The Northwest Aerospace Alliance
Make It in Aerospace Enterprising Challenge The Dunkenhalgh Hotel 14th March 2013
The girls from Alder Grange Community and Technology School show that manufacturing isn’t just for the boys
Pupils from Blackburn Central High School put the finishing touches to their design
The Manufacturing Institute’s charitable Make It in Manufacturing campaign is helping to create a pipeline of talent for the UKs manufacturing industry by promoting the sector as an interesting and rewarding career choice for young people. Through a network of local, national and multi-national business partners the Make It campaign shows young people that modern manufacturing is a global enterprise founded on a basis of innovation, creativity and smart thinking.
Funded by
By connecting young people to manufacturing companies in their local area, the Make It campaign overturns negative perceptions surrounding the sector by engaging event participants in hands-on activities through a series of events called the Make It Enterprising Challenges. These practical, one day events give young people the opportunity to form their own mini-manufacturing companies, gaining advice and guidance from a range of industry advocates and learning more about the creative and aspirational employment opportunities manufacturing can offer.
A pupil from Clitheroe Royal Grammar School demonstrating the team’s winning idea This event – The Make It in Aerospace Grand Final was a collaboration between The Manufacturing Institute and the Northwest Aerospace Alliance (NWAA). It is part of a series of themed challenges delivered by The Manufacturing Institute’s Make It campaign, and sponsored by NWAA’s Take Off in Aerospace campaign to encourage young people across the region to consider careers in the UK’s thriving aerospace industry.
To view all the photographs taken on the day please visit our website
www.makeit.org.uk
INSPIRE
EDUCATE
IMPROVE
The team from Bowland High School ready to start their company
Make It in Aerospace
enterprising challenge
About the day The materials used on the day were designed to highlight the North West’s aerospace supply chain and the wide variety of companies based in the region that feed into this process and to also give the young people taking part a good understanding of the range of jobs available within the sector. Each school team – made up of eight pupils – was therefore asked to consider their respective skills and qualities and each choose a specific job role including Managing Director, Finance Director, Sales and Marketing Managers, Manufacturing Manager, Design Engineer, Logistics Manager and Quality Controller. Teams were then challenged to become manufacturing ‘primes’ that design, build, finance and market aerospace vehicles,
choosing from a range of iconic aerovehicles to construct. The main thrust of the challenge was to balance the ‘time/ cost/quality’ triangle which is essential to the success of the 21st Century aerospace industry. Throughout the day the teams also had to meet with an industry ‘Consultant’, plot out a test route for their chosen aerospace vehicle, create financial plans and build a product brand that would appeal to their
Getting the details right – the pupils from St Christopher’s CE High School
Our Lady and St John Catholic Arts College get stuck into the challenge brief target customer. Finally, each team was required to pitch their ideas to a panel of industry experts (NWAA Senior Managers) in a ‘Dragons Den’ style presentation. The judging of the event was extremely stringent and the teams were monitored throughout the day. Points were awarded for the completion of key tasks along with teamwork, use of initiative, problem solving and other enterprising qualities.
