Design and Technology A Level students from Rendcomb College Sixth Form are currently taking part in an Engineering Education Scheme (EES) competition where they must undertake a realistic engineering project which will be graded by professional engineers on completion.

The Year 12 and 13 students visited TE Connectivity in Swindon to further understand their project which .

Mr Marc Silverthorn, Head of Design and Technology at Rendcomb said: “Their project will see them create objects that often end up in military based equipment. This has given students an added enthusiasm knowing that they are possibly contributing to national security and the sort of technology that James Bond would be fond of!”

He continued: “The students experienced a board room meeting and discussion, with the opportunity to pick the engineers brains as well as being scrutinised themselves. They were also given a tour of the company including their extensive research and development facilities where students got to witness the use of equipment and processes up-close.”

Marc added: “Apart from learning that my wedding ring, when analysed in the R and D facility, was found to be a lower carat gold than I was led to believe, the trip was very useful and it has given the students plenty to think about.”

Design and Technology at Rendcomb

The Design and Technology Department at Rendcomb College gives students the opportunity to innovate, problem solve and learn the knowledge needed to enter the commercial worlds of Product Design, Architecture and Engineering among others.

It fuses together creativity and science and it develops many skills such as the ability to manage and prioritise multiple and often conflicting factors. Project management is a key aspect of the commercial world and of the subject.