On Tuesday 10th October, Engine Shed will be hosting an ideas pitching event to help decide the winner of the Call for Ideas project, which closed last month. The event is free to all to attend and Engine Shed hopes that a diverse audience will participate in judging who will be the successful winner.
The Call for Ideas invited applicants to submit ideas for project partnerships with Engine Shed, with an aim to encourage and inspire young people from diverse backgrounds to consider careers in the tech and digital sectors, where their adult counterparts are currently under-represented.
With the help of seven cross-regional and cross-sector judges, Engine Shed’s panel managed the tough task of whittling down the 18 applications to a shortlist of just eight ideas:
- Digilocal– Digilocal wants to work with industry specialists to develop high quality project resources, which would be used by Digilocal clubs and other projects to excite young people about tech.
- Engine Shed Roadshow – Boomsatsumaalready has a bus fitted with computers and film making equipment, and want to expand its provision across the West of England, with a focus around building awareness of and aspiration towards careers in the creative, digital and high-tech sectors.
- Future Workforce Platform– org wants to develop a platform and workshops that will give students and industry partners a place to solve real-world problems.
- Girls on Purpose– Simply Happy wants to develop and deliver a series of workshops in schools, enabling girls to be more engaged in their own learning process, grow their self-confidence and self-esteem, creating skills that will support them in their future.
- Maths Hackers– ‘Eidos’ and Babbassa want to develop and deliver a series of workshops aimed at making maths exciting, and developing other 21st Century skills like collaboration, communication, critical thinking, creativity, and resilience.
- Teaching Futures School Direct Career Changers into Education – Light Up Learningwants to develop their PGCE teacher training to span primary and secondary school levels, and to deliver this to career changers from diverse backgrounds, helping them become industry savvy teachers.
- Target My Future– My Future My Choice and Mufti Games want to develop an interactive decision-making pinball machine to tour the region. Teams of young people will work together to navigate life choices, which can lead to or hinder future success.
- Young Genius– ‘Cognitive Paths’ want to “bring high-tech to the street corners” by increasing awareness of opportunities and skills by delivering exciting product development workshops in community settings.
The pitching event on 10th October will be an interactive evening based on audience participation, with the eight shortlisted applicants showcasing their ideas to viewers who will vote for their favourite to win the £500 ‘People’s Choice’ Award.
Audience comments and questions will also feed in to helping Engine Shed decide which idea will be crowned the winner to be brought forward for funding of up to £15,000 and participation with Engine Shed’s network.
It’s free to attend the Ideas Pitching event, just register your interest here.