The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, Baroness Sugg, recently joined Raytheon in recognising some of Britain’s brightest engineering talent.
Students from English, Scottish and Welsh schools took part in the fourth annual Quadcopter Challenge organised by Raytheon. In total, 86 teams from over 30 schools made the journey to Birmingham, learning to build and operate unique aerial vehicles as part of the contest.
Each team was mentored by Raytheon’s STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) ambassadors; volunteers from the company who help schools and youth clubs inspire young people. This army of ambassadors volunteered over 2,500 hours of time during the competition.
A series of challenges put each aerial vehicle’s speed, agility and accuracy to the test, while also assessing team members on their creativity and engineering prowess. To date, more than 1,000 young people have been supported thanks to the scheme.
Baroness Sugg said: “It is great to see the potential of these future engineers and to see Raytheon championing science and engineering skills across the UK with this excellent competition.
“Through our Aviation Strategy we are exploring how new technologies like drones and urban air mobility vehicles will transform the way we travel, and it is vital that we develop the skills of our young people now so the UK stays at the forefront of transport innovation.
“There are many exciting careers in aerospace and aviation. Through our Year of Engineering, we are working to ensure young people from all backgrounds are aware of, and able to access, the many opportunities these jobs offer.”
Raytheon UK Engineering Director Alex Rose-Parfitt added: “Raytheon is eager to do its part to inspire Britain’s next generation of engineers.
“A unique aspect of the Quadcopter Challenge is the mentoring that teams receive from our STEM ambassadors, who as well as offering advice on aerodynamics and technical tips, act as relatable, local role models, showing the huge potential of a career in STEM.”
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