The Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA) is delighted to launch the 2018 edition of their flagship competition for D&T and engineering students, the Technology Design and Innovation (TDI) Challenge sponsored by Close Brothers.
The annual competition for schools and colleges has grown in prominence over the past decade to becoming one of the leading extracurricular school’s competitions in the UK.
Previous winners and participants have used the TDI as a springboard into the industry, with last year’s winner in the 17-19 age category, Halimah Ershad of Forest School in London, receiving an undergraduate scholarship to the Dyson School of Engineering.
ENTRY CATEGORIES FOR 2018 TDI CHALLENGE
The TDI Challenge has four categories, and is open to anyone in the UK who has created an impressive Design & Technology or Engineering project within school.
- Individual student aged 14-16 (GCSE/KS4/BTEC L2)
- Individual student aged 17-19 (A-Level/BTEC L3)
- Student group (3- 6 members) aged 14-16 (GCSE/KS4/BTEC L2)
- Student group (3-6 members) aged 17-19 (A-Level/BTEC L3)
Many students enter the TDI Challenge with their existing coursework projects. It is not necessary to spend time creating a new project, although we also welcome projects developed especially for the TDI Challenge. Students cannot enter both the individual and group categories.
The competition is free to enter, and students can win prizes including an iPad, GoPro, UE Boom Speaker, drone plus many more. The winning school in each category will also win £2000 of credit to spend with Technology Supplies Limited (Design, Technology & Engineering specialists for education worldwide) on D&T equipment for the classroom. Runner-up prizes of £1000 and £500 are also available for schools in each category.
Laura Pickering, Education and Development Manager at the MTA, said “This year the TDI Challenge is even more important, as we are in the Year of Engineering. We want to use this opportunity to inspire the next generation of engineers, and to help widen the diversity of employees within the industry. Students from all backgrounds should be aware that there are many rewarding and interesting careers in engineering available to them, accessible via apprenticeships and further/higher education.”
Steven Gee CEO – Industrial Equipment Division – Close Brothers Asset Finance, said “Close Brothers is delighted to be sponsoring the Technology, Design & Innovation Challenge 2018. We believe that it is important to invest in the next generation and we want to inspire young people to pursue a fulfilling career in engineering.”
The closing date for entries is Friday 11th May 2018, and the competition is limited to only one application per student or group. All entries and questions about the competition can be submitted to education@mta.org.uk. Finalists will be notified by Friday 8th June 2018. The TDI Challenge is open to any student living in the United Kingdom.
The final itself will be held at the European Headquarters of MTA Members Yamakazi Mazak at their state of the art facility in Worcester on Wednesday 4th July 2018. The chosen finalists will display their portfolio of work in Mazak’s atrium, and give a presentation to the judging panel made up of industry experts who will decide the overall prize winners.
