The final of a new initiative aimed at encouraging school pupils, aged 13 to 14 to consider a career in the subsea sector will take place in Aberdeen later this month.
The STEM Challenge, led by Subsea UK and supported by The Smallpeice Trust, has seen teams of year nine students compete in a design-and-make challenge for the marine industries. The regional competitions took place around the UK earlier this year.
The finalists – Helston Community College (Cornwall), St. Andrew’s RC Secondary (Glasgow), The Portsmouth Grammar School, Royal Grammar School (Newcastle) and Sutton Grammar School – will travel to Aberdeen, the Global Centre of Excellence for Subsea, to learn more from industry experts at Oceaneering and BP on May 14.
Each finalist received a Think Kit from The Smallpeice Trust, with all the tools needed to run an in-school challenge and build a floating wind turbine.
The teams will have the opportunity to prove their model in a test tank at Aberdeen Science Centre before delivering a short presentation to a judging panel. The overall winner will be announced at BP’s facility in Dyce.
Trish Banks , operations manager of Subsea UK, said: “We’ve been very impressed with the standard of the regional finals. The aim of this event is to inspire young people to be part of our sector and we’re hopeful the pupils will embrace the opportunity to work directly with industry figures.”