News / Engine Shed
Engine Shed on Tour
A familiar site to all who pass near Temple Meads, the Engine Shed is spreading its wings in a bid to drive inclusive economic growth.
Bristol’s innovation and enterprise hub will visit 16 schools and businesses across the region over the next few months with the aim of inspiring and encouraging young people from diverse backgrounds to follow careers in the tech, digital and low carbon sectors.
Film and tech stars of the future were put through their paces at the inaugural Engine Shed on Tour stop on Tuesday, when pupils from Digitech Studio School in Warmley joined Boomsatsuma students to create a short film using a 360° camera.
Students from Digitech Studio School take part in Boomsatsuma’s film challenge. Photo by @JonCraig_Photos.
“The Engine Shed on Tour project is a fantastic opportunity for young people from diverse backgrounds to gain rare insights to some of the city’s most innovative organisations whilst exploring their own creativity through access to high tech equipment,” said Lyndsay Davies, Boomsatsuma’s creative project manager.
“The young people are at the heart of this project and the resources made by them, for them, will seek to harness their fresh perspectives on exciting work spaces that can be shared by all.”
The students made the film at Bristol and Bath Science Park about some of the businesses there and what it’s like to work there – it will be shown to year five and six pupils at their feeder primary schools.
All films will be documented with information that young people want to discover about a workplace, and it’s hoped they will showcase a range of roles from entry level to senior positions, and the exciting tech and creative careers in the West of England.
Profits from Engine Shed have been put back into projects such as this
It is part of the Diverse Workforce for the Future project, which aims to address a current lack of diversity in the sector.
Engine Shed director Nick Sturge said: “We are really delighted to see the Engine Shed on Tour bus on the road. Engine Shed aims to inspire creativity and growth in others and we have gained access to 16 innovative, growing businesses in the West of England region that could offer future opportunities for the diverse young people in education right now.
“This is an important milestone in progressing an inclusive economy for the future. We are looking forward to seeing what the students produce and how our partner companies gain insight to their business.”
The Engine Shed on Tour project was announced in the same month that Bristol City Council pledged its commitment to developing inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
It has been made possible by the reinvestment of £15,000 surplus income raised by companies and individuals using Engine Shed as tenants and members, and for events and room hire.
Other businesses hosting student groups will include Actual Experience, Renishaw, and Pukka Teas.
Main photo by @JonCraig_Photos.
Read more: SETSquared Bristol launches BAME diversity and inclusion project
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