In November 2020, six of our year 12 students signed up to take part in the Industrial Cadets Gold Project. The students worked together, alongside their industry based mentor from Leonardo, over the next 16 weeks to create a STEM based solution that would deter birds from crashing into buildings.
Much of the project was completed during lockdown which added another dimension to the work. The students had to manage Zoom meetings with their mentor and a team member who was based across many time zones in Hong Kong.
The students not only developed as a team but they also gained many skills in the areas of: communication, problem solving, organisational, planning, creativity, negotiation, research as well as project management.
The project culminated in a virtual assessment day, held on 26th April, where the students presented their final solution to a panel of industry judges from Leonardo, L3 Technologies, Innovyn, Jaguar Land Rover and Siemens.
The judges commented:
“A really interesting project which demonstrates a good technical knowledge, good use of CAD and clear engineering knowledge. Also, a very “out of the box” solution! Overall, a great idea and we thoroughly enjoyed going through the project. Very clearly some talented and passionate engineers.”
The team graduated as Gold level Industrial Cadets at the end of April.
Please join Chigwell School in congratulating Abisitha, Lewis, Michael, Ronnie Kiran and Samuel for their hard work and outstanding achievement.
Below are some comments from our Gold Industrial Cadets
“Taking part in this project has allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and experience what it is like to take part in a project. I would encourage those who like challenges to have a go.” Abisitha
“To anyone with an interest in STEM and a will to challenge themselves in new ways, I would wholeheartedly recommend all levels of Industrial Cadets award. My teamwork and research skills have undoubtedly developed and I look forward to takin these skills into the future.” Lewis
“The Gold Project has been such a useful experience for me and the team. Not only has it allowed us to gain knowledge about working in industry but it has taught me about so many topics that I would have never explored had I not taken part in the project. I will take forward all the teamwork and organisational skills I have learned into my future career in engineering.” Kiran
“This project has provided me with various versatile skills such as independent research, teamwork as well as presentation skills. I would recommend doing any level of the Industrial Cadets project as it gives you a fantastic insight into industry as well as building confidence.” Samuel
“The Gold Project has given me the chance to experience what it is like to work in an engineering career. My individual skill and teamwork skill have definitely improved throughout the project. I would recommend this project to anyone who is interested in engineering or any other science subjects.” Michael
“I have gained much better team working skills, organisation and listening skills. Also, I have learnt how to work under more pressure than I am usually used to, this has helped push me further than I would have before. The project has helped me understand more about STEM careers, universities, and degree options.” Ronnie
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