̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge - Matt Diston

Local teenagers bridge the gap to a career in industry

ta385 — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 10:00:00 +0000

̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ��'s annual Fenland Engineering Taster Events are hosted by Metalcraft , a cutting-edge manufacturer and major employer in Chatteris, Cambridgeshire.

Metalcraft makes equipment for international clients in energy, medical science and other industries – one of its most high-profile projects was at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland.

Back in Chatteris, the company also offers a traditional engineering apprenticeship, drawing most of its recruits from local schools. The ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge has been working with the firm to inspire and encourage students in local schools for several years.

In the first quarter of 2016, ̽��ֱ��Fenland Engineering Taster programme engaged 92 Year-10 students from six schools: Neale Wade Academy (March), Cromwell Community College (Chatteris), Ely College, Witchford Village College, Thomas Clarkson Academy (Wisbech) and Sir Harry Smith Community College (Whittlesey).

̽��ֱ��full-day events comprise a bridge-building challenge overseen by outreach teams from the ̽��ֱ�� and its Engineering Department, followed by a tour around Metalcraft’s workshops with the firm’s Apprentice Coordinator, Neil Kirby.

Participants are asked to build a bridge across a 1m gap using only paper, key rings and steel nuts and bolts. After receiving a crash course in bridge design, each team competes to build the bridge with the highest strength-to-mass ratio. Each team’s bridge is tested to breaking point by hanging cans of food to it.

In late February, it was the turn of eleven students from Thomas Clarkson Academy. Among them, Dylan soon took responsibility for quality control, telling his teammates: “Make sure the paper is rolled tight or it won’t be strong enough”. Across the room, James concluded: “This is much better than double maths”.

Metalcraft’s Neil Kirby comments: “This programme not only introduces Year 10s to engineering basics, it also gets them thinking about what they want to do when they leave school. Metalcraft stays in contact with local schools all year round and it’s great to be working with Cambridge ̽��ֱ�� to encourage local teenagers to aim high.”

Matt Diston, Widening Participation Project Coordinator at Cambridge ̽��ֱ�� says: “This is one of the really successful aspiration-raising projects run by the ̽��ֱ�� in the region and we are committed to doing even more. Our work isn’t just about inspiring students to apply to top universities, it’s about encouraging all young people to fulfil their potential and pursue a rewarding career path.”

̽��ֱ��Fenland Engineering Taster Events are run as part of the ̽��ֱ��’s Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Schools Outreach Group (CAPSOG).

In 2015, members of the group arranged over 51,000 interactions with students from 134 local primary and secondary schools to give students potentially life-changing educational opportunities.

CAPSOG’s members include the Department of Engineering, the ̽��ֱ��’s eight Museums and Botanic Garden, the Cavendish Laboratory, the Millennium Mathematics Project, St Catharine’s College and several other Offices.

Students from six Fenland schools are taking part in a programme designed to encourage students interested in engineering and manufacturing.

It’s about encouraging all young people to fulfil their potential and pursue a rewarding career path.

Matt Diston, Widening Participation Project Coordinator

Fenland Engineering Taster Event in Chatteris

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Can I afford ̽��ֱ��? Counting the cost with HE Partnership

sjr90 — Mon, 29 Jul 2013 11:02:11 +0000

“Tuition fee debt is different to normal debt” explains Matt Diston, co-ordinator of the HE Partnership programme. “When I ask students about debt they mention repossession and they mention bailiffs. It’s really important for them to understand why these rules don’t apply to tuition fee loans.”

At Ely College, IAG Co-Ordinator Wendy Barnes introduces the session to Year 9 students: “Matt’s here to tell you the facts,” she explains. “You need the truth and the facts about university so that you can make good decisions when the time comes.”

̽��ֱ��students work in small groups to brainstorm their ideas about how much university will cost and the different ways people pay for it.

“So we owe the Government £27,000 – how do we feel?” Matt asks the class, after a discussion of the real costs of university.

Scared, some say. It feels like a trick.

