STEM Archives - Page 6 of 12 - Millennium Point

The Millennium Point Scholarship is an annual competition in partnership with Birmingham City University which awards a fully funded undergraduate degree at the faculty of Computing, Engineering, and the Built Environment. Now in its seventh year, we look at some of the finalists in this year’s competition.

Asima, 37, is currently studying Social Science and Humanities at Dudley College, with the aim to read for a degree in Planning at Birmingham City University (BCU).

“I want to go into this area because I worked for 12 years in planning, and I was inspired by the planning officers and senior planners,” she explains. The amount of work they do and what they bring to the community – from putting it on paper to going out into the community and seeing it all come to life, and the people you meet, the local businesses and neighbours you talk to, it’s amazing. I’m inspired.”

She adds: “Winning the scholarship would mean a helping hand towards my career, and my future.

“If, however, I was not to win, it was an experience, an opportunity to go out there and express myself and be noticed and be known, so whether I win or not, it’s still a great opportunity to be here.

“After I finish my degree, I want to start looking for work and once I look for work, I don’t want to stop there – I want to carry on; do my post graduate, do my master’s and go as high as I can. Planning has many opportunities; during my time in planning I’ve noticed there are many opportunities and there’s a long way to go – this is just the start. I’m a fighter, I carry on, so it will be hard but I’m not going to stop.”

“People should apply for the 2022 scholarship because it’s an opportunity; it’s very rare that you get a helping hand like this. If somebody is offering to help you and the opportunity is there, why not?”

For more information on the scholarship competition, or how to apply, please visit www.millenniumpoint.org.uk/scholarship

Find more interesting content from Millennium Point over at our news section, or follow us for daily updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn with @MillenniumPoint. Millennium Point is a landmark public building and multi-award-winning events venue in the Eastside of Birmingham City centre. Profits from our commercial activity are invested by the Millennium Point Charitable Trust into projects, events and initiatives which support the growth of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and education in the West Midlands.

“The scholarship process built my confidence greatly. The scholarship has lessened the financial pressure of studying for a degree, and has meant that I can invest more in learning equipment.” – Laura Avis, 2019 scholarship winner

Each year Millennium Point pay for the tuition fees of one young person to pursue a STEM related degree at Birmingham City University (BCU). This is part of the ongoing work of the Millennium Point Charitable Trust to support the growth of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and education in greater Birmingham and the West Midlands.

MEET LAURA

After receiving an email from UCAS highlighting the opportunity to win a scholarship to fund course tuition fees for the Film Production Technology (BSc) course at BCU, Laura, from Redditch, registered for the Millennium Point Scholarship back in 2019 – and became the lucky recipient that year. Now in her second year, Laura is a star student and active member of the Birmingham City University student body. Upon her graduation in 2022, Laura has aspirations to pursue her career in film production.

On why she chose this particular university: “I chose BCU because of its locality to me and the amazing film facilities it has to offer. I had visited the studios once before and saw how much dedicated and professional space and equipment had been given to the film and VFX courses. Much of the equipment is very specialist and high-end also, such as the MILO rig, green screen studio and foley recording studios. BCU is only one of a limited number of universities in the country that offer a Bachelor of Science degree in Film, which makes the course content extremely unique and specialist.”

LAURA’S STORY

“The chance to have such an incredible opportunity directly related to the course I wanted to study was something that I just couldn’t let pass by,” says Laura, who studied for her A-Levels at Bournville College, Birmingham. I knew that it would be a competitive process, so I didn’t think that I would get to the final stage, but I knew that I had to try because of how rare an opportunity it was to get all three years of your degree course fully funded.”

“The application process was really straightforward – it was just written answers to three questions about what the scholarship would mean for you, and your passion for your chosen subject.”

Laura presenting at the Live Final in 2019.

“The final was daunting because I had no idea what the other finalists had prepared for their presentations. It was nice sitting with them leading up to the presentations because we were all equally as nervous. For some reason, my actual presentation felt like it wasn’t actually me presenting – I think because I had practised it so much at home it just felt natural and I was able to get through it as if it were just me speaking to myself. Just before I climbed the steps to the stage, a member of the Millennium Point events team wished me good luck and I’ve never forgotten that – I am so grateful for them saying what they said right at that moment!”