The industry ‘Dragons’ keen to hear the teams’ pitches
Model making in action with St Wilfrid’s CofE Academy Second place team on the day, Witton Park High School, seek some advice from the ‘Customer Consultants’
Schools in Attendance
The winning team from Clitheroe Royal Grammar School with the ‘Dragons’
Alder Grange Community & Technology School Rossendale Blackburn Central High School Blackburn Bowland High School Clitheroe Clitheroe Royal Grammar School Clitheroe Colne Primet High School Colne Hameldon Community College Burnley Our Lady & St John Catholic Arts College Blackburn
Pupils from Colne Primet High School present their ideas to the ‘Dragons’
Pleckgate High School Blackburn St Christopher’s CE High School Accrington St Wilfrid’s CofE Academy Blackburn Witton Park High School Blackburn
And the winners were…
An outstanding individual from Witton Park High School
First Place - Clitheroe Royal Grammar School Second Place - Witton Park High School Outstanding Individual - Bilal Haroon, Our Lady & St John Catholic Arts College Outstanding Individual - Assad Awafer, Pleckgate High School Outstanding Individual - Kelsey Hodgkinson, Witton Park High School
About the Northwest Aerospace Alliance The Northwest Aerospace Alliance is the key industry organisation in the region, representing and uniting companies and organisations involved in the aerospace sector supply chain. Through support from the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the NWAA has become the leader and facilitator
of aerospace cluster development in the UK. The NWAA also works to assist the aerospace supply chain through a series of cutting edge programmes, particularly the Aerospace Supply Chain Excellence Programme (ASCE). ASCE is a multi-million-pound scheme designed to elevate the key companies within the supply chain to world competitive status. For more, see www.aerospace.co.uk
In 2010 the NWAA launched the Take Off in Aerospace campaign with the aim of creating the next generation of aerospace talent. By raising the profile of the sector to young people, teachers and guardians, the NWAA hope to make people aware of the reality of today’s aerospace industry – that it is modern, innovative and global. What’s more, Northwest England’s aerospace companies can offer an aspiring student excellent career prospects.
Summary and Key Points • The number of young people who said that they would consider a career in manufacturing rose from 49% at the beginning of the day to 68% by the end
• 100% of the teachers that attended rated the day as either “Excellent” or “Very Good” (75% marked “Excellent” and 25% marked “Very Good”)
• 99% of the pupils in attendance rated the day overall as between “Excellent” and “Good” (49% marked “Excellent”, 44% “Very Good” and 6% marked “Good”)
• 88% of the teachers indicated that they would recommend careers in manufacturing to “all their pupils” with the remaining 12% indicating that they would recommend the sector to the “high achievers”
• 95% of the pupils felt that the day had given them a better understanding of the types of jobs available in aerospace manufacturing
• 100% of the industry volunteers rated the Challenge as “Excellent” and nearly all agreed that the day succeeded in its aim to promote a more positive image of manufacturing
Quotes from PUPILS:
Quotes from Teachers:
Quotes from Volunteers
• “The jobs are much more interesting than I thought” • “There are lots of opportunities” • “I really enjoyed today” • “I believe I have a lot of inventive ideas” • “I’ve realised this is a great industry” • “I like that it is a hands-on career” • “Manufacturing is fun and creative” • “I like to be busy and to design and make” • “I liked thinking about the project and the maths involved” • “It seems like a fun industry to work in”
• “A very well organised and enjoyable day, the materials were challenging without being too difficult for the pupils” • “The apprentices from Unison Engine Components were outstanding and a real credit to their company” • “Challenging but interesting – thanks very much” • “I made some good contacts today and will use some of today’s information in the future” • “Thank you very much, please keep me informed of your future events”
• “All the children were extremely enthused and thoroughly enjoyed the day” • “Enjoyed by all” • “Really good fun, well planned and beneficial for the students” • “Today showed the pupils that aeromanufacturing is a fantastic career path” • “There were some great statistics presented to the pupils”
The industry volunteers that participated in the day were: Helen Heggie Scott Bairstow Lisa Bannister Catherine Ellis Rachel Brickell Kevin Burke Zak Graham Laura Jay Mitchell Naomi Quinn Tom Williamson Danny Ashall Lewis Roberts
Director Project Business Unit Manager Image and Engagement Co-ordinator HR Manager Skills Manager Regional Director Apprentice Apprentice Apprentice Apprentice Apprentice Unison Intern
STEMFirst NWAA NWAA TMI NWAA STEMnet Unison Engine Components Unison Engine Components Unison Engine Components Unison Engine Components Unison Engine Components Unison Engine Components
The teachers enter the den!
Hard at work – a pupil from Hameldon Community College
INSPIRE
EDUCATE
IMPROVE