GreenpowerZA and the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA) hosted the first ‘Mobilise the Engineers of the Future’- workshop at Maragon Edendale School on Monday, 1 August 2016. 20 schools from various municipalities were encouraged to consider careers in science and technology by experiencing engineering practically.
GreenpowerZA is an engineering challenge. The project provides a platform where learners can design, build and race a single seat electric car. They use the excitement of motorsport to inspire learners from primary school through to high school to excel in the subject areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
SAASTA supported the workshop as part of one of their projects; Olympiads and Competitions. This project supplements existing Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) Olympiads and Competitions in South Africa. The purpose of these olympiads and competitions are to increase learner participation and performance in disadvantaged areas. SAASTA has the mandate to advance awareness appreciation and engagement of science, engineering, innovation and technology in South Africa. They identify talent and encourage excellence in science education to stimulate interest in the sciences.
The ‘Mobilise the Engineers of the Future’- workshop comprised of three sessions; a hands-on engineering session facilitated by Marius van Vuuren, a mechanical engineer at GridCars. The learners were shown how the theory that is taught in class (solar energy) can be applied practically in a fun and engaged manner. They had the opportunity to assemble a mini-solar toy thus practically experiencing solar energy by seeing how the solar panels are powered by the sun.
A session on Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) was facilitated by Mari Lee, CEO of DevCom, a communication agency specialising in social development. The ABCD methodology shifts the learners’ focus from ‘what I need’ to ‘what I have’. Through this the learners realised that they can take their future into their own hands, starting today.
The last session was a career guidance session, facilitated by Sandisa Maqubela from the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA), who made learners aware of the various engineering fields. The focus was not just on the known engineering fields including; mechanical-, chemical-, civil- and electrical engineering but also on those that are not so often talked about; aerospace-, biomedical-, electronics-, materials science, nuclear-, marine engineering and many more.
Schools from Pretoria, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the North-West attended the one-day engineering workshop including; Matlahaleng-, Goodhope-, Abraham Serote-, Kanana-, Hlabi-, Mang le Mang Secondary School, Ingqayizivele High School, Motjedi, Hoër Tegniese Skool Pretoria-Tuine, S. J. van der Merwe Technical High School and Settlers Agricultural High School to name a few.
Both GreenpowerZA and SAASTA seeks to inspire the youth to consider careers in science and technology.
GreenpowerZA is hosting a single seater electric car race at Red Star Raceway in Delmas on 22 October 2016. Various schools took on the GreenpowerZA challenge and will race with their electric car against other participating schools – using maths and science to be the best performing car that day.
For more information regarding GreenpowerZA, their race day or how your school can become part of this challenge, contact them at info@greenpowerZA.co.za.
