Sector Focus


Manufacturing ‘Tech We Can’ pilot is launched


Five Coventry schools are the first in the UK to take part in a pilot to help encourage more young people to pursue technology- related careers, especially girls. Teachers from Lyng Hall School,


Finham Primary School, Rugby Free School, Finham Park and Finham Park 2 are taking part in the ‘Tech We Can’ programme – a series of lessons to help educate young people about technology and encourage them to consider careers in industry. The lesson programme has been


put together by The Tech She Can Charter, a programme devised by PwC and backed by 78 organisations working together to inspire young people to choose science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects at GCSE. Tech She Can aims to create educational material that demonstrates the wide breadth and depth of tech roles. The schools pilot will start in


Coventry next January (2019). Lyng Hall headteacher Paul Green said: “The staff at Lyng Hall are very excited to be part of the Tech We Can pilot. Technology plays a huge part in everyone’s lives today, so this is a great opportunity for us to


From left: Rugby Free Secondary School teachers Gemma Stanley and Ben Davison, PwC’s Robyn Howard, and pupils Scarlett Straw and Kerry Masterman


‘We need initiatives to tackle the overall low numbers of pupils that say tech is their first choice career, no matter what gender they are’


make sure that what we are doing in schools is at the leading edge of what is possible. “We’re pleased to be working


with colleagues across the five schools to work collaboratively to bring this exciting project to as many of our children as possible.” In February, the schools will give


feedback and discuss how the lessons went, including whether


Energy innovation developed at MTC


A ground-breaking innovation developed at the Manufacturing Technology Centre in Coventry is set to revolutionise the way energy is stored. The energy storage system developed by OXTO Energy with experts


from the MTC allows non-polluting renewable energy to be stored, and then rapidly released when required. OXTO Energy has now set up a permanent base at the MTC to


continue developing its flywheel-based system, and prepare it for volume manufacture. The company is targeting its new development at grid-scale operations including the National Grid, wind farms and solar farms, while also offering support for the electricity infrastructure in the UK and in export markets. The MTC’s Business Launch Centre worked with OXTO engineers to


develop machining processes which will allow the energy-storing flywheels to reach production stage. The steel flywheel energy storage system, with extremely rapid charging and discharging capabilities, would be able to balance electricity grids and enable further renewable generation. The process is low-cost, sustainable, uses environmentally-friendly materials all the way from initial manufacture to end-of-life, with minimum environmental effect. OXTO is now marketing its innovation in the UK, Europe and


Australia, having received investment funding from the Coventry and Warwickshire Innovation Test Bed programme, enabling it to expand and innovate further. OXTO chief executive Dr George Prassinos said: “The facilities and


know-how that the MTC offers are of the highest standards, and it was what OXTO required to enter a new and emerging global market with strength and confidence. Working with the MTC and sub-contractors in the region, OXTO has managed to develop future-proof manufacturing capabilities ready to deliver this incredible technology to our customers.”


80 CHAMBERLINK February 2019


Third major award for Jaguar’s electric car


The Jaguar I-PACE has won its third major UK tech award in the space of 12 months, having been named ‘Best Car’ by ‘Stuff’ magazine. The award follows on the heels


of I-PACE being named ‘Best Car’ by T3 and ‘Best Car’ by Pocket-lint. I-PACE is the most high-tech


Jaguar, featuring a fully-electric powertrain fitted with two electric motors. It is also Jaguar’s first vehicle to include the ‘Touch Pro Duo’ infotainment system, capable of over-the-air software updates, and uses artificial intelligence to adapt to a driver’s personal preferences. The four-wheel-drive I-PACE has a range of 292 miles, thanks to a


state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery complemented by a suite of range- optimising technologies, including an advanced battery pre- conditioning system. Rawdon Glover, Jaguar Land


Rover UK managing director, said: “There are many that said the world isn’t ready for electric cars, but with a range of almost 300 miles, a quick charging time, sports car performance and nearly 25 major global awards under its belt, the I- PACE has proven them wrong.” I-PACE’s innovations and cutting-


edge engineering have secured more than 20 major awards wins since its introduction.


they think the children’s perceptions around a career in technology have changed, particularly the girls. The Tech She Can Charter group


will use the feedback to shape the material to engage more schools in the programme for a second phase next Spring. Sheridan Ash, Women in Tech


leader and Tech She Can founder at Award winner: The Jaguar I-PACE


PwC, said: “This is an exciting progression in our commitment to inspire the next generation of people to get into tech careers. “Our research shows the gender


gap in tech-related careers begins quite early in education, so we hope that we can start to break down the barriers that prevent females achieving their ambitions, while at the same time attracting more males into tech. “I’m delighted to be working


with the schools in Coventry, who are leading the way and helping us to further develop the programme. We’re really looking forward to seeing the progress of the pilot and how we can learn from this to reach out to more schools.” The Tech She Can Charter was


created following research by PwC which surveyed over 2,000 A-Level and university students. The research showed that the


gender gap in technology starts at school and carries on through every stage of girls’ and women’s lives. Only 27 per cent of female students surveyed said they would consider a career in technology, compared to 61 per cent of males, and only three per cent confirmed it is their first choice.


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