School STEM event goes off with a bang

School pupils from across the borough visited Tameside College’s Advanced Technologies Centre recently to take part in the ‘Big Bang North West’ event.

The pupils took part in a series of exciting activities with a focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths). The main attraction was Farm Urban’s session, which taught the essentials of aquaponics to create a mini ecosystem with fish and plants.

Other activities included an engineering workshop, where pupils designed a component using computer aided design and were then shown how their part would be created using automated manufacturing machines.

The ‘Big Bang North West’ event, which was organised by All About STEM and Greater Manchester Higher, also hosts similar events across the region to give students and young people an insight into STEM based careers and progression routes.

Teresa Farran, deputy principal of Tameside College, said: “STEM based job roles employ some of the highest earners in the country and it is a very valuable experience for these students to be taking part in. I hope that they have enjoyed it and gave it their all because if they are interested in this kind of career then the opportunities are endless.”