Member Article

AME opens its door to TeenTech to showcase the benefits of STEM

The UK’s first ‘Faculty on the Factory Floor’ has thrown its weight behind a series of events designed to get young people involved in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).

The Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (AME) will take part in TeenTech, an award-winning initiative designed to help the ‘X Factor’ generation consider a career in industry.

Lecturers, engineers and current students have come together to devise three experience days focused on creative thinking, product manufacture and marketing.

Each event will cater for up to 50 young people aged between 13 and 17 and is open to schools throughout the UK.

Ian Wilson, Manufacturing Course Director, commented: “We have always known the importance of engaging with pupils at an early age, as trying to convince them about the benefits of a career in manufacturing and engineering at 17 is too late.”

“TeenTech is very high profile thanks to their CEO and TV personality Maggie Philbin and is well respected in education. It also fits our approach at AME and hopefully we will bring our own innovation, technology and expertise to this year’s programme.”

He continued: “The aim of the days will be to give teachers the chance to lead their student groups through the process of generating a viable idea, then looking at how this can be transformed into a prototype and finally how to sell and market to a target audience.”

Maggie Philbin said: “We hear every day about the huge opportunities in engineering and technology, but it’s now more crucial than ever that we really showcase these opportunities to the younger generation and get them excited about a career in tech as early as possible.

“We can’t wait to work with the team at AME on an exciting three days of innovation, creative thinking and ideas-nurturing – helping them see beyond the classroom and into their future career.”

AME, a collaboration between Coventry University and Unipart Manufacturing Group, is pioneering a new higher education model for manufacturing degrees, offering a blend of innovative activity-led teaching, product development and research.

A dedicated 1,700 square metre state-of the-art manufacturing and R&D space is now officially open and home to the first cohort of 22 undergraduates and 5 postgraduate students.

The hub houses over £2m of state-of-the-art automation, joining technology and testing equipment and – alongside Unipart’s existing production lines – will play a key role in delivering £multi-million research projects to accelerate zero prototyping and explore lightweight exhausts and a new fuel rail system.

Ian concluded: “We believe we have devised a blueprint on how to train the next generation of engineers and manufacturing professionals. If we can’t get young people switched on to the opportunities of STEM related careers nobody can.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Russ Cockburn .