PPMA BEST, the charitable organisation within PPMA, is on a mission to inspire the next generation of engineers with its virtual ‘Factory of the Future’ and STEM days.
Matt Fox, PPMA BEST co-ordinator, has delivered 18 virtual STEM days to over 2,600 students, with more planned for 2023. Students have taken part in activities and heard from guest engineer speakers including PPMA chairman James Causebrook, and soon to be PPMA CEO Peter Williamson.
Tavia Grant from Harris Academy Rainham said, “On behalf of everyone here at Harris Academy Rainham I would like to say thank you very much for today. Both students and staff had a wonderful time. Hope to work with you again in the near future. It would be great if you could run this again next year. The students had a brilliant experience.”
Factory of the Future, meanwhile, is a new initiative aimed at primary aged pupils. This was delivered online and live in 45-minute shows. These presented interactive choices enabling viewers to participate in building a factory of the future. The show aims to advance the PPMA BEST mission to inspire and encourage young people towards engineering via an age-appropriate ‘learning through fun’ experience.
209 primary schools from around the country have so far experienced the Factory of the Future programme, encompassing an estimated 25,080 students and 1,672 teachers.
Matt Fox said, “The Factory of the Future programme has been really well received. It reached as far south as Cornwall, and as far north as Aberdeen, and we achieved net zero. Delivering it is an inspiration for our future engineers.”
Mrs Gough, curriculum, teaching & learning development lead at Wygate Park Academy, Spalding, said, “Wygate Park Academy loved the opportunity to take part in ‘Factory of the Future’ which aligns closely with part of our Green Promise to ‘know more and grow more’. So many exciting and inspiring conversations took place in the classroom during the session and beyond. The interactive nature of the session ensured that the children were fully involved and engaged throughout. You could hear the cheers of excitement throughout the school when their questions were chosen! There is no doubt that there are many potential engineers of the future at our school.”
