Stephen Metcalfe MP is
proud to announce Samuel Partridge from Gable Hall School as the winning pupil
from South Basildon and East Thurrock in the local round of a national school
manufacturing competition.
The We Made It! competition
invited 11 – 14 year olds throughout the UK to let their imagination run wild
and design a brand new product or gadget.
The competition aims to give
children the opportunity to see that manufacturing is about design and
creativity as well as hands-on making of the products. From fashion and video
game consoles to cars and airplanes, there are many varied industries with
manufacturing at their heart and in which exciting career opportunities exist.
Samuel’s entry is one of 23
shortlisted ideas selected from over 520 entries.
The 23 shortlisted are selected by local Members of Parliament. All 23 winners
and Members of Parliament are invited to an exclusive awards reception in the
Houses of Parliament in March next year.
The 23 winning entries went
through to the next stage of the competition, the formal judging day, where a
panel of manufacturing experts whittled down the shortlist to 7 national
finalists, all of which get the chance to bring their designs to life by
working with some of the UK’s Fab Lab’s, (digital fabrication laboratories)
based all across the UK.
The local MP praised Samuel’s idea for a set of headphones that can convert
into portable speakers. He said: “It was extremely difficult to pick a winner
as there were some fantastic entries. I chose Samuel for the quality of his
design and because he bettered a pre-existing product.”
“Whilst Samuel did not make
the national final, he should be extremely proud of his achievement. I would like to
congratulate all those in South Basildon and East Thurrock who took part and I
hope that the competition might have given young people an insight into the
diverse and exciting range of careers available in the technology and
engineering industries.”
The national winner’s
prototypes will be revealed for the first time at the awards ceremony in March.
For further information about the competition please see: www.wemadeituk.co.uk.
