On Tuesday 10th April, Engine Shed on Tour made its maiden voyage, visiting Bristol and Bath Science Park, and CFMS with students from Digitech Studio School in Warmley.
Engine Shed on Tour will visit 16 schools and businesses across Bristol, South Gloucestershire, Bath and North East Somerset, and North Somerset between March and July 2018, encouraging young people to follow careers in the tech, digital, and low carbon sectors.
The secondary school pupils learned how to use 360° cameras by older boomsatsuma students, to shape a short film about the business they visited, and what it’s like to work there. The films are led by the information that young people want to discover about a workplace, and showcase a range of roles from entry level to senior positions, and the exciting tech and creative careers in the West of England.
The films will be shown by the secondary school pupils to their feeder primary school’s year 5 and 6 pupils, where around 1,000 children will have access to the work they have created.
Other businesses hosting student groups will include Actual Experience, Renishaw, and Pukka Teas. The tour is part of Engine Shed’s campaign to drive inclusive economic growth, encouraging young people from diverse backgrounds to work in sectors where their groups are currently underrepresented.
Lyndsay Davies, Creative Project Manager at Boomsatsuma said:
“The Engine Shed on Tour project is a fantastic opportunity for young people from diverse backgrounds to gain rare insights to some of the city’s most innovative organisations whilst exploring their own creativity through access to high tech equipment. The young people are at the heart of this project and the resources made by them, for them, will seek to harness their fresh perspectives on exciting work spaces that can be shared by all.”
Engine Shed on Tour was announced on 23rd January at Engine Shed’s 4th anniversary celebrations, as a winning super project contributing to the Diverse Workforce for the Future project.
Nick Sturge, Director, Engine Shed commented:
“We are really delighted to see the Engine Shed on Tour bus on the road at Bristol & Bath Science Park with Digitech Studio School pupils. Engine Shed aims to inspire creativity and growth in others and we have gained access to 16 innovative, growing businesses in the West of England region that could offer future opportunities for the diverse young people in education right now. This is an important milestone in progressing an inclusive economy for the future. We are looking forward to seeing what the students produce and how our partner companies gain insight to their business.”
Engine Shed on Tour and the Diverse Workforce for the Future project has been made possible by the reinvestment of £15,000 surplus income raised by companies and individuals using Engine Shed as tenants and members, and for events and room hire. Since its launch in 2013, £113,000 of Engine Shed’s profit has gone back into projects that support the local economy and start-up ecosystem.
The resources from this project will be available online, as well as shared in the 16 schools that the bus will visit, so even more young people will get to see the material. Anyone interested in supporting the Tour beyond July 2018 is encouraged to get in touch.