inspired schools to look at other engineering, computing and technology challenges, with some of them winning prestigious competitions. 2018 Manufacturing Challenge winners Torquay Academy competed against hundreds of other students across the country to win the Tomorrow’s Engineers EEP Robotics Challenge at The Big Bang Fair 2019 at the NEC in Birmingham.
Over 3,500 young people have taken part in MADE. The growth of the MADE project highlights its importance in the engineering sector and the connection between education and the opportunities available locally in this sector.
Partnering with companies and schools, TDA delivers a series of events and challenges to promote apprenticeship and graduate roles and career opportunities in engineering, including visits to top engineering companies. TDA receives funding from the South West Peninsula City Deal Futureworks Fund, and further funding from TDA enables the delivery of the project.
If you are interested in the MADE project and how it can support STEM engagement you can email [email protected] or call 01803 208378 for more information.