Young engineers from Fleetwood High School triumph in national engineering challenge final

Students from Fleetwood High School in Fleetwood, Lancashire, have won the Institution of Engineering and Technology’s (IET) national IET Faraday^® engineering challenge, securing £1,000 for their school.

The top five school teams from the season league table attended the IET Faraday^® National Final on Wednesday 26 June 2024 at the Silverstone Museum. The other teams included Adcote School for Girls from Shrewsbury, Havelock Academy from Grimsby, St Roch’s Secondary School and St Aidan’s High School, both from Glasgow.

This year’s challenge was in association with Rees Jeffreys Road Fund and National Highways – the government company that oversees the operation, maintenance and improvement of England’s motorways and major A roads. The teams were tasked to design a prototype that could improve the experience of using roads for one or more road users.

The winning Fleetwood team designed a prototype of a reimagined traffic light system that caters for multiple users, including animals, emergency services and people with hearing and sight difficulties. 

A total of 221 events took place across the UK to host the 2023-2024 IET Faraday^® Challenge Days. Up to six teams of local school students competed at each event to find the best solution to the engineering-related challenge. The final was judged by Michelle Richmond from The Institution of Engineering and Technology, Rob Jaina from the Silverstone Museum, Jo White from National Highways and Rees Jeffreys Road Fund and Andy Graham from Rees Jeffreys Road Fund.

The events aim to encourage more young people to study and consider exciting and rewarding careers in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) by using creativity, innovation and problem-solving skills.

Demi Cornell, IET Faraday^® Education Manager, said: “Students who took part in the IET Faraday^® Challenge Days this year have experienced working as an engineer through hands-on and practical engagement with real-life challenges relating to Rees Jeffreys Road Fund and National Highways. The quality of the students’ work throughout has been fantastic and it was an extremely close final – I’d like to congratulate Fleetwood High School on winning!

“There is huge demand for new engineers and technicians and we’re confident that this challenge has helped to change young people’s perceptions of engineers and inspire the next generation. It’s given students an insight into the life of a real engineer, the variety a career in engineering can offer and just how exciting and creative engineering really is.”

Rob Jaina, Head of Learning & Engagement at Silverstone Museum, said “Supporting education and STEM is at the heart of all we do at Silverstone Museum, and so we are incredibly proud to be the host venue of the IET Faraday engineering challenge final. This unique challenge not only encourages innovation and creativity among young minds; it is also a testament to the power of interactive learning and the importance of providing students with hands-on experiences, which is mirrored in our own education programme at the Museum. A huge well done to all the students who took part in this year’s final!”

Natalie Jones, Head of Talent at National Highways, said “Congratulations to this year’s winners as well as all the finalists.  It’s been wonderful to see their ideas come to life, and we hope that their involvement in this year’s Faraday Challenge will inspire future careers at National Highways and in the wider roads sector.”

Chair of Rees Jeffreys Road Fund Trustees Ginny Clarke said, “We believe roads really matter to all of us, whether we’re making journeys as drivers, passengers, walkers or wheelers.  William Rees Jeffreys felt that the knowledge and expertise of those working in the highways sector is vital to ensure that roads work well for everyone. We hope that the IET Faraday^® Challenge has encouraged and inspired young people to consider being the highways engineers of tomorrow.”

The IET Faraday^® Challenge Days are part of a wider Education programme, made up of a whole host of teaching resources and activities to inspire and attract the engineers of tomorrow. 

ENDS

Notes to Editors

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About Rees Jeffreys Road Fund

Rees Jeffreys Road Fund is a grant-making charity, funded by a legacy from William Rees Jeffreys. The Fund’s objectives are to foster improvements in the engineering, management, design and use of roads to deliver safer, more environmentally sensitive, more aesthetically pleasing and more enjoyable outcomes for all road users. We do this principally by funding projects, research and events; and awarding bursaries to individuals pursuing relevant professional qualifications.

• Website www.reesjeffreys.co.uk
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• Twitter: @ReesJRF

Media enquiries to:

Rebecca Gillick
External Communications Manager
E: rgillick@theiet.org

Sophie Lockyer
Senior Communications Executive
E: slockyer@theiet.org