“The sense of relief when I finished the presentation was immense as it was months of hard work and fear paid off. I was not expecting to win the scholarship, so for me just getting through the presentation and having that chance to say what I wanted to say about the subject that I am passionate about was the best feeling.”

Laura, who is due to graduate in 2022, adds: “The scholarship process built my confidence greatly, and it has lessened the financial pressure of studying for a degree, and meant that I can invest more in learning equipment. The support that Millennium Point has given me, both throughout the scholarship process and since the final, has been so encouraging for my studies.

“It’s also helped me feel included and important – knowing that someone believes in you is a great encouragement to have. During my studies they have also made me aware of film-related events happening at Millennium Point. I also attended last year’s final, which provided me with a great insight into upcoming West Midlands talent and also the range of STEM courses that the Millennium Point Scholarship supports.”

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Thinking ahead to the future, Laura says: “I am very passionate about pursuing a career in the film and television industries. During my course, I have been able to explore many of the different roles involved in film production, and I have become enthusiastic about sound design, graphic design and screenwriting. Once I complete my studies, I will be looking for job opportunities within these fields and I am so excited to take those first steps towards a creative career. I am always looking for projects and productions to be involved with during my time at university to further my love of and experience in the industry.

Laura alongside Millennium Point’s Executive team Rebecca Delmore (Left), Abbie Vlahakis (Middle) and Linda Degg (Right)

ADVICE FOR APPLICANTS

“My advice for anyone thinking of applying for the scholarship would be to definitely apply now. It is a life-changing opportunity that you cannot miss if your course is eligible to receive the scholarship. Ignore any self-doubt about applying, and don’t be afraid of what the final may consist of. Show your passion towards the work that you have created related to your subject in your application, even if it’s small – any passion is still passion.”

UNLOCK THEIR FUTURE

Millennium Point is helping young people across the region unlock their future. For more information on how to apply or get involved please, visit www.millenniumpoint.org.uk/scholarship

The Millennium Point Scholarship is an annual competition in partnership with Birmingham City University which awards a fully funded undergraduate degree at the faculty of Computing, Engineering, and the Built Environment. Now in its seventh year, we look at the STEM leaders behind this year’s judging panel.

Kari is a young entrepreneur who started her first business at the age of 13, in AI consultancy and development. She now runs an AI youth programme, Youth4Code, working with thousands of young people across the region and beyond, helping them to understand AI and look to careers in STEM.

“STEM is so important to the region because it is so intrinsically linked to everything we do,” she says.

“Literally every day you’re doing something with STEM, and it’s so important especially when we have such a massive skills gap in the region and beyond. We need to firstly understand where we’re using STEM and be able to innovate and create for the future. I think the scholarship is so important, to provide opportunity for everyone to be able to study STEM; it’s something that I am really passionate about – providing that diversity of thought within STEM careers and having that opportunity for everyone to apply and be able to get that degree and learn about STEM.”

“I think for me I’m looking to the candidates for a genuine passion for STEM and technology, a real dedication and interest for the subject beyond what they’ve learned at school, and real proactivity – someone who wants to pursue STEM and really has that passion, dedication and interest.”

For more information on the scholarship competition, or how to apply, please visit www.millenniumpoint.org.uk/scholarship

Zain, from Handsworth in Birmingham, is currently studying at Hamstead Hall Academy Sixth Form. He hopes to go to Birmingham City University to study for a degree in Computer Science.

“I want to study the subject because it piqued my interest from a very early age,” he explains.

“Specifically, because I play video games and that interests me a lot; to see what goes on behind the processes. I use a lot technology in general, but that really interested me, and I want to explore the subject in depth.

“I want to maybe go into video games one day and try and replicate the feeling and enjoyment I had playing video games and give it to other people, and maybe make it a passion for them. It’s such an interesting subject, there’s so much stuff you can do like AI; it can change the world, advance it.”