Some see it as a good deal. “What you get for it – that’s all right, though. You can get more money for your job.”

“And if you’ve done university you’ve got a better chance of getting a job,” his classmate agrees.

Matt explains that repayments are based on income. If you don’t earn more than £21,000, you don’t have to repay the loan. Some find this reassuring, though others are shocked. “It’s not fair – what about the lazy people? We could work hard and pay it back, and they won’t – that would be really unfair.”

“What if I never earn more than £21,000, for the next 30 years,” one student asks. This gives Matt a chance to remind the group that, since the average graduate starting salary is around £25,000, staying under the repayment threshold for a whole career might be a challenge.

Some minds turn to cunning plans to escape repayment. “What if I go and hide from the taxman abroad?” To the Cayman Islands, to Australia, to Afghanistan...”They will find you,” says Matt. “And then there’s a special house with bars on the windows they’ll take you to – that might be a bit extreme, just to get out of repaying a student loan!”

“What if I fake my own death?” asks another creative individual. “Again – possibly a bit overkill!” Matt responds - It’s your loan and you’re responsible for paying it back. It can’t be passed on to another member of your family and it can’t be inherited if you get hit by a bus.”

“There might be a million reasons not to go to university, but we don’t want you to say ‘I’m not going to go because I don’t have the money’,” Matt concludes.

“For you guys, it doesn’t matter if you’re from a single parent family, or if your dad is Sir Alan Sugar. You’re all entitled to the full cost of your course as a loan, rather than having to pay it up front.

“You are entitled to this help if you choose it.”

• HE Partnership is a collaborative project continuing the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge’s work with local schools initiated under Aimhigher. There is a particular focus within the programme on younger learners.

̽��ֱ��benefits of higher education include better access to jobs, a rewarding social life, and the opportunity to live independently. But there’s no denying that the costs are also significant: university tuition fees of up to £9,000 a year quickly mount up. By running finance workshops in schools, the HE Partnership project aims to tackle the fear of debt which can be a barrier to staying on in education.

You need the truth and the facts about university so that you can make good decisions when the time comes.

Wendy Barnes, IAG Co-Ordinator, Ely Community College.

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Gaining the advantage with HE Partnership.

sjr90 — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 12:31:47 +0000

Organised as part of the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge’s HE Partnership project, the HE Getaway encourages young people to test their limits in a safe environment.

Adrenaline and enthusiasm is running high after a day of physical and mental challenges hosted by the Grafham Water Centre, Cambridgeshire. Students from four Cambridgeshire and Peterborough schools tested themselves in blindfold navigation challenges, climbing trials and team-building games, ending in a high-energy raft race.

After an overnight stay at Wyboston Lakes, the students were welcomed to the Luton campus by Trevor Sinclair from the ̽��ֱ�� of Bedfordshire’s Access Partnership Team for a day of sample lectures, workshops and campus tours.

“We view these events as a crucial part of preparing young people for entry into higher education,” Trevor said. “Sample lectures provide an early insight into life in a lecture hall. Why is this important? Those coming to university from non-traditional backgrounds can find it a challenging transition. We hope that these events help individuals to make more informed decisions in terms of their education and future careers.”

“ ̽��ֱ��facilities are amazing,” said Neal Wade Academy student Kacper, after a tour of the library, student accommodation and the cafeteria. “ ̽��ֱ��social life will be fun but it will be better to concentrate on the education part, I don’t want to screw up my exams!”

Lewis, from Sir Harry Smith Community College, wants to be an architect. He was reassured by Matt’s talk about student finance “My parents want me to go to a good university,” he said. “I want to too, to do the best I can. ̽��ֱ��educational side is important but to meet new people will be great. ̽��ֱ�� definitely feels more affordable now.”

“During the outdoor games we challenge the students to go that little bit higher, or further, than they think they can,” HE Partnership Co-Ordinator Matt Diston explains. “We encourage them to take managed risks on the high ropes, and to learn from and support each other. It’s not a very big leap the next day for them to realise that they can go a bit further in their education too, and that people like myself and Trevor are standing by with support and advice to help them take that next step.”

