Staff Sargeant Joshua Peel Inspires Academy Students with Engaging STEM Workshops
We were delighted to welcome SSGT (Staff Sargeant) Joshua Peel to the Academy, where he delivered a series of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) workshops to our students. In Years 7-9, students taking part were put forward by their Science, Technology, and Maths teachers, whilst students from Years 10 and 11 were given the opportunity to put themselves forward, having expressed an interest in a STEM career in the future.
Career opportunities in STEM are becoming increasingly popular, which is why we invited Joshua to lead the sessions. A growing number of roles are available in this field, most of which offer high salaries.
Staff Sergeant Peel started by talking about his background, his time in the Army, how this has enabled him to travel the world, and how, through the Army, he had gained a degree in engineering. He also offered students the chance to ask questions about his time in the armed forces. Questions such as "What is your daily routine?" and "What was the hardest part of your training?" were asked.
The session ended with students collaborating to build a bridge using lollipop sticks and cellotape. To complete the challenge, each group tested their bridge to see which could withstand the most weight and which group's bridge met the design brief.
The event was organised at the Academy by Miss Walker, Careers Leader, who told us: “We are most grateful to Staff Sergeant Peel for visiting our students at the Academy and enabling them to understand careers related to the STEM sector further."
She went on to say: "Our students enjoyed participating in the sessions, which they found informative, educational, and fun. Some of the bridges that were built were excellent!”