A Smallpiece of inspiration
Planning to pursue STEM subjects after school/college… have you considered taking an engineering course this summer?
There is an ever-growing number of individuals and organisations working passionately to provide opportunities in STEM that go beyond traditional taught curricula to empower society and its workforce. One such organisation is The Smallpeice Trust, founded in 1966 by Dr Cosby D P Smallpeice. This independent charity offers an extensive range of residential courses, STEM days and Think Kits to inspire and support young engineers to explore their aspirations and bring their ideas to life.
So, what is on offer for budding young engineers this summer in the UK?
Well, how about seeing what it takes to design and build structures that can withstand virtually anything from earthquakes to storms and human use? Get real insight into structural engineering and put your own skills to the test in a design-and-build challenge at Coventry University.
Perhaps, you would prefer to spend three days at the University of Hertfordshire learning about civil engineering materials, structural analysis and design, as well as building information modelling? You could experience university life whilst exploring how developments in civil engineering influence the design of infrastructure.
If you are looking to get into Robotics or Electrical Engineering, you should consider Oxbridge Inspire’s Autonomous Cars course. You will spend a week in Cambridge getting a taste of student life and be challenged to go well beyond the school curriculum in Physics and Engineering.
The Smallpiece Trust also publishes the Smalltalk newsletter, which contains information about various initiatives that make STEM subjects more accessible, such as the CyberFirst cyber security courses, in association with the NCSC and QA, or the Arkwright Engineering Scholarships, which are awarded to high potential young people at the start of Year 12 (Northern Ireland Year 13 and Scotland S5). You will also find inspiring profiles of the team behind the scenes, such as Education Officer Jenny Hatcher.
“I am originally from South Wales (Cymru am byth) and at school I was the only girl studying computing and geology, which made me more determined to succeed. I love science and nature so I took my interest and completed a Geology BSc (Hons) degree at Cardiff University. I love learning about the world around us and science allows me to understand the workings of our planet. Technology and engineering shows how we use the natural resources around us. Maths is an important subject for me; being dyslexic words can be difficult but maths speaks to me — logic and sequences make sense” — Jenny Hatcher of The Smallpeice Trust.
If you can’t seem to find a STEM opportunity that appeals to your passions, interests and abilities, please get in touch and let us know what types of STEM courses/projects/events you would like to see on offer and we will do our best to help.
Oxbridge Inspire delivers innovative STEM education and provides guidance and inspiration to young people wishing to pursue STEM subjects at University and beyond. To find out more about Oxbridge Inspire and the courses and activities we offer, visit our website.
