The Unison/GE Make It in Aerospace Enterprising Challenge - 19 Jan 2012

Teenagers from across Lancashire showed they have what it takes to design and build the next Olympic Village at an exciting ‘Make It in Manufacturing’ challenge held in Accrington yesterday.

The 13 and 14 year-old boys and girls from twelve schools established their own mini-manufacturing businesses, with each team designing, costing, building and marketing an Olympic Village for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

This free event was a collaboration between The Manufacturing Institute, Northwest Aerospace Alliance (NWAA) and Unison Engine Components, part of global infrastructure company GE, the exclusive provider of power, lighting, water treatment and transportation for London 2012.

It is part of a series of themed challenges delivered by The Manufacturing Institute’s Make It campaign, and sponsored by NWAA’s Take Off in Aerospace campaign. The challenges aim to promote aerospace and manufacturing as an exciting and rewarding career option for young people, to attract the brightest and best new talent to the sector.

On the day, teams completed a series of tasks, each taking on job roles from managing director to operations managers through to finance, sales and marketing managers. This showcased just some of the many varied types of careers available in modern manufacturing in Lancashire, home to the UK’s largest concentration of aerospace manufacturing and production.

Teams then developed a sales and marketing strategy and pitched their fully-costed ideas in a Dragons’ Den-style presentation to managers from Unison Engine Components.

Shuttleworth College (Burnley) was awarded the coveted winners trophy on the day, impressing the Dragons with their design for an athletes’ accommodation block, powered by solar panels and wind turbines. The judges praised the team’s “Try Hard and Achieve” company slogan, along with their plans to transform the units into a luxury hotel after the Games had finished

Meanwhile, the team from Lostock Hall Academy (Preston) wowed the judges with the development of their model, an accommodation block and leisure complex, and eye-catching company logo.

A number of ‘Outstanding individual’ awards were also handed out on the day:

Most Confident and Enthusiastic - Siddiqa Patel (Tauheedul Islamic Girls School)
Best Team Player - Ikra Talib (Sir John Thursby Community College)
Best Leader - Henry Pollard (Haslingden High School)

Nicola Crowther, Make It Campaign Manager, said:

“The Make It campaign aims to highlight manufacturing as a really exciting, challenging and creative career option for young people. There are some fantastic opportunities available not just on the technical side but in other areas such as marketing, sales and design. The Olympic Village challenge really inspired the pupils taking part and brought out a huge amount of great ideas, which global companies need if they are to continue to be successful. I’m sure we’ve inspired some young manufacturing stars of the future!”

Alison Ainsworth, Image and Engagement Coordinator at NWAA, said:

“Many young people are looking for a career that offers good money, ongoing training and opportunities for progression. Aerospace can certainly provide these things, yet local aerospace employers don’t often get recognition for the fantastic opportunities they offer young people. NWAA aim to change these perceptions through the Take Off in Aerospace campaign, and hopefully today’s event has created a more positive outlook for the pupils that took part.”

David Crews, Unison Engine Components Site Leader, said:

“It’s important that we think of the future of manufacturing today, and we are more committed than ever to giving young people a chance to see how energising our business can be. We had hoped to inspire the children at the event but they have been an inspiration to us too!”

Shuttleworth College and Lostock Hall Academy will now go through to Make It’s Grand Regional Final to be held in summer 2012.

Click here to view the photos taken on the day

Click here to watch a video taken on the day