News and events
Maker{Move} at Get Up To Speed with STEM
Harriet Bines, Maker{Futures} Programme Assistant
On the 23rd March 2022 the MakerFutures team exhibited at Get up to Speed with STEM (GUTS), held at Magna Science Adventure Centre. A whopping 4000 attendees turned up at the 10th showcase of the event, the biggest yet, and didn’t we know it!
GUTS is an annual showcase which sets out to introduce, inform and inspire students, parents and teachers on the world of work - specifically, careers in science, technology, engineering and manufacturing. Companies from cutting edge industries like aerospace engineering and renewable energy were invited to present their best innovations and engage with the future workforce. It was our chance to showcase what Maker{Futures} are doing to address the skills gap in STEM-related industries.
This event was a new experience for the Maker{Futures} team and the first time we had the Maker{Move} van set up as a makerspace. Following a spring clean, a new ramp and some fluorescent chalk, the van was ready to open its doors to the people of South Yorkshire.
The Maker{Move} van set up and ready to go...
A trickle of visitors in the morning soon snowballed into an avalanche of excited teenagers crushing into our stall. Students were invited to create, tinker, test and modify as they engaged in STEM challenges like ‘could you use playdough in a circuit to light up an LED?’ ….’Make a wobblebot using an offset motor and a paper cup!’ (each creation had a personality as distinct as its maker). And, ‘design and make a badge using a machine with levers’. I loved the look of triumph when a student realised that they made something functional.
Anyone can be a maker, and the skills learned from making are integral for the jobs of the future. How will humans solve complex problems related to climate change without creativity, problem solving or critical thinking?
The GUTS event demonstrated that careers in STEM are exciting and dynamic. In a time where the stresses on young people are high it was uplifting to be reminded of all the businesses out there with fantastic employment opportunities. The next Get Up to Speed with STEM will take place on 29th June 2023. MakerFutures will also be exhibiting at Get up to Speed with Culture & Leisure at Magna on 8th June 2022.