Pupils from six regional secondary schools enjoyed a fantastic day putting their engineering and problem-solving skills to the test at Glasgow Airport on Friday.
The students spent the day in the terminal competing in the Institute of Engineering and Technology’s (IET) Faraday Challenge Day – a national engineering competition to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
The secondary pupils became real-life engineers for the day when they researched, designed, and built solutions to actual aviation-based engineering problems as part of the project.
St Roch's team came out on top on the day and as a reward for their hard work and ingenuity, all pupils involved in the challenge were invited to take part in a guided tour of Glasgow’s airfield when the challenge was complete.
This year’s challenge is in association with UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) Future Flight Challenge. The schools that took part in the Glasgow Airport-based challenge were:
- Paisley Grammar School
- Williamwood High School in Clarkston
- St Columba’s High School in Gourock
- Barrhead High School
- Clydebank High School
- St Roch’s Secondary School in Glasgow
Fiona Smith, Group Head of Aerodrome Strategy, said “It really was an honour to host the regional Faraday event in the airport and it was reassuring to watch these young people so engaged in finding the right solutions to the challenges we set them. The day also provided us with a chance to show them the type of careers available within the aviation industry, which is experiencing rapid development in innovation the likes of which we have not seen since the introduction of long-haul flight in the 1930s.
“I’d also like to congratulate the pupils from St Roch’s Secondary School, who came out top on a day where all the students taking part really impressed our team and the IET representative.”
A total of 187 IET Faraday Challenge Days are taking place across the UK during the 2022-23 season. Up to six teams of local school students will compete at each event to find the best solution to an engineering-related challenge.
Dr Mick Dunne, IET Challenge Leader on the day, said: “Friday was a brilliant day and the pupils really enjoyed taking part in what was a tremendous challenge that really tested their mettle and gave them a solid grounding in the world of STEM.
“I’d like to thank Fiona and her team at the airport on behalf of IET for being fantastic hosts on what was a wonderful day for all the schools involved, especially the surprise airfield tour at the end.”
The challenge is aimed at encouraging more young people to study and consider exciting and rewarding careers in STEM by using creativity, innovation and problem-solving skills.
Each team member in the winning group received a prize and a trophy for their school. The Faraday Challenge Days are part of a wider Education programme, made up of a whole host of teaching resources and activities to inspire and attract the engineers of tomorrow.
For more information on the IET and its initiatives to promote STEM subjects and careers in the classroom, visit the IET’s dedicated website. To find out more about Glasgow Airport’s Sustainability Strategy click here.