East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and the New Technology Initiative (NTI) announced the successful applicants of the recent Catapulting Kids Further! funding round. This provides grants to schools and businesses to create training facilities for young people to study STEM subjects in a ‘real world’ context.  

The first round of funding saw an exciting and innovative range of projects being supported. These included a twin jet engine to help contextualise engineering in the aerospace industry at Tuxford School, Nottinghamshire through to a renewable energy centre at the Meadows School in Derbyshire. Business success was also high and included Caunton Engineering Ltd (pictured) having a simulated production line and training room built to allow local students to experience high specification manufacturing in a safe environment. In total over £800,000 was awarded to create exciting facilities for studying STEM.  

The second round of funding worth over £1,600,000 has nearly been spent and thirty eight new training facilities across the region are being opened. Successful businesses who are opening their doors to local schools include a renewable energy education centre at Sasie Ltd; a construction training hub for schools & local traders at Baggaley & Jenkins Ltd; and a roofing academy at J Wright Roofing Ltd. Schools are also developing their facilities with students at Magnus CofE School, Newark soon enjoying a guitar manufacturing centre; Lodge Park School, Northamptonshire will be exploring racing at their new Motorvation Education facility and Lincoln Christ's Hospital School will be investigating STEM in their new Ballistics CSI Lab. 

To find out more about both rounds of funding please visit http://www.catapultingkidsfurther.co.uk/.

This project was funded by East Midlands Development Agency (emda)

Guestblogger: Deborah Fraser; Skills Development Manager for STEM, emda