CSW Group and Howmet Aerospace, Exeter are excited to announce a new project to work with Key Stage 3 students and engage them in STEM, specifically engineering activities. Working together, we have secured funding from the Howmet Aerospace Foundation to offer this support to schools in Devon. The funding will cover all costs for entry into the 2023-24 First Lego League Challenge scheme and also a £750 bursary towards resourcing STEM clubs or STEM provision.

CSW Group will train and support Howmet STEM Ambassadors to work with school staff and students over the duration of the project.

The programme will consist of:

• A STEM workshop for students – ideally a collapsed day or half day for the whole year group. The theme for this day is based around Robotics with students tasked with designing their own robot in addition to a presentation from the team at Howmet.
• A bursary of up to £750 to purchase materials for STEM clubs or support schools STEM enrichment.
• All registration costs for entry into the First Lego League Challenge 2023-24 season ‘Masterpiece’. This will also include a dedicated celebration event and regional final.
• Support from CSW Group staff and Howmet STEM Ambassadors to set up and run STEM clubs with interested students working on the FLL challenge.

This activity will be offered over the current academic year to year 7 or 8 cohort. CSW Group will work with a nominated member of staff to ensure that this project supports the school and students. There is flexibility in the timescale to enable to the STEM enterprise day to either be delivered this Autumn term or next Spring Term. The regional final of First Lego League will take place late in March 2024.

To confirm you interest in participating, please email sam.ansell@cswgroup.co.uk.

 

Your Questions Answered

Why should schools take part?
This is an exciting opportunity for schools to work specifically with a global engineering business based in Exeter, to gain valuable insight from their staff and to support students to engage in an engineering-based challenge that will be designed with real life in mind. Participating schools will receive a bursary of £750 to purchase materials and resources to support the project work for the challenge.

Which schools are eligible?
The support is being offered to state-maintained primary and secondary schools in Devon.

What is the commitment from the school?
Schools will be asked to provide a named, nominated contact to work with CSW Group and Howmet Staff over the duration of the project. Part of the programme is a STEM workshop for students and we would recommend this day/half day engages all students in the year group. The STEM club and challenges for First Lego League can take place across the academic year, CSW and Howmet will work with the school to agree the scheduling and required support for the STEM club activity. Date for the regional FLL final will be confirmed in due course.

Who are Howmet Aerospace?
Howmet creates breakthrough products that shape industries. Working in close partnership with our customers, they solve complex engineering challenges to transform the way we drive, fly, build and generate power. Through the ingenuity of their people and cutting-edge advance manufacturing techniques, Howmet deliver these products at a quality and efficiency that ensures customer success and shareholder value.

UK businesses are facing a skills gap that limits business and economic growth due to low numbers of young people choosing to study STEM related subjects after the age of 16. Therefore, Howmet has an keen interest in ensuring there will be a future workforce with the right skills to meet the business needs by helping to achieve a real change to STEM teaching and learning by working in partnership with schools within the Exeter region. Howmet is keen to improve the awareness of STEM related careers, by involving their own staff to inspire the engineers of the future, and in the long term raise the profile of engineering careers, build confidence, challenge minds and raise aspirations and to play an important role in positively influencing more young people to become interested in pursuing STEM careers. For more information www.howmet.com

What is the STEM Ambassador programme?                                                                                                                                  STEM Ambassadors are volunteers from a wide range of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) related jobs and disciplines across the UK. They offer their time and enthusiasm to help bring STEM subjects to life and demonstrate their value in life and careers. STEM Ambassadors are an important and exciting free-of-charge resource for teachers and others engaging with young people in and outside of the classroom. STEM Ambassadors

What Skills can we expect students to develop through engaging with this programme?

• curiosity and creativity
• interpretation and evaluation
• observation and inquiry
• critical thinking and problem solving skills
• maths, financial literacy, data and statistical confidence
• innovation and strategic thinking
• team work and collaboration