The Design & Technology Association’s skills gap programme pilot, launched last year has been taking further steps forward with a new engineering partner, adi Group.
The skills Gap programme, which links schools with an industry partner, is designed to develop the knowledge and skills of design and technology teachers so they can pass this on to students.
The scheme provides a structured programme of training, coaching and assessment, relevant to the curriculum that enhances technical and soft skills; encourages creativity and innovation; provides insights into education and career pathways, and develop business-linked teaching materials.
Sarah Dullea, the group communications manager at adi said of the partnership, “We are pleased to be working with the skills gap team for the benefit the year eight students at Handsworth Wood Girls Academy and schools throughout the UK. We have now given the teachers new CAD skills which they are using with students. We have been so impressed by the girls’ designs and excitement to learn CAD skills.”
Adi group is an umbreall group of companies that provide engineering solutions including electrical and mechanical designs, build and maintenance, control panel design, climate control and building intelligence services as well as interior fit outs and FM contracts. The organisation was established in 1990 by Alan Lusty, comprising a single business offering: ADI Electrical.
The adi team have been supporting the school to work to a client brief when designing a new canteen space. The project has been aiding the students to build and design with an awareness of health and safety considerations and building regulations when creating a design before then illustrating their ideas in CAD. The project will be finished later this month when teachers and students will need to justify their designs and showcase their CAD skills to the adi team.
“We are proactively engaging with local schools to help them develop and appreciate the sorts of skills needed to work for a business like ours. We want to increase the number of young women coming into the industry and we hope that working with the year eight girls that they may pick relevant subjects for GCSE. STEM subjects like Design and Technology are important and can lead to exciting careers.” said James Sopwith, group sales and marketing director at adi.
The skills gap programme has now made available the first resources generated by the initial skills gap programme pilots between Alucast & ACE Academy and Renishaw and Marling School via www.skillsgapprogramme.org.uk. These resources have been developed by teachers resulting from training and support facilitate by the Skills Gap Programme. The projects bring the D&T curriculum to life with a link to industry.
