A team of graduates and apprentices from Roxel UK had a brilliant time organising and facilitating the second year of the Midlands Flying Start Challenge (FSC), this year for pupils at St Barnabas CE First and Middle School in Worcestershire.
Roxel’s dedicated team of mentors delivered a series of engaging workshops, guiding pupils through designing and building their own gliders and introducing them to the exciting world of engineering. The challenge saw six teams take part, five pairs and one team of three, all working collaboratively to create a hand-launched glider capable of carrying a payload as far as possible.
Across five interactive sessions, students explored the principles of flight alongside key concepts in engineering design and gained insight into Roxel’s work. Equipped with a wide range of materials, including polyester and cardboard, the teams were encouraged to experiment, problem solve and make informed decisions to optimise their glider’s performance.
The programme culminated in a regional visit to Roxel, where one team achieved an impressive flight distance of 7 metres, which was a fantastic demonstration of their creativity, teamwork and newly developed engineering skills.
The Flying Start Challenge is a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths) initiative that aims to inspire students aged 11 to 14 to explore the field of flight and aerospace. The FSC has been run for over two decades, initially by aerospace engineering companies within the Southwest of England.
Students design, build and test a hand-propelled model glider, creating presentations that explain the engineering decisions they have made over the course of their glider build. Each year, the contest proceeds through local Regional Finals for the Midlands, Bristol, Gloucester and Yeovil regions, culminating in a Grand Final in Bristol.
Jo Geary, Teacher from St Barnabas CE First and Middle School, commented, “The Flying Start Challenge has been an amazing opportunity for my Year 7 pupils to learn about flight and aerodynamics; it was great to see them putting this learning into practice when designing and making their own hand-held gliders in the workshops run by members of the Roxel team in school. On Tuesday 5th May, year 7 thoroughly enjoyed visiting Roxel where they presented their ideas, flew their gliders, and took part in the exciting water rocket challenge. It was a fantastic and memorable experience that combined creativity, teamwork, and STEM learning in a fun and engaging way. Thank you to everyone at Roxel for allowing my class to be a part of this interesting project”.
Jason Wright, Roxel UK Graduate and Flying Start Challenge project coordinator, said, “There were many Roxel volunteers involved, all of whom played an active role in working with the school. A dedicated committee at Roxel also supported the programme behind the scenes, ensuring everything ran smoothly. It was a fantastic team effort, and we thoroughly enjoyed engaging with the pupils and introducing them to the exciting world of flight and engineering.”
Roxel UK has a strong track record of recruiting graduates and apprentices. Over the past year, the company has welcomed several new graduates, while one of its apprentices was recognised at the recent Worcestershire Apprenticeship Awards.
For more information on career choices for graduates and apprentices, visit our website https://www.roxelgroup.com/en/career-employment-roxel-uk, or to find out more about Flying Start Challenge UK, please call Roxel UK Head Office on 01562 824061.