On Friday 21st November, a group of our Year 10 pupils had the incredible opportunity to attend the STEM Skills and Innovation Event at Alnwick Playhouse, organized by EPIC – the Skills and Innovation Hub for North Northumberland.
The day began with an inspiring keynote speech from Sue Black, who shared her remarkable journey from a challenging childhood to building a successful and happy life for herself and her family. Her message was clear: “Technology and education changed my life. Education and technology is so important and events like today show to you, our next generation of workforce, that there are so many opportunities in this area. Today you can learn how to focus your studies so they can lead to a career in this field.”
Following Sue’s talk, our pupils participated in three interactive sessions:
- NHS Northumbria Healthcare
Pupils explored innovations from the NHS manufacturing hub and the local podiatry service. They were able to get hands-on with equipment and engage with interactive demonstrations, gaining insight into how technology is transforming healthcare. - William Hackett
This session challenged pupils with a chain assembly task and a multiple-choice quiz. Congratulations to Chloe, who was crowned the chain assembly champion! William Hackett also shared exciting details about their evolving apprenticeship schemes and future career opportunities. A company representative emphasized:
“These are roles that we don’t know about yet, roles that you one day could fill. These roles will evolve with the moving forward of the business and we will require creative thinking people.” - Alncom
Pupils learned how homes are connected to the internet and discovered the work involved in maintaining connectivity. Interactive demonstrations kept everyone engaged and sparked curiosity about careers in digital technology.
Reflecting on the day, Ms Bailey, Director of Science, said:
“Thank you so much to EPIC and all of the local companies for inviting us to this event. All of the companies we spoke to did a fantastic job of engaging the pupils through their interactive demonstrations and competitions. Our group of Year 10s showed real enthusiasm and gratitude for this experience. Their behaviour and manners were exemplary; a credit to our school and their parents. We hope to be involved with more projects like this which are all about sparking ambition, nurturing talent and demonstrating that the future of work starts right here on our doorstep.”
This event gave our pupils a unique opportunity to connect with local employers, explore emerging technologies, and understand the skills that will shape their future careers. We look forward to attending more events like this and continuing to inspire our students to aim high in STEM fields.
Below is a gallery of photographs to show highlights of our day.
