STUDENTS from across Cumbria visited Furness College this week for The ‘Big Bang Fair’.

Organised by C-STEM Ltd, the event aimed to give young people a chance to learn more about possible future careers within science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).

Students also had the opportunity to meet future employers. The event included exhibitions from Furness College, Siemens, BAE Systems, Kimberley Clark, LA12, Morgan Sindall, iMeche, the NHS, Newton Rigg, Wax Lyrical, C-Stem, Chetwynde School, Oxleys. There was also a display from Corio Raptor, an RSPCA-funded charity specialising in caring for mistreated birds of prey.

Students had the chance to see demonstrations of new technologies including a virtual welder, experience a virtual reality environment using high-tech headsets and meet Oscar, an interactive robot.

Tony Gill, from C-STEM, said “The Big Bang Fair has become a key STEM event in the calendar and people in education and business look forward to this each year.

“It’s great to be able to hold the event at Furness College, which has amazing facilities and a great reputation for training in STEM subjects.

“This is part of a programme of STEM activities in Furness designed to enthuse and excite young people about the potential of STEM careers in the future.”

Principal and chief executive of Furness College, Andrew Wren, said he believed the event was a great opportunity to bring together talented students.

He said: “We always look forward to hosting this fun event and meeting the next generation of engineers.

“I particularly enjoy meeting such enthusiastic young people who are exploring their future career options.

“We hope what they see on the day will inspire them into careers in a range of industries connected with STEM.

“As a college with the biggest range of courses in the area, we offer both academic and vocational routes into this fast-paced sector.”