Pupils from schools across the south west were given a taste of the diverse range of career options engineering offers when IAAPS opened its doors at a recent Future of Work event.
A total of 245 students from 14 West of England Schools took part in the event at the Bristol and Bath Science Park, where IAAPS’ research & innovation facility is located.
IAAPS unites a state-of-the-art facility with an accompanying leading research institute and centre for doctoral training. It builds upon 50+ years of engineering expertise at the University of Bath to develop clean, sustainable and affordable technologies to support the transport industry in the transition to net zero.
By taking an equally innovative approach to education, it is also equipping tomorrow’s researchers and industrial experts with the skills the UK needs to take on future challenges.
During the event, the visiting pupils were able to see IAAPS facilities including examples of six exciting propulsion systems technologies covering hydrogen, sustainable and micro mobility and advanced electrical propulsion.
Student competition team Team Bath Racing Electric displayed their latest racing car, which competed in the UK and Europe as part of Formula Student, the IAAPS BMW i8 research car, and a world-class driving simulator created in partnership with Ansible Motion, who supported the tours.
Professor Chris Brace, IAAPS Executive Director, said: “Engineering is diverse and rewarding career that gives huge societal benefits, but many young people don’t know enough about engineering to help them choose it as a career path. Anything we can do to help promote engineering as a great career option is worth spending time on.
“The South West is one of the country’s top locations for high tech careers and we would like more of our local young people to take the first steps toward the profession by studying engineering at one of the great universities in the region.
“The Future of Work event is a great day to show young people all the career opportunities offered through engineering, and we’re delighted that at IAAPS we can open our doors to show young people our world-leading capabilities.”
Prof Brace presented at the event alongside postgraduate research students Paloma Rodriguez and Will Forshaw who have studied at AAPS, the EPSRC-funded Centre for Doctoral Training linked to IAAPS.
During the visit to IAAPS, Mia Cottle, who is studying an Engineering T-Level at Somerset Studios, said: “It really helps to find out what’s out there and understand what you like to do.”
Dylan Kingman, also studying at Somerset Studios, added: “I’m happy to see places like this and see all the technologies.”
Clare Barclay, careers leader at IKB Academy in Keynsham, said: “It’s amazing to be able to show our engineering students different places that we don’t get to see day to day. Being able to hear from people working and studying in this area is important. We build a go-kart in the STEM on Track competition, so to see the students in Bath’s Formula Student team is really inspiring.”
Peter Headeach, Head of School at IKB Academy, added: "The value for the school is pretty clear - if our students are inspired to move on to the next step and can see what sort of opportunities are out there, that gives them the motivation in their studies in school, whilst broadening their horizons."
Run by Stirling Media, the Future of Work event featured speakers and was supported by other south west organisations including the National Composites Centre, Airbus, YTL, Buro Happold, Science Creates Outreach, GKN Aerospace, National Highways, West of England Mayoral Combined Authority and Encirc.