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Yesterday, we welcomed over 240 enthusiastic school children on site here at Newcastle Helix to enjoy ‘Building Blocks’, inspiring them to consider a future career in science or tech.
The dynamic technology event is designed to ignite interest in the science and tech sector and the jobs of tomorrow. The day was filled with 40 interactive and educational STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths) workshops, showcasing how the world of technology could shape their futures.
Charlie Charlton, Community Engagement Manager at Newcastle Helix, said: “There's something very special about 'Building Blocks'. When else would 9 and 10 year-olds have the chance to get hands-on with tech activities during a typical working day in a busy building full of scientists. Never!
“These children can soak up the real-life atmosphere of an innovation site that's on their doorstep. It sparks their imagination about what their future could actually look like by studying or working in the North East.
"Newcastle Helix is not just a location; it's a community and is about the future. This includes being part of talent pipelines for the wider science and tech sector. ‘Building Blocks’ is something the Helix community is proud to support and plug into the wider North East connections between education and industry.
“The incredible cheers of hundreds of Primary School children prove we've found a unique way of engaging them in the jobs of the future, whilst showing them the local communities who would welcome their talents and energy. And it's SO much fun!"
School children from six Newcastle primary schools—St Paul's C of E Primary School, Walkergate Community School, Moorside Primary School, Hawthorn Primary School, St John's Primary School, and Wingrove Primary School—spent the day engaging with some of the most innovative and cutting-edge businesses at Newcastle Helix.
Finn, age 10, Walkergate School said: “It’s been absolutely amazing and really exciting. I’ve been doing coding at school and all the activities have been great, especially the Lego and coding activities. I’d really like to use data as an archaeologist or as a chemist or scientist in the future.”
Kyle, age 10, Walkergate School said: “Today has been amazing. Me and my friends and I have had lots of fun. The AI generation and robots have been great. I like using computers and that you learn so much when things go wrong, and you can learn how to put them right.”
Lily, age 10, Walkergate School said: “I really enjoy coding. I started in Yr 2 at school doing scratch and would love to work in maths and coding when I’m older, maybe programming electric cars. Today has been great - it’s such a cool building and really creative space.”
Daniel Hunt-Vincent, Yr5 teacher and science and careers lead at Walkergate Community School, said: “What an inspiring event to attend, highlighting the different careers and ways into those vocations was so valuable for professions that primary school children are not usually exposed to. Aspire is one of our schools’ key values and today has undoubtedly increased aspirations and opened up a world of future opportunities for our pupils.”
Nicole Aird, YR5 teacher at Moorside Primary School, said: “I’ve never seen our children so engaged, working independently and getting on with activities and learning. They are familiar with scratch from school but today can apply this to make the robots move. Great to hear the children saying they can see myself doing this. access to days like this at Newcastle Helix exposing them the possibilities of the future.”
The event featured a series of workshops held in five fantastic spaces within the iconic Catalyst building at Newcastle Helix:
Amelia Findlay, centre manager, The Catalyst said: “We’ve been looking forward to building blocks all year. It really is a fantastic event here at Newcastle Helix with the coming together of all the exciting cutting-edge innovation on site with the talent of the future. The Catalyst is always a busy building, but this has been an extra special day with all the energy and creativity of the kids as they explore the tech opportunities. There’s been a real buzz and all companies on site have been really supportive about engaging children in the local area.”
Altitude Foundation, a charity aiming to break down social barriers to careers in technology, introduced pupils to the Micro:bit and neopixels, sparking their interest in programming and electronics.
Lauren Oram, delivery outreach lead, Altitude Foundation, said, "We are thrilled to inspire young minds and show them that a passion for technology can open countless doors."
CGI, one of the world's largest IT and business consulting services firms, providing high-value digital roles and career opportunities for people in the north east, guided the children through a thrilling exploration of the moon using geo-spatial mapping and robotics.
Jamie Reid, director consulting expert at CGI, said, "It’s incredible to see the excitement and curiosity these students have for space exploration and technology."
National Innovation Centre for Data (NICD), which helps organisations learn new data skills to become more productive, engaged the children in a 30-minute adventure using AI to create images and understand text, revealing the magic of data science.
Angela Craggs, outreach manager at NICD, noted, "Our goal is to demystify data science and show how it can be a fun and creative field."
Newcastle United Foundation, a partner organisation creating positive change to help everyone achieve their potential, encouraged teamwork and problem-solving, with the students programming mbot2 round robots to navigate a track filled with obstacles, testing their resilience and critical thinking skills.
Craig Wilson, STEM learning coordinator at Newcastle United Foundation, said: "Seeing the students work together and solve challenges with robots is truly inspiring."
RTC North, another partner who help nurture new ideas, plan for change and make innovation happen, used LEGO to help children explore their unique qualities and how these could be used to innovate and make the world a better place.
Terry McStea, innovation specialist commented, "We wanted to show that everyone has something special to offer and that innovation can come from any idea."
The 'Building Blocks' event is a key feature of the TechNExt Festival, which runs until 21st June 2024. With over 50 events and an expected attendance of more than 3000, the festival aims to celebrate and explore the latest advancements in technology and innovation.
Dan Petrovici, senior lecturer marketing, Newcastle Business School, who works on-site said: “It’s so refreshing to see young people on site being inspired and eager to learn about new trends such as AI, robotics, Geo spatial mapping and data. It’s real and here in Newcastle, and the earlier you are exposed to different ideas gives you a greater chance to think about your future.”
Newcastle Helix is a landmark 24-acre hybrid city quarter in Newcastle, developed for science, business, living, and leisure. Built on the site of a former coal mine and a brewery it is a place where industry meets academia and a testbed for innovative urban solutions
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