He adds: “STEM is very important to me because they’re subjects that can change the world, and not only do they have high employability and higher pay, but STEM can better people’s lives. Winning the scholarship would mean a great deal to me, as it can give me a boost of motivation and confidence, show me that I can achieve good things and push my goals even further, give me a sense of accomplishment and kickstart my career.”

Zain adds: “After university I’m not really sure what I want to do at the moment, but there are so many options I’m thinking about, such as video games, or something that can make people’s lives better or help change the world – I want to be part of something like that.”

The winner of the 2021 scholarship competition will be announced at the end of May. For more information on the scholarship competition, or how to apply, please visit www.millenniumpoint.org.uk/scholarship

The Millennium Point Scholarship is an annual competition in partnership with Birmingham City University which awards a fully funded undergraduate degree at the faculty of Computing, Engineering, and the Built Environment. Now in its seventh year, we look at the STEM leaders behind this year’s judging panel.

Samantha is the founder of 81G Blue, which has provided IT services to Millennium Point for the last three years.

The ethos behind 81G, which she started in 2007 is, she says: “to take IT tech from a corporate level background and distil it down for SMEs, and allow them to grow while using corporate level people, process and tech, to take them forwards.”

“STEM is really important to the region right now,” she adds. “In the West Midlands, the investment for STEM is huge; there’s so much coming into our region, and the more we can get our girls and guys into STEM – scholarships and otherwise – all the better for it.

“The scholarship is really important because, sadly today still, the doors are only open to the privileged. We want to give other opportunities to people who are deprived of them and should be able to kick down those doors and get the same opportunities as those privileged guys.”

She adds: “I think it’s really important to say that to get this far, all these girls and guys are awesome; they have done so well and wherever they go from here, whether they succeed with the scholarship or not, they’re going to have doors that open to them.

“What am I looking for from a candidate? Someone with a NERF gun of positivity; somebody that has got a glint in their eye and a plan in their back pocket, and they know where they’re going to go, and take this and not waste the opportunity – that’s important.

“I want to see positivity, because the hurdles, barriers and challenges which I’ve had to go through haven’t stopped me and it’s not going to stop them.”

“My message to the finalists is this: all is possible – you can have it all. The steppingstones that you’ve taken with your education have led you to this bridge. Once you go over this bridge, you’re on a pathway to success. It might not be in the way you think it is today, but trust me, it will ultimately go the places you want it. The only thing I will say is, on occasion, stop and look up at the sun – you need to do this, it’s important.”

The winner of the competition will be announced at the end of May 2021 online and on our social media channels. For more information on the scholarship competition, or how to apply, please visit www.millenniumpoint.org.uk/scholarship.

Every year, the Millennium Point Charitable Trust Small Grants programme gives out grants of up to £20,000 to support science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) education projects in the West Midlands. Applications are now open for 2021.

Here is one of the many projects that the programme has funded in 2019.

Who’s running the project?

Joseph Leckie Academy is a secondary school located in The Delves area of Walsall in the West Midlands. In 2019, they received a grant from the Millennium Point Charitable Trust which allowed them to purchase 3D printing equipment and associated software and materials.

What’s it all about?

The school was keen to engage children in STEM in ways relevant to the local history of the West Midlands – in this case, the rich heritage of jewellery and manufacturing centred around Birmingham’s historic Jewellery Quarter.

The school wanted to devise a new project which taught 3D printing and computer aided design (CAD) where students designed and created their own jewellery. This would not only teach them STEM skills in an inspiring way, but also reconnects students to Birmingham’s jewellery heritage.

However, prior to the grant, the school was limited in this ambition by lack of resources and outdated equipment which meant little opportunity to explore this element of STEM as part of the wider curriculum

What impact has our grant made?

The project has given students a broad range of design and manufacturing skills, including CAD design, 3D printers and metal casting machines to create jewellery. It has also brought them closer to trades synonymous with the region being jewellery making and manufacturing.

With the printer in situ students get a first-hand experience of a design and make activity and lead them towards considering a STEM-based career, whether that is in manufacturing or design.

