Teaching engineers of the future

They were taking part in this year’s University of Brighton-run Engineering Education Scheme (EES), nationally organised by the Engineering Development Trust.

EES enables Year 12 students to learn practical workplace skills during a six-month project with local businesses. Regionally co-ordinated by STEM Sussex, the outreach department of the University of Brighton, the scheme pairs teams of up to six Year 12 students and their teacher with a local engineering professional. Together, they work on real industrial problems for which the companies need solutions.

The scheme included a two-day residential workshop at the university when students were able to tackle engineering challenges and get a taste of university life by being given full access to the facilities at the University of Brighton.

Bexhill pupils and General Dynamics designing a leaping robot

Ifield students and Gatwick Airport designing a sensor system to detect faults on the North-South terminal shuttle

Supported by company representatives and teachers, students will continue to work on their projects at school until the celebration and assessment day in April. Developing skills for project management, report writing, communication and teamwork form part of the scheme.

Taking part were Ifield Community College, who worked with engineers from Gatwick Airport; Bexhill College with General Dynamics; Oriel High School, Crawley, who worked with L3 Link and Schneider; Brighton Hove and Sussex Sixth Form College who worked with Mott MacDonald; and Trinity School who worked with Cory Riverside Energy.

For more information contact Rachel Day, Project Manager, STEM Sussex at r.day2@brighton.ac.uk.