Robot Wars winners coming to Northampton College for engineering festival with school children

The Construction Engineering Festival will see students from schools across the county have a go at challenges set by Tomorrow’s World presenter Maggie Philbin and a former winner of Robot Wars from Monday to Friday next week (June 17 to 21).

Teams will also be asked to design and install a hot water system capable of running a shower and emerge as part of The Big Rig – a low carbon challenge which first took place as a standalone event at the college last year.

College principal Pat Brennan-Barrett said: “The success of last year’s inaugural event showed the appetite for STEM subjects in Northamptonshire and we look forward to igniting the spark in a new set of students and inspire them to consider science, construction or engineering courses in the future.

“The event recognizes the power of partnerships between education and industry, providing pupils with the opportunity to learn directly from those actively working in STEM-related careers.

"We want to create a future workforce capable of thinking for themselves, solving problems quickly and efficiently and using technology to create innovative new ways of doing business.”

The festival will feature an innovation workshop led by the award-winning, industry-led organisation TeenTech.

The session will help students better understand the concept of ‘connected cities’ and they will be challenged to design a device for the ‘internet of things’.

Team captain of winning Robot Wars challenger Sabretooth, Gabriel Stroud, will discuss his career and how he acquired the skills to build a successful fighting robot.

Sophie Dale, from Kettering Buccleuch Academy – one of the schools due to take part in the festival – said: “These events are invaluable when it comes to igniting a spark in our future generation and encouraging them into much-needed STEM careers.”

Students will also get the chance to enjoy a series of taster sessions to experience what life could be like on a STEM course at college, with opportunities to try a virtual welding simulator, build a brick wall, get to grips with plumbing techniques and use scientific theories to predict volcanic eruptions.

The festival is being backed by a host of local employers, eager to meet their potential future workforce.

Companies represented include Kier, Briggs & Forrester, Higgins, Opus Energy, Taylor Wimpey and Metcalf Commercial Decorators.

Paul Nelson, from sponsors Kier, said: “There is a major skills gap in the construction industry and events such as The Big Rig are vital in inspiring the next generation, giving students an opportunity to get hands-on and gain invaluable experience of a replicated workplace environment.”