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What's It All About
TCT Bright Minds UK is based on a programme run by the SME in the US, which is designed to motivate and inspire a group of specially selected secondary school students — potentially tomorrow's engineers — to enter a career in the world of engineering when they finish their studies. Now in its second year, TCT Live looks forward to welcoming nine students from King Edward VI College, Stourbridge and nine students from Finham Park School, Coventry on 20th October 2009. The goal of TCT Bright Minds UK programme is to create interest, excitement and an appreciation for product development methods, rapid technologies and applications among high school students.
At the show, students are assigned to specially selected industry experts who guide them through the conference and exhibition hall explaining the various aspects of advanced design and manufacturing technologies, materials, processes and applications on show. This will give students the opportunity to ask questions and learn from their mentors and the exhibitors, who have been fully briefed about the programme. Students are provided with industry-related materials and parts and are encouraged to share what they have learnt with their fellow students and teachers. It is hoped that this opportunity will help influence the career options of the students involved and inspire young people to see engineering as an exciting and cutting-edge industry to work in.
A Chance to Design & Shine
This year sees the TCT Bright Minds programme is being extended into a school-based project after the show. Students can demonstrate their knowledge by designing a model to a technical brief, set by the teachers and mentors, using the technologies they have learnt about. The designs will then be manufactured on the machines exhibited at the show by companies and universities who have already volunteered to manufacture the students' models. The models will then be entered into a competition, which will be judged by the mentors and a winner will be picked from each school. The winners will receive a guided tour of the Renault F1 factory.
The Mentors
The mentors have been specially selected as respected industry figures who all have a passion in engineering and its technologies and are dedicated to inspiring the next generation. Mentors who have already confirmed for 2009 include:
• Graham Tromans, Chairman of RPMA & Manager of the RM Consortium, Loughborough University
• Jeremy Pullin, RM Manager, Renishaw plc
• Richard Bibb, Senior Lecturer, Department of Design & Technology, Loughborough University
• Graham Bennett, Managing Director, CRDM Limited
• Dr Greg Gibbons, Rapid Prototyping & Manufacturing, Warwick Manufacturing Group, Warwick University
• Iain Todd, Director of Materials, University of Sheffield AMRC with Boeing
The programme will continue to expand in future years to give more budding engineers, from all over the UK, the unique opportunity of taking part.
Final Word from TCT
"As an industry we are in a unique position to influence the choices these students make. The TCT Event showcases the exciting and cutting edge aspects of today's engineering world and by engaging with students at an early stage and introducing them to these technologies we can encourage this next generation of school leavers to choose engineering." .”
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