In the long term, the Academy has been able to embed practical demonstrations of the 3D printer into schemes of work and open evenings to develop and foster a sense of curiosity and wonder in Design Technology. Students will start to use the 3D printers in their design work to test design thinking, model and evaluate design solutions and ultimately enhance their skills as young designers.

What they said:

Chris Potter, Technology Teacher and leader of the project, said: “It was a delight to receive this grant from the Millennium Point Charitable Trust. 3D printers and CAD design are likely to be a huge part of the future of manufacturing. Giving our students an opportunity to experience in their use first hand is an amazing way to prepare them for STEM jobs of the future right here in the Midlands.”

About educational grant funding from Millennium Point
Educators, Charities and Not-for-Profits within the West Midlands Combined Authority can apply for up to £20,000 from Millennium Point to fund their STEM activity. For more information on how to access this funding please visit www.millenniumpoint.org.uk/grants

“Looking back, I feel really proud of myself, as I would never normally say yes to presenting in front of large groups. I really enjoyed the whole process.” – Sagal Qodah, 2017 scholarship winner

Sagal (Middle) collecting her award alongside 2015 winner Malik (left) and 2016 winner Abi (right)

MEET SAGAL

Sagal won the Millennium Point Scholarship (then called “The Young Innovator Prize”) in 2017, which funded her Civil Engineering course at BCU, and is currently working for Jacobs as a Graduate Geotechnical Engineer, having graduated in 2020 with a First Class Honours degree.

Sagal applied after hearing about the opportunity through her school; in fact, Sagal is the second pupil from Ark St Alban’s Academy in Highgate, Birmingham, to have received the scholarship, as a former pupil also received the funding from Millennium Point two years previously.

On why she chose BCU, Sagal says: “I liked the fact the university buildings were modern and had great laboratories to carry out experiments, compared to other universities. There were a variety of opportunities for me to develop, and, as a civil engineer, it was an exciting prospect to see the development of the city, along with the enabling works of HS2 over the three years of my course.”

Sagal with MPT Chairman, Simon Topman at the Live Final

SAGAL’S STORY

When asked why Sagal decided to apply, she says: “I did think about going abroad to study in Denmark at one point, but when I heard about the chance to have my tuition fees paid for and completely taken care of, it did make me rethink, and the financial assistance provided by the scholarship is the main reason I applied.

“The application process itself was easy and simple, and I was fortunate enough to have help from my careers advisor too, which made everything even smoother.”

While the 2021 final is a virtual one, Sagal reflects on her experience in 2017, when it was a live final in front of a panel of judges and audience of over 200 people: “It was nerve-wracking as I had never presented to or spoken in front of that many people before, and I did find it challenging beforehand when deciding what to include and how to structure my presentation, as well as preparing for any questions that I may have to answer. However, I had the encouragement and support from my friends and teachers which made the process and the evening itself less stressful.

“Looking back, I feel really proud of myself, as I would never normally say yes to presenting in front of large groups. I really enjoyed the whole process.”

Thinking about how the Millennium Point scholarship has benefited her, Sagal explains: “It has allowed me to step outside of my comfort zone and in turn, it has meant that my confidence has increased – something which was incredibly valuable to me as I was starting university not knowing anyone. Through the scholarship and support from Millennium Point, I’ve been able to increase my network, have been given access to industry events, and I’ve also been provided with help and guidance when needed.

“For anyone thinking about applying for the scholarship, I would advise making the most of the process and don’t doubt yourself, as anything is possible if you put your mind to it.”

UNLOCK THEIR FUTURE

Millennium Point is helping young people across the region unlock their future. For more information on how to apply or get involved please, visit www.millenniumpoint.org.uk/scholarship

Over the past few decades, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become an important part of many businesses worldwide. Like many things, the coronavirus pandemic caused businesses to take a step back and question their purpose, value and impact. This in turn has increased the development of CSR initiatives, with more and more businesses feeling the pressure from employees and consumers to operate with a stronger social conscience. This blog will look at what CSR is and four reasons why you should care.

