Empowering Future Tech Valleys Engineers: A Successful Residential Course at the University of South Wales Treforest
Funded by the Welsh Government鈥檚 Tech Valleys programme, a three-day residential course was held at the University of South Wales, Treforest for students from Blaenau Gwent and Merthyr to learn about university life on their door-step and the exciting career prospects open to future engineers.聽
In an exciting new step towards promoting engineering as a promising career path, a three-day residential course was held at the University of South Wales Treforest from 3rd to 5th July.
Through hands-on workshop sessions, the students from Coleg Gwent Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone and Merthyr College were encouraged to unleash their creativity and problem-solving skills and nurture a passion for engineering that could lead them towards a very bright and interesting future.聽
This three-day opportunity, free to the young people, was organised by the Engineering Education Scheme Wales and delivered in partnership with the University of South Wales.聽
Day one involved a tour of the Aerospace and Civil Engineering labs, a practical session to build a functioning electronics circuit, and then coding a Raspberry Pi in an insightful computing session.聽
Day two saw the students experience levelling equipment in the Civil Engineering workshop, plan a flight path using only a scale-drawing map and then program their drone to undertake its mission, and control their own robotic arm.聽 Then at the Glyntaff campus, participants had two hands-on sessions in pharmaceutical science creating their own flavoured lip balms and face cream and in biomedical engineering, students diagnosed a patient with heart failure.聽
Day three featured a maths masterclass exploring space and time, followed by a very useful presentation about the Network 75 programme and routes to funding university qualifications before the group said their farewells.聽
The students said:
鈥淚 wanted to attend the course so I had an idea of what I enjoyed further and what I liked doing and I was able to see that it benefits me in the future.鈥�
鈥淚 really enjoyed many aspects of the course however my main highlight is seeing how everyone came together to tackle on a new challenge because we were all with people we didn't know and a different environment that was unfamiliar to us.鈥�
University of South Wales鈥檚 Senior Student Recruitment Officer, Heather Francis said:
鈥淥ur academics are really passionate about showing students the real-life applications of the STEM subjects that they鈥檙e learning about in the classroom鈥� The EESW Headstart residential is a perfect way to do that; students come onto campus, they learn about all the different degree courses that are available, and get some hands-on experience of what that would be like to study at university.鈥澛�
Through hands-on experiences and engagement with university lecturers and students, the Tech Valleys Headstart university taster offered a great range of real-life experiences to inspire and increase awareness of the diverse opportunities that can await anyone deciding to follow a career in engineering.