Currie High School, from Edinburgh, narrowly lost out in the national final of Go4SET, the Engineering Development Trust’s (EDT) annual 10-week competition, with Bearsden Academy, from East Dunbartonshire being crowned the 2018 Go4SET national champions.

The competition, involving 900 S2 pupils from 150 schools[1] from across Scotland, is designed to encourage more children into careers in science, technology, engineering or maths (STEM) by working with an industry mentor to solve real-world STEM-based problems on anything from environmental issues to finance and technology.

Pupils from Currie High School, who were mentored by Angus Reid of Heineken, impressed judges with their ‘My School as an Island’ project by making it to the national final in a highly-competitive programme.

Findlay Haddow, the team’s academic mentor at Currie High School, said: “It was a great experience for the children and we’re delighted that the team made it all the way to the national finals. Go4SET is a great way to raise awareness of STEM-based careers and the huge amount of opportunities children can have in these areas. Our pupils have had the opportunity to enhance a broad range of transferable skills.”

Steven Don, Head of Local Authority Contracts Scotland for Viridor, the main sponsor of Go4SET across Scotland said: “As Scotland’s leading recycling, renewable energy and sustainable waste partner working with 96% of local authorities we are keen to encourage young people to get involved in energy management.

“We are delighted to support the Go4SET programme across Scotland, challenging young people to think about their environment and future. Like Viridor, these young people are committed to their environment and conscious of how they utilise resources.”

Helen Anderson, Scotland Director for competition-organisers EDT, said: “Go4SET encourages young pupils of today to be the engineers and scientists of tomorrow. It also helps them develop skills in team working, communication, report writing and problems solving – all essential skills in today’s world of work”.

Jamie Hepburn MSP, the Minister for Employability and Training said: “It is fantastic so many young people were involved in the Go4SET Competition, giving them the chance to use their creativity and imagination while learning important new skills.

“These are exactly the types of projects that can encourage and inspire young people to take an interest in STEM subjects like science, engineering and mathematics and that can help us ensure our future workforce is well-equipped and supported to make the most of the fast-paced technological changes around us. Through our STEM strategy we want more schools and colleges to work together to bring such challenges to young people.”

Go4SET is a national programme which is part of the EDT’s continuum of programmes aimed at stimulating young people’s interest in STEM at a key stage in their education.

The annual competition encourages pupils to gain an understanding of how STEM is central to the world as we know it, giving an insight into the future careers they could take advantage of.

With predicted industry shortages of around 87,000 positions per year in STEM careers across the UK, it is vitally important to make STEM attractive and accessible to the next generation of scientists and engineers.

Organisers cite Go4SET as one effective way of providing young people with the experience of working with industry, helping to enthuse and inspire them to consider a STEM career.

Other organisations which supported this year’s teams were Heineken, Liberty Steel, Aecom, KCP, Qualitrol, Devro, Bear Scotland, Alex Begg, Stork and Network Rail.