• Higher Education Partnership (HE Partnership) was established in 2012 in order to continue some of the most effective work that had been previously delivered through Aimhigher. ̽��ֱ��initiative aims to raise aspirations amongst students in local schools across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. We believe that together we are able to give Year 9-11 students a strong sense of their own ability and their higher education options through impartial information and advice and a wide range of activities based in schools and university departments

• ̽��ֱ��HE Partnership Co-ordinator is based in the Cambridge Admissions Office. If you are staff or a student at one of our HE Partnership schools and would like to discuss activities, or you'd like to know more about the programme, contact details for Matt are available here.

“Give it some welly,” may not be a traditional rallying cry for those considering applying to university, but the Higher Education Getaway is not a traditional programme.

We view these events as a crucial part of preparing young people for entry into higher education.

Trevor Sinclair, ̽��ֱ�� of Bedfordshire’s Access Partnership Team

Raft racing

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Breaking Boundaries: Higher Education Getaway

sjr90 — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:20:26 +0000

Twenty students from Cambridgeshire and Peterborough schools recently enjoyed a two-day Higher Education Getaway, organised by the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge and UEA around the theme of “Breaking Boundaries.”

̽��ֱ��HE Getaway takes local teenagers away from school routines and encourages them to tackle physical and intellectual challenges - starting with some extreme team-building in Thetford Forest.

“Outdoor LaserTag was great,” said Sollie, from Sir Harry Smith Community College, Whittlesey. “It helped everyone get to know each other.”

̽��ֱ��social theme continued in the evening once the students were settled into their accommodation at UEA. A talk on university finance was followed by two traditional undergraduate favourites, a quiz and a film night.

“ ̽��ֱ��news has made student fees seem worse than they actually are,” commented Isaac, from Cromwell Community College, Chatteris. “ ̽��ֱ��talk made it really clear – you’ll pay 9p in the pound once you’re earning enough. That’s much less scary.”

Day two of the Getaway saw the students exploring the campus, guided by current UEA undergraduates Hope and Joseph, before tackling some undergraduate-style seminars.

“ ̽��ֱ��campus is much bigger than I thought,” said Jade, who came on the Getaway from Thomas Clarkson Academy, Wisbech. “I prefer this to somewhere like Cambridge, where the university buildings are spread through the town.”

Isaac and Sollie appreciated the opportunity to see undergraduate accommodation, which at UEA can include groups of study-bedrooms arranged round a shared kitchen. “Everything you need is provided,” said Isaac. “It looks really social.”

̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge HE Partnership programme organises several HE Getways each year. This event was for students interested in the Humanities, so having seen the campus and key facilities such as the library and the Sainsbury Institute for Art, the students took part in several classes led by UEA academics.

Dr B J Epstein from the School of Literature, Drama & Creative Writing led a class on Picture Books and the Boundaries of Literature. “That was unexpected,” said Jodie, from Peterborough’s Voyager Academy, whose group was set the task of critically analysing ̽��ֱ��Red Tree, by Australian illustrator and author Shaun Tan.

Other groups tackled Green Eggs and Ham by Dr Seuss, Grandfather’s Journey by Allen Say, and Dr Xargle’s Book of Earthlets, by Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross.

How did the students feel about reading children’s books? “I thought it showed how different and varied the things you can study at university can be,” Sollie said.

Prof. Catherine Rowett led a session on ‘Heaps, Classes and Other Tricky Borders,’ which considered classic Greek philosophical dilemmas including Zeno’s Paradoxes, and Dr Wendy McMahon finished the day with a discussion on ‘ ̽��ֱ��United States of America: Borders of Identity.’

“We design the HE Getaway to give students an experience of university life in microcosm,” explains Matt Diston, HE Partnership Co-Ordinator for the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge. “We hope that over the two days participants will have some of their worries about university addressed, whether it’s the cost of tuition fees, the fear of being left out in the rush to make new friends, or worries about keeping up with the course, and that they will head home with renewed confidence in their abilities.”