WHAT’S CSR?

In general terms, CSR is the responsibility of an organisation for the impacts of its decisions on society and the environment above and beyond its legal obligations, through transparent and ethical behaviour. Previously, CSR was more common among the biggest brands as a way of addressing the impact their practices had on the environment but over recent decades, it has become more commonplace due to factors such as shifting public interests in environmental and ethical issues and legal changes which have made some aspects of CSR compulsory.

A prominent local example of CSR in action is with Cadbury’s. George and Richard Cadbury created the model village of Bourneville for their workers in Southwest Birmingham. This was born out of their desire to create better working conditions and quality of life for their workers compared to squalid conditions that were common at the time. Today, Cadbury’s CSR has evolved into the Cadbury Foundation which delivers regular projects and donations to local communities.

WHY YOU SHOULD CARE

Other than it being a nice way of giving back there are several reasons why CSR is important and if you don’t already think about it then you should.

CSR ATTRACTS TALENT

Having a strong CSR is a gateway to attracting fresh talent, passionate about working for you. With Millennials making up around half of the workforce and Generation Z taking their first strides, CSR has never been more of a hook for attracting fresh talent. One report suggests that 82% of millennials consider CSR efforts of an organisation when deciding where to work. It goes on to suggest that 70% are actually willing to take a pay cut to work for a company with strong social values. This trend is likely only to increase as more of Gen Z and beyond enter the workforce.

CSR CAN REDUCE EMPLOYEE TURNOVER

On the same notion, companies who actively engage their people in CSR projects reduce their employee turnover by about half. This helps employees feel that their work has purpose beyond their role, serves as a source of motivation and raises morale. In turn, this equates to more job satisfaction which is a major factor in retaining your workforce.

CSR CAN INCREASE REVENUE

Companies who invest in a social purpose have 4-6% higher market value and 20% more revenue compared to those who don’t according to a study in 2015 reported by The Telegraph. As collective social consciousness soars, so does a cultural shift occur and the demand from consumers for more ethical practises and CSR from businesses. CSR raises your profile and makes your company more attractive to consumers and investors. We only need to look at the rise in ethically driven SMEs over the past few years to see this in effect. It also shows that consumers are willing to pay a bit extra when they know the products and business are ethically driven.

Similarly, in a B2B space, business’ and investors are more likely to choose businesses with strong CSR profiles for the simple fact that it increases their own. Many of our clients here at Millennium Point cite our strong commitment to investing our profits into STEM education projects and initiatives – more of which you can read about here.

CSR IS A GREAT BRAND TOOL

In the same article, The Telegraph reported that a quarter (25%) of a company’s market value is it’s reputation. Brand is an important part of any business and CSR is an excellent way of elevating it. CSR gives another layer of engagement with your customers, which means more touch points for you to grab their attention and get their buy-in. In fact, 76% of the general population believe business leaders should take a lead on social and environmental issues — that’s 76% of the population who you could be engaging with right now with your CSR projects.

Engagement aside, it raises the overall perception of your brand. Businesses who show that they are taking an active role in tackling environmental and social issues are seen as more respectable and more human. This legitimises your brand and leads to more recognition and brand loyalty.

MILLENNIUM POINT’S CSR

Profits from our commercial activity as a multi-award-winning venue and landmark public building are invested by the Millennium Point Charitable Trust. This investment approximates to around £5m annually on projects, events and initiatives which promote the growth of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and education in Birmingham and the wider West Midlands. That means a percentage of any event booking or ticket purchase you make goes towards improving education locally. Read more about some of the projects we have funded here.

JOIN THE DISCUSSION ON CSR

Get your free ticket to our own hybrid conference Talking Point: The Future of Events from 2pm – 4pm on Wednesday 26th May. This two-hour event consists of two panels that will examine the impact of the pandemic and what the next 12-18 months has in store for the events industry – topics include CSR, sustainability and current trends. You can join online or in-person to see how a hybrid event at Millennium Point works as well as join in a vital conversation around kickstarting the events and hospitality industry across the UK.

To reserve your ticket, or for further information, visit the dedicated page here.

