UK National Apprenticeship Week: Alcoa Foundation and Discovery Education host live virtual field trip for pupils worldwide
UK National Apprenticeship Week: Alcoa Foundation and Discovery Education host live virtual field trip for pupils worldwide
Schools invited to take part in live broadcast from the Alcoa Kitts Green plant in Birmingham on 4th March for exclusive look at careers available in today’s advanced manufacturing industry
Secondary schools from across the UK and beyond are invited to join a landmark live broadcast next week, in celebration of National Apprenticeship Week.
The Manufacture Your Future Live Virtual Field Trip is being organised by Alcoa Foundation and Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital content and professional development to schools. Broadcast from Alcoa’s aluminium rolling mill in Kitts Green, Birmingham on 4th March, the event will be streamed live into classrooms around the world.
The broadcast – which will be freely available to all schools in preparation for National Apprenticeship Week in the UK (14th to 18th March) – will give students the chance to tour a sophisticated manufacturing plant without leaving their classrooms. Home to some of the most advanced manufacturing technology in the world, the Alcoa Kitts Green plant produces rolled aluminium products for aircraft, highly demanding industrial applications and high performance Formula 1 racing cars.
Pupils taking part will see first-hand how Alcoa’s cutting-edge products are developed, and will hear how Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) classroom subjects link to real-life manufacturing at the plant. They will also see how apprenticeship schemes can provide routes into some of the most exciting jobs in advanced manufacturing, meeting engineers who have risen through the ranks as apprentices and hearing directly from current Alcoa apprentices.
Alcoa engineers will be joined on the day by pupils from Grace Academy, a specialist business and enterprise school in Solihull who will undertake the field trip in person. These students had the unique experience of interviewing Nick Boles MP, Minister of State for Skills, at the Houses of Parliament which will form part of the live broadcast.
Tim Burgum, Science Teacher at Grace Academy said:
“We are thrilled to be taking part in this live broadcast with Discovery Education, and have the opportunity to see behind-the-scenes at the Alcoa plant. The virtual field trip will enable our pupils to experience how STEM subjects and skills relate to real life apprenticeships and future careers.”
The virtual field trip is being provided as part of Alcoa Foundation and Discovery Education’s award-winning ‘Manufacture Your Future’ programme and website, which provides teachers, pupils and families with resources and advice to build excitement around careers in advanced manufacturing.
Suzanne van de Raadt, Programme Development, Alcoa Foundation said:
“As the manufacturing industry continues to evolve and expand, we know the importance of offering resources such as the Manufacture Your Future Live Virtual Field Trip to spark students’ interest in this dynamic industry. It’s the first step in preparing tomorrow’s workforce with critical skills needed to fill the increasing demand in this field. We are proud to showcase talented members of Alcoa’s UK team as they share their stories and connect classroom STEM skills to their advanced manufacturing careers.”
Lewis Bronze MBE, Founder and Director of Content at Discovery Education said:
“Discovery Education is proud to continue our partnership with Alcoa Foundation. We want to encourage secondary schools right across the UK to take a virtual leap beyond the classroom on 4th March and join us for our live lesson.”
The Manufacture Your Future Virtual Field Trip builds on the success of Discovery Education’s 2015 Magna Carta and 2014 Remembrance Day live broadcasts to schools. The 45 minute lesson will be available to watch live online at [http://www.manufactureyourfuture.com/UKVirtualFieldTrip and www.discoveryeducation.co.uk/vft] at 14:30 GMT on 4th March, and schools unable to take part in real-time will be able to access a recording on the Manufacture Your Future and Discovery Education website after the event. The site will also offer free, engaging teaching resources including lesson plans and cross-curricular digital content.
For more information about the virtual field trip visit: http://www.manufactureyourfuture.com/UKVirtualFieldTrip.
