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High-profile partnership inspirational for young engineers
A team from the Engineering Education Scheme (England) helped Lotus Engineering and
Wymondham College win Best Industry/Education Link Award at the EDP Business Awards 2007.
Plenty of clever thinking and practical legwork was needed when the Wymondham College students were set a challenge by Norfolk-based Lotus Engineering. The firm asked the EESE team to design and build a test rig that could measure brake-pedal power of motorists after they had undergone knee surgery.
Working alongside Lotus engineers and the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital, students created a simulator that tested whether drivers could brake safely. Their invention has provoked much interest among other pupils, staff, parents and the wider public.
Students worked tirelessly on their engineering challenge, with teacher James Walsh and Lotus Engineer Graham Patrick among a team of inspirational supporters. Mr Patrick of Lotus Engineering said the experience had inspired the youngsters, some of whom were now considering a career in engineering. He said “This is the way to get our kids involved in engineering. You had to do it to see the faces of the kids.”
The team were part of the EESE Celebration and Assessment Day at RAF Honington last year where they displayed their projects to guests attending the event and presented to a panel of judges from education and industry. Rob Brown, Regional Director for the EESE said he was delighted that an EESE team had won an award. He comments, “I am always delighted by the efforts made by the teams and impressed by the standard of projects that come out of the 6 months hard work, and for a team to win an award on top of that shows what a contribution the scheme can make not only to the individual, the school, the company but also the wider community.”
For more information about the Engineering Education Scheme (England) please visit www.thescheme.org.uk