Our Academy has once again promoted the science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) agenda by hosting nearly 80,000 young people at this year’s Big Bang Fair.
National Grid’s stand was manned by volunteers from our New Talent Programmes, who gave various demonstrations and offered visitors the chance to view a substation through immersive headsets. Thermal imaging equipment was also available, providing youngsters with the chance to understand how we locate possible faults on our high voltage network.
In addition, TV presenter Fran Scott provided a team who held teach-ins throughout the four days; help visitors understand the role of engineering at National Grid.
Commenting on the event, Emily Backhouse, a Trainee Engineer who volunteered on our stand, said: “It was a fantastic experience to volunteer at the Big Bang Fair. The atmosphere was great and it was nice to talk to other people in the industry about their experiences.
“Talking about what National Grid as a whole does really made me appreciate how important our day-to-day roles are. It was lovely to see how excited the kids were to learn about electricity and to hear their thoughts and questions on what National Grid does.”
The aim of the Big Bang UK Young Scientists & Engineers Fair is to showcase the exciting and rewarding opportunities available in the engineering and science fields and is primarily aimed at young people aged 7-19. By bringing classroom learning to life, the fair helps them make the right subject choices in their final years of school.
The fair, which took place at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, is the UK’s largest celebration of STEM for young people and is supported by a number of leading engineering and science companies, and educational providers.
More than 10% of all UK Secondary Schools booked to come to the fair, which was attended by an equal number of boys and girls.
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