Jaguar Land Rover is further underpinning its commitment to engaging young people in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths showcasing the Jaguar Primary Schools challenge this weekend during the 2011 Imagineering Fair at AIRBASE, Coventry Airport.
The programme is the latest in a line of successful schools challenges and part of the National F1 in Schools and Engineering in Motion (EIM) supported programmes. All of the challenges are carefully designed to provide school children of all ages with the opportunity to apply STEM subjects to engaging and complex projects which reflect the type of challenge engineers might encounter during their working lives.
The Jaguar Primary Schools Challenge is aimed at children aged between 5 and 11 and involves designing and manufacturing the fastest car possible in ether the 2D or 3D challenge. Younger participants in the 2D challenge will have to form a team of four to design a race car out of card complete with wheels, body and even a mini driver. The design will then be printed and assembled ready to race. Older pupils in the 3D Challenge will similarly have to design and manufacture a race car but will also have to test and race the fastest car possible driven by compact compressed air. Teams of three and six pupils will be required to use SolidWorks CAD software to design their car before making a 3D model out of balsa wood with each team member taking responsibility for a specific element of the project.
Commenting on the Jaguar Primary School Challenge, Les Ratcliffe, Community Relations Manager for Jaguar Land Rover said: "Encouraging young people to realise the importance of STEM subjects and the positive future opportunities they can facilitate has long been a priority for Jaguar Land Rover. Our business is founded on developing class leading vehicles using the latest engineering solutions and technologies and we can only continue to do that if there is a new generation of engineers and innovators out there to drive our business forward. Programmes like the Jaguar Primary Schools Challenge are just one way in which we are trying to create a spark in young people that will hopefully see them continue on to professions like those offered at Jaguar Land Rover.
Jaguar Land Rover will also be showcasing another of its educational programmes ‑ the 4x4 in Schools Technology Challenge which is now in its sixth year. This year 12 teams from across the UK competed in the national finals at the Coventry Motor Museum. Each team was tasked to design, engineer and build a remote controlled 4x4 vehicle to exact specifications that was capable of navigating a series of obstacles including tunnels, steep hills and rocky roads. Team members were also required to produce a well‑designed graphic display of work and present their business knowledge to a panel of judges who scrutinized all elements of the programme in accordance with strict competition guidelines.
Jaguar Land Rover commitment to schools extends beyond its educational challenges with its Education Business Partnership centres which will also be represented this weekend. The centres which are local to Jaguar Land Rover's manufacturing plants and engineering facilities provide learning facilities and resources for children from primary school age to 16+. Groups of students from local schools visit the centres for a day or part of a day with their teachers to learn about engineering, manufacturing and automotive business related activities. Teachers can either use the facilities to complement their own courses or use tailor‑made courses prepared by the centres.
The Imagineering Fair which opens its doors to visitors on 27th August will be packed with scores of fun, exciting hands‑on engineering and technology activities from robotics, flight simulators, pneumatics and IT to mechanical and electrical challenges, aviation and automotive engineering.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to view up close AIRBASE's stunning collection of 30 iconic classic aircraft including the Nimrod and Dakota DC3 as well as the Gloster Meteor T7, the oldest operational British jet aircraft. Visitors can even take a pleasure flight if booked in advance with AIRBASE.
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Notes to Editors
- For further information on Jaguar Land Rover's education, community and charity programmes please go to www.jaguarlandrover.com
- For further information on the Land Rover 4x4 in Schools Technology Challenge please go to http://www.4x4inschools.com/
To Contact the Jaguar Land Rover Corporate PR team, please ring or email:
Nicola Rzeznik, Corporate Communications Officer
T: 01926 648063 / M: 07736 912266 Email: nrzeznik@jaguarlandrover.com
Laura Brannan, Corporate Communications Officer
T:01926 646050 / M: 07557 540611 Email: lbrannan@jaguarlandrover.com
Jonathan Griffiths, Jaguar Land Rover Manager Corporate and International Affairs
T: 01926 649893 / M: 07801 126 893 Email: jgriff76@jaguarlandrover.com