Not a robotic "dog" but a springboard

Everyone has a school memory of a memorable day when a visitor came to school and took them away from the usual lessons!  On Monday 16th January all Mosslands year 7s had one of those occasions, when a team from the Manufacturing Technology Centre treated them to a state-of-the-art Boston Dynamics robotics display demonstrating and exploring the abilities of a modern dynamic robot! Spot The Dog.

Just like getting a remote control car to move forward and backwards but with a much higher price tag Spot climbed up and down stairs, swaggered along the stage, rocked side to side, did its stretching exercises and for a millisecond even had all its paws off the ground at the same time, our students (and staff) were mesmerised.

 

As a school fully committed to having our students grow their STEM capital, we looked at this opportunity, for them to take this fun and inspiring experience as a springboard into their futures. 

Without doubt the best way to get young people interested in STEM and manufacturing is to make sure they are exposed to a wide variety of STEM experiences and Spot the dog does this in spades! By showcasing amazing kit and successful people to our students it gives them an insight into what working in the sector can be like and the rewards that come with it.  These career paths need to be seen as viable options for young people in order to encourage them to consider STEM and manufacturing as viable careers.

The talks and workshops certainly highlighted the various pathways; apprenticeships, university, Further Education that students can opt for in pursuit of their chosen career, whilst promoting the application of STEM knowledge and gaining a deeper insight into how STEM effects today's modern society.

The more STEM related influences and experiences our students can gather and connect with throughout their life, the more likely they are to feel at home with STEM and see it as something that is useful and important, both in their life and for society, so increasing their life chances and social mobility.

Overall, it is incredibly exciting to see so many young people getting involved in STEM and manufacturing, and this trend looks set to continue. With the right support and encouragement, young people will be able to use their skills and knowledge to help drive the sector forward and provides the workforce of the future and help to ensure that the UK remains a leader in STEM and manufacturing.

https://twitter.com/MosslandsSTEAM/status/1618880625917972481