Year 10 students from 23 schools have been provided with a MakerBot Z18 and have been challenged to design a 'gadget' that they pitched in front of a panel of judges in a cross between The Gadget Show and Dragons Den.
The challenge encompasses areas including engineering principles and business management processes that will help prepare students for that next step into the world of employment. Gareth Higgins, KMF's managing director said: "The KMF Young Engineer of the Year Awards has grown beyond our expectations and we are proud of the fact that we are helping to provide an opportunity for young people within our geographic area to get hands–on with engineering design and manufacture."
With the increased number of schools taking part in this latest event KMF called upon other businesses to get involved by way of sponsorship and mentoring of individual schools. The involvement is a practical way that companies can contribute back into the community while inspiring the next generation of engineers. The sponsors from 2014 saw positive benefits of being involved, with several identifying potential new recruits as apprentices.
With the finalists narrowed down from 46 to 26 teams, the final will take place on 18 June at the Britannia Stadium in Stoke. The event will be hosted and judged by The Gadget Show's Jason Bradbury.
