RAeS partners with Gatwick and Aviation Museum on STEM events
In the first of the year-long series of educational ‘Cool Aeronautics’ events, taking place at the Gatwick Aviation Museum, 71 students from Southgate Primary School in Crawley were invited to attend a day of talks with pilots and Gatwick’s airfield operations staff, as well as receiving a tour of the museum and participating in a number of aircraft design challenges.
First launched in 2007, Cool Aeronautics is the Royal Aeronautical Society’s primary school outreach programme which aims to encourage STEM interest and introduce children to careers in aerospace engineering, space and the aviation industry.
The programme has continued to grow since it was first established, with more than 4,000 students participating in events in the past two years alone, across the UK and around the world.
The event partnership forms part of Gatwick Airport’s Community Engagement ‘Inform, Inspire, Invest’ education strategy, including partnerships with other STEM initiatives, such as the Big Bang Fair and Learn Live broadcasts.
The airport is also supporting the Government’s national ‘Year of Engineering 2018’ campaign, and is celebrating engineering and helping to raise its status as an aspirational career path among young people, their parents and teachers.
Gatwick Airport’s Community Engagement Manager, Paula Aldridge, said: “Cool Aeronautics is a fantastic event to inspire children living near the airport. Investing in these types of events allows us to nurture the next generation of young people who might consider careers at Gatwick, helping us to build a pipeline of talent for the future.”
Royal Aeronautical Society’s Careers & Outreach Officer, Jonathan Axford, said: “A love of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths often begins at primary-school age but schools do not always have the resources to get their pupils excited about the possibilities of these subjects.
“Through Cool Aeronautics and our close partnership with Gatwick Airport and the Gatwick Aviation Museum we aim to open up to children the wonderful world of STEM, as well as the incredible opportunities available in aviation and aerospace, in an interactive, entertaining and, most importantly, fun way.”
Gatwick Aviation Museum Manager, Ashley Colella, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with the Aeronautical Society and Gatwick Airport to help inspire the next generation of aviation professionals. The museum is a great place to showcase aviation history and we look forward to delivering this programme throughout the year.”
Southgate Primary School Teacher, Mrs Noble, said: “Year 3 had the most fantastic day! We have learnt so much about the airport and the planes that use it. We will definitely be visiting again soon, thank you.”
