Pupils from Wellfield Community School in Wingate have won a competition which used the stimulus of the Olympics to inspire budding young civil engineers.
The Sporting Wonder Challenge was run in partnership between the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) North East, Cramlington based civil engineers Owen Pugh Ltd and the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA).
Students aged 14 and 15 set up mini construction companies, with the aim of developing a sporting venue, working with industry mentors to gain experience of working in the construction and engineering sectors.
In the Grand Final, held at Gateshead College’s Skills Academy for Sustainable Manufacturing and Innovation (SASMI), in Washington, teams delivered presentations outlining their proposed projects to an expert judging panel*, which included top North East industry experts and leading marathon runner Freya Murray, herself a Tyneside based civil engineer.
The school won £500 while additional prizes and trophies were also presented. Additional prizes were donated by Restaurant Design Associates (RDA), Construction Industry Council, and A-one+, while the use of the venue was donated by Gateshead College.
The E-Con team from Wellfield Comunity School took the top prize for their equestrian centre project.
Neal Swinburn, of Wellfield Community School, said: ”The head teacher and all at Wellfield Community School are extremely proud of the 15 pupils who took part in the event. They worked creatively and with commitment, drive and enthusiasm to respond to the Challenge.
“This whole experience has been inspiring and we have seen, yet again, the outstanding talent and vision of our students.”
Stephen Larkin, Director of ICE North East, said: “The Sporting Wonder Challenge has been a great opportunity to inspire young people about the civil engineering profession. By engaging them through their enthusiasm for sport and the excitement of the Olympics coming to the UK, the teams which took part across the whole competition have gained a real insight into civil engineering and the world of work, which will prove valuable to them in the future.”
John Dickson, Chairman of the Owen Pugh Group, said: “Owen Pugh is committed to working with schools and colleges to help students discover more about the varied careers that can be pursued in construction and engineering. The Sporting Wonder Challenge presents a fantastic opportunity for young people to get hands on experience of different aspects of the industry and an insight into a potential future career path. We’ve been extremely impressed by the standard of work presented in this year’s competition by these talented young people, some of whom we hope will become the skilled workforce of the future.”
The Sporting Wonder Challenge has been created to give young people hands-on experience of the industry before they decide what career to follow. ICE aims to reach students who are unaware of the exciting opportunities available to them in construction and engineering, and Sporting Wonder is a great way of doing this, looking at every stage of a construction project.
The challenge series of events, which is in its eighth year, aspires to encourage young people to consider a career in construction and engineering. The project was carried out over a period of five months, involving eight schools from across the North East, with mentors from the industry.
*The panel of judges includes:
Stephen Larkin - ICE
John Dickson - Owen Pugh
Douglas Kell - CECA
Clive Leadbetter - Aone+
Roy Addyman – Restaurant Design Associates (RDA)
Freya Murray - Cundall
The teams competing in the final were:
E-Con - Wellfield Community School, Wingate
Leaf Construction - Wellfield Community School, Wingate
Sight to Site - Central Newcastle High School, Newcastle
Mega Build - Walbottle Campus, Newcastle
Campus Construction - Walbottle Campus, Newcastle
Joe Swan Construction - Joseph Swan Academy, Gateshead