MONMOUTH MP David Davies is proud to be launching the We Made It! competition in Monmouthshire, working with local schools and industry to help young people understand how exciting and rewarding a career in manufacturing could be.
The competition will invite young people aged 13-16 to submit designs and ideas for a gadget, gizmo, toy or tool they'd like to see made. Any invention, no matter how creative, is welcome and as long as it's realistic enough to be made there's a chance it could be!
The entries will be judged by Mr Davies and the winner will be entered into a nationwide competition judged by a group of organisations involved in manufacturing, including Boeing, The Manufacturing Institute, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Finmeccanica, Renewable UK, the Confederation of Paper Industries and Lloyds Banking Group.
The organisations are all partners in the Dods Manufacturing Dialogue, which is working to increase interest in manufacturing skills in schools.
The best entries nationwide will be invited to a Fab Lab, the outstanding facilities provided by MIT and the Manufacturing Institute, where their designs will be brought to life.
Later this autumn, Mr Davies will bring the winner of the Monmouthshire competition to a special reception and awards ceremony in Parliament where they will have the opportunity to meet the heads of the manufacturing organisations involved in the project and learn how to take their career in manufacturing further.
Mr Davies said: “I’m very proud to be supporting this great competition to help young people turn their ideas into reality.
“Britain desperately needs more young people aspiring to high-level manufacturing jobs and gain a better understanding of how the industry and businesses involved in it actually works.
“From the schools I’ve visited, I’m sure there’s a young person in Monmouthshire who could be the next James Dyson and it would be absolutely fantastic if a local budding manufacturer was crowned the overall winner.
“I look forward to judging the entries and seeing what Monmouthshire’s young people think the gizmos of tomorrow will be!”
To find out more and to enter the competition, pupils can visit the competition's website at www.wemadeituk.co.uk. The deadline for entries is Monday, 22nd October 2012.