Engine Shed, the Bristol innovation hub, is to host an ideas pitching event to help decide the winner of a project that encourages and inspires young people from diverse backgrounds to consider careers in the tech and digital sectors.
Eight groups are to take part in the Call for Ideas pitch following an open invitation for entries this summer.
The young people were invited to explore how to increase awareness of Bristol’s tech and digital sectors, particularly in areas where their adult counterparts are currently under-represented. 
Ideas from 18 different groups were received and have been whittled down to eight by Engine Shed’s panel of seven cross-regional and cross-sector judges.
The pitching event on Tuesday, staged in association with RSA South West, will be an interactive evening based on audience participation, with the eight shortlisted applicants showcasing their ideas to attendees who will vote for their favourite to win the £500 ‘People’s Choice’ Award.
Pitches will focus on how to ‘Inspire and prepare young people from diverse backgrounds about opportunities in the hi-tech, low-carbon, digital-creative and entrepreneurial sectors’.
Audience comments and questions will also feed in to helping Engine Shed, pictured, decide which idea will be crowned the winner to be brought forward for funding of up to £15,000 and participation with Engine Shed’s network.
The event, which is from 6pm to 8.30pm, is free to all to attend and Engine Shed hopes that a diverse audience will participate in judging who will be the successful winner.
On the shortlist are:
- Digilocal. This project wants to work with industry specialists to develop high-quality project resources which would be used by Digilocal clubs and other projects to excite young people about tech.
- Engine Shed Roadshow. Boomsatsuma already has a bus fitted with computers and film making equipment and wants to expand its provision across the West of England with a focus around building awareness of and aspiration towards careers in the creative, digital and hi-tech sectors.
- Future Workforce Platform. CLWB.org wants to develop a platform and workshops that will give students and industry partners a place to solve real-world problems.
- Girls on Purpose. Simply Happy wants to develop and deliver a series of workshops in schools, enabling girls to be more engaged in their own learning process, grow their self-confidence and self-esteem, creating skills that will support them in their future.
- Maths Hackers. ‘Eidos’ and Babbasa want to develop and deliver a series of workshops aimed at making maths exciting, and developing other 21st century skills such as collaboration, communication, critical thinking, creativity, and resilience.
- Teaching Futures School Direct Career Changers into Education. Light Up Learning wants to develop their PGCE teacher training to span primary and secondary school levels, and to deliver this to career changers from diverse backgrounds, helping them become industry savvy teachers.
- Target My Future. My Future My Choice and Mufti Games want to develop an interactive decision-making pinball machine to tour the region. Teams of young people will work together to navigate life choices, which can lead to or hinder future success.
- Young Genius – ‘Cognitive Paths’ want to “bring high-tech to the street corners” by increasing awareness of opportunities and skills by delivering exciting product development workshops in community settings.
Tuesday’s Ideas Pitching event is free to attend. Register here.