“This has shown that I will be able to make friends really easily,” said Isaac, who hopes to study History and Politics. “I’m looking forward to the social side of ̽��ֱ��. And I’m not daunted by the idea of spending 20 hours a week in the library either.”

“This HE Getaway event with Cambridge ̽��ֱ�� is a great partnership opportunity and one which we’re proud to host,” said Liz Ferguson, UEA Outreach Officer. “We aim to work collaboratively with other Higher Education Institutions in our region to help local young people make an informed choice about their HE options.”

“We are excited to welcome students from Cambridgeshire to experience our campus and get a taste of university life,” she added.

̽��ֱ��challenge: provide an experience of university in just two days - with the help of ̽��ֱ��Cat in the Hat, a millet seed and Thetford Forest.

it showed how different and varied the things you can study at university can be

Sollie

Outdoor Laser Tag breaks the ice

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A job for life? Exploring engineering skills with Metalcraft and HE Partnership

sjr90 — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 10:22:05 +0000

Team-working and design skills were challenged in a competition to build the best crane. Ben Crawley, Ben Free, Connor Hart and Keegan Philips were clear winners, designing and building a crane that held almost nine times its own weight before collapsing.

̽��ֱ��boys are all studying GCSE Engineering at Cromwell Community College and attributed their success to reading the brief before starting to build. They are weighing up their options and deciding between aiming for university, college, or apprenticeships.

“We thought this would be a good chance to get out of school and do something different for the day,” they explained. “It has been amazing.”

Paul Beeson, Continuous Improvement Manager at Metalcraft, gave a talk about the opportunities available to skilled engineers and led the students on a tour of Metalcraft’s workshops and training centre.

“If it’s in steel or aluminium, and fabricated and welded, we can make it,” he told them. Metalcraft supplies components to the nuclear power industry and makes precision medical equipment, working mainly in stainless steel and aluminium. “Very few fabricators have the skills to work at this level,” Paul explained. “We are competing on our history, our reputation, our quality control, and the skill of our craftsmen.”

“ ̽��ֱ��lack of skilled craftsmen is one of the biggest barrier’s to our growth as a business. If you’re interested in engineering but aren’t sure that A Levels are for you, an apprenticeship is a very good choice,” Paul added. “A good, skilled worker will rarely be out of a job.”

“We look for potential apprentices with good GCSEs, who look sharp, have got practical ability and an interest in developing it,” Paul explained to the young engineers. “Within 6 months you would be doing real work under supervision, and in 2 years we’d have you out on the shop floor contributing to the success of the business.”

Engineering teacher Miss Ward, who accompanied 7 students from Neale Wade Community College, said “Getting out and about to experience local industries like Metalcraft helps our students to focus on the reasons why they’re studying at school.”

Matt Diston, HE Partnership Co-ordinator at the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge, said that the day was about having fun and practicing team-working, but also about providing information about routes into employment.

“You will have to stay on in education past 16,” he told the students in a final session summing up the day. “But this does not necessarily have to be at school. FE College, 6th Form College, and apprenticeships are all available to you. Some of these routes might take you straight into work; some might lead you to university later on.

“We hope you’ll start to connect the dots,” Matt added. “Why you’re studying the subjects you are at school, and the opportunities this can lead to. And the importance of developing your skills, not only your academic ones but practical skills like having a positive attitude and a readiness to work.”

Metalcraft recruit around 5 apprenticeships each year. To express an interest or find out more, write to Carly Brown at Metalcraft, Chatteris Business Park, Honeysome Lane, Chatteris, Cambridgeshire, PE16 6QY

HE Partnership is a collaborative project continuing the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge’s work with local schools initiated under Aimhigher. There is a particular focus within the programme on younger learners.

Year 10 students from Cromwell Community College and Neale Wade Community College enjoyed a day developing their engineering skills at Metalcraft in Chatteris organised through the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge’s HE Partnership project.

Students tour the Metalcraft workshop in Chatteris

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