Bede Academy’s annual Technical Intelligence Award, which is sponsored by the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult’s National Renewable Energy Centre in Blyth, Northumberland has discovered another rising star.
The award, which has been running since 2009 and is based around the Academy’s engineering excellence, involves all year groups taking part in a short project based on the application of engineering principles. The technical intelligence lecture programme ranges from the environment, transportation and medicine to computers, energy and music and aims to develop interest and excitement amongst its students for engineering-based learning and careers.
The winner of this year’s award was Oliver Atkinson in Year 8 who presented an excellent project on subsea engineering based on lectures given by local supply chain companies. The Award for Technical Intelligence was presented to Oliver at the Academy’s annual Presentation Day in July.
Oliver Atkinson said: “I’m delighted to have won the award and I can’t wait spend my gift vouchers in the summer holidays. I’m also really excited to be given the chance to look around the Catapult’s Blyth facilities next term especially as I would like to pursue a career in engineering.”
Mr Corner, Assistant Vice Principal and Head of 6th Form, commented: “Bede Academy places a lot of importance on this award. It relates to the technical application of scientific and mathematical principles to resolve practical challenges, particularly within engineering. Society needs to develop people with the skills to use this technical knowledge to meet the challenges of life in the 21st Century. We feel that this award goes some way towards addressing these challenges.
“I would also like to say a big thank you to the ORE Catapult’s National Renewable Energy Centre for their continued help and support throughout the academic year.”
Graham Campbell, Head of Projects & Assets at the ORE Catapult, commented: “The competition is a great, fun and interactive way of encouraging pupils to think about a career in engineering. It is really refreshing to see young people considering engineering and science related careers.
“As a mechanical engineer, I wish my school had ran a technical intelligence programme like this back in my day.”