A dancing robot and a cute pair of reindeers will be stealing the show at an event aimed at inspiring students’ career choices.
More than 1,200 secondary school students will be inspired by businesses in East Kent during the ‘East Kent Skills/The Big Bang’ event being held at Discovery Park, Sandwich, on Tuesday 10th December. The event focuses on showcasing careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
Students will test computer software used by the Olympic skeleton team, which creates an ergonomic sled for the athlete. They will be a part of a ‘chemical spill’, created by one of the Park’s resident businesses, find out in the confines of a dark room, all about advanced forensic science used for crime scenes and even discover the biology of reindeer, with two real animals at the event to learn from.
A flight simulator will be brought by BAE Systems, with students able to ‘fly’ at night wearing a night vision helmet. A two-foot robot will dance the Gangnam style – having taken 148 hours to programme for the one dance. The science of make-up will be revealed – how laboratories make the glitter, shimmer and shine in cosmetics.
Craftsmen such as plumbers and electricians will be helping the students get hands-on with pipes and wires, alongside a construction company with a solid apprenticeship programme to appeal to youngsters not wanting to enter further education.
Students will choose from 100 activities, 20 interactive workshops and be able to speak with more than 250 business people throughout the day. One of the companies, Tetrad Discovery, has a Director who used to attend Hartsdown Technology College – some of the current students will be visiting the event. These employees will be able to talk to the students about having great career aspirations whilst remaining in the locale and working in an innovative industry; the firm helps companies to discover new medicines.
Each workshop and exhibitor will aim to fuel their young minds, driving them towards a career in their industry using exciting and interesting visual displays and hands-on opportunities.
The event is aimed at giving students information and inspiration as part of their career guidance, highlighting the many exciting opportunities available to them in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
The event is organised by Discovery Park-based Education Business Partnership (EBP) Kent, which provides individually designed services for schools, colleges and employers, aimed at enriching the curriculum and helping employers to develop their future workforce.
The event is part of their East Kent Skills programme, which aims to show young people potential career paths with local employers.
EBP Chief Executive Anne McNulty, said: “All of the workshops and exhibitors are designed to be hands-on, interactive and appealing to the young audience. Seeing is believing, doing is understanding and speaking to current professionals is the real story.
“The event venue is inspiring – the students will be in a walking/talking workplace; a corporate setting where so much science and technology is developed.
“We hope the young people leave the event with a greater idea of what they might like to do in the future and how to progress to the right provider for the next stage of their learning and training.”
The event will demonstrate the vital relationships needed between businesses and education, showcase Europe’s largest science park and East Kent, plus allow employers to support young people and give actual guidance about what they are looking for and the different journeys to get where you want to go.