Plympton Academy students take part in business challenge

Year 12 students from Plympton Academy took part in a careers event
with a difference recently.

You’re Hired is a business challenge issued to 17 year olds across
Plymouth by a number of local, national and international businesses.
It challenges them to solve commercial problems in a creative and
strategic way.

The first round of the selection process starts with the heats, one
per school, and the winners then progress on to the final at Plymouth
University in July.

The Plympton Academy heat was run by BAM Construction who asked the
students to design a bridge which could sustain a specific weight, be
accessible for cars, and span an appropriate distance. Students set
to the challenge in predetermined teams with access to day to day
resources like paper and sticky tape. For every item they used they
were charged from a fake budget; meaning they had to try to be cost
effective and energy efficient in their approach.

This event was particularly special for the students at the academy,
as BAM Construction is working on the school’s new build, allowing the
students to see the complexity of sticking to plans and meeting
briefs.

After a competitive morning of activities the Plympton Academy
finalists were chosen:

FINALISTS

· Robbie Evans
· Bethany Watson
· Kirsty Wroe
· Jack Skidmore

RESERVES

1. Rose Whitely
2. Sophie Lord
3. Ben Campbell
4. Ryan Lord

Katie Kerr, Assistant Principal with the responsibility for the 6th
form said; ”I am really proud of the way in which our students took to
this challenge, working outside their comfort zone and coming up with
creative solutions to problems. They continue to make impressive
strides to build their employability skills and act as fantastic role
models within the academy. I wish the finalists all the best of
luck.”