Here is one of the many projects that the programme has funded in 2020.

Who’s running the project?
South Bromsgrove High School is a co-educational, secondary school and sixth form with academy status, located in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire.

What’s it all about?
The initiative funded by the grant forms part of a much wider international project, based in The Netherlands, called HiSPARC.

It is a network of cosmic ray detectors situated in schools and universities that feed their data into a public database, allowing students to analyse it and carry out original research. They can start with a simple task, which might be looking at the variation between night and day or winter and summer, then progress to more complex investigations including identifying sources of the cosmic rays somewhere out there in space.

Atmospheric conditions are a factor in the number of cosmic rays hitting the detectors, so the automatic weather station which the grant will fund will extend the scope of the school’s investigations as well as those of other students in Britain and The Netherlands that use HiSPARC. In addition, each project completed can be submitted for a CREST Award at Bronze, Silver or Gold, depending on the level of challenge as certification for their contribution to scientific research.

The remainder of the grant will ensure that more staff at South Bromsgrove High School can also be trained to lead groups of students to help build capacity and expertise on this project.

Who will benefit?
At least a dozen students will be involved from Years 10 and 11. The aim is to keep the programme rolling so that over time more students will have the chance to learn about cosmic rays, the scientific process and handling data.

What they said:
Steve Clark, Career Lead and Assistant Head of Science, said: “This is a project that has really grown at South Bromsgrove High School. It started off as one student joining as part of a summer school run by the University of Birmingham and as it was relatively easy to join and accessible from any computer with internet access, we decided that it was worth pursuing. We first installed our own detector and now with the support from Millennium Point Charitable Trust the project will evolve into something even bigger and for generations to come.

“STEM subjects are a key component of the curriculum here. Our science department is very successful, having four students leave in 2020 to take up science subjects at Oxford and Cambridge Universities. Space topics always stimulate interest and don’t have an inherent gender bias either, so we hope to encourage as many students to take part and look forward to unveiling our new weather station enhancing the project even further.”

When’s it all happening?
During 2021 but then ongoing.

We’re delighted to announce the panel of judges for this year’s Millennium Point Scholarship competition. The panel consists of professionals influential in their respective fields from a broad range of STEM industries.

The distinguished judging panel, which will be headed by Millennium Point CEO Abbie Vlahakis, also features:

Professor Hanifa Shah – Executive Dean of the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment, Birmingham City University
Kari Lawler – Founder at Youth4Code and Youth4AI
Mike Ridler – Head of Business Development and Education at Learn by Design
Sam Gibbs – CEO at IT specialists 81G

The calibre of finalists for this year’s scholarship is impressive as ever, so it’s only right that the quality of our judging panel is equal to it. This is a phenomenal opportunity for all five students – not just the winner of the life-changing scholarship, but the advice and support they all receive from the Trust, both before and after the final.

What’s the Millennium Point Scholarship?

Now in its seventh year, the Millennium Point Trust Scholarship has already funded six inspiring young people from the region through their degrees at Birmingham City University’s Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment. Previous winners of the scholarship include Sagal Qodah in 2017, who has since gone on to graduate with a First Class Honours degree in Civil Engineering and has now landed a dream graduate role at Jacobs.

How will a winner be chosen?

The panel will assess our five Scholarship finalists for 2021, who will be announced later this month. The assessment includes a formal presentation and an informal interview about the finalist and their motivation to win the scholarship. While the assessment will take place behind closed doors as a precaution against covid-19, the results will be announced in a closed ceremony which will be broadcast from our multi-award-winning venue on Friday 26th May.

The Livestream will be announced in the coming weeks and will be available to view across our digital channels. For more information on the Scholarship competition, visit www.millenniumpoint.org.uk/scholarship

Image (L – R): Professor Hanifa Shah, Executive Dean of the BCUCEBE, Abigail Vlahakis, CEO of Millennium Point, Shennice Talburt, Scholarship Winner 2020, Prof. Nick Morton, Head of the School of Engineering and the Built Environment at the Scholarship Live Final in 2020.