Press Release

TECHNOLOGY STUDENTS PUT TO THE TEST IN ROTARY BAE SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY TOURNAMENT

6 March 2007

HUNDREDS of students are due to test their technology skills and ingenuity today at a design and build competition.

The 116 students will take part in the annual Rotary BAE Systems Technology Tournament, at Hawcoat Lane, in Barrow.

The district-wide event will involve more than 100 schools and colleges from Cumbria, Lancashire and Cheshire and around 300 teams at 10 regional centres throughout the North West.

The event provides more than 1,000 students aged between 13 and 19 with an exciting opportunity, both for practising team building and communication skills, as well as problem solving in a design technology environment.

The Barrow event, organised by Barrow Rotary Club on behalf of all the Rotary clubs in the area, will feature teams from Dowdales, in Dalton, Ulverston Victoria High, Millom School, John Ruskin School, in Coniston, as well as Barrow’s Alfred Barrow, Parkview, Walney, Thorncliffe, St Bernard’s, Chetwynde, Barrow Sixth Form College and two teams of BAE apprentices.

They will spend the best part of the day tackling a common design and build task.

Each team will be given an identical set of materials with which to work.

Having considered a number of designs to satisfy the written criteria, the teams will then set about building and demonstrating an apparatus to a panel of judges of qualified engineers.

In their selection, the judges will consider the use of time and resources, team organisation and management, design analysis, design development and then the skills, use of materials and final testing of the solution.

A number of local businesses provide sponsorship in addition to that supplied by BAE Systems.

Head of public affairs for BAE Systems at Warton, Malcolm Adams, said: “As a company, we are keen to seize every opportunity to excite young people about science, engineering and innovation.

“The fact that this event also teaches them communication skills, problem solving and teamwork is a bonus.

“It makes it an absolute winner in our eyes.”

Students and teachers who have taken part in previous Rotary technology tournaments have described the day as thought-provoking, great for team working and a marvellous opportunity to represent their school or college and measure themselves against others.