Students get taste of agri-tech careers at STEM food workshops

Over 180 secondary school students experienced how science and technology impacts the food we grow at an event funded by Growing Kent & Medway on Friday 4^th July.

The event, held at Canterbury Christ Church University and coordinated by the STEM Hub, was part of an initiative aimed at inspiring a new generation of young people to consider a STEM-related career in food and farming.

Hands-on workshops throughout the day highlighted the vast array of exciting careers and opportunities in the agri-tech sector in Kent and Medway. A keynote talk by APS Produce showed the science involved in growing 91 million tomatoes each year, from high-tech climate control data management to the growing role of robotics.

Practical sessions allowed students to explore diverse careers, including,

• Artificial intelligence and data scientists monitoring crops for diseases
• Technologists using 3D food printers to make tasty snacks
• Geneticists breeding tastier or more drought-tolerant strawberries

Students aged between 11-13 years from 11 different schools around Kent and Medway attended the free event.

Teacher Sharon Dawson, Herne Bay High School, “The event has opened the students' eyes to things they may not have known existed. They would never have known there were robots being used to test if tomatoes were ripe! They may really like computing, programming and robotics, and would never have previously linked them to how we produce sustainable food.

“I think many of them associate growing tomatoes with their granddad’s shed, but they don’t understand the engineering technology involved in growing!”

Students watch a 3D Printer from the Medway Food Innovation Hub in action

Science Teacher Emma Hutchings, from The Thomas Aveling School, said: “We signed up to join the event today as I think it’s fascinating to see where the future can take us in terms of food and farming. The students have loved getting hands-on experience of ecology in action. It has really fascinated them, and they were blown away by the workshops.

“We learn about careers in schools but seeing the robots and AI in action, and the technology that’s going into our food production, I don’t think they knew about that before today. I’d 100% recommend the event to other schools.”

The event was delivered by The STEM Hub, Canterbury Christ Church University, which coordinates the STEM Ambassador Programme across the South East to inspire young people in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Professor Mohamed Abdel-Maguid, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education, Student Growth and Global Engagement at Canterbury Christ Church University, said: “Farming and food production are changing fast. They are now high-tech industries where engineering, science, innovation, data and sustainability come together. Our STEM Hub event gave young people a real, hands-on glimpse into that future.

“We are proud to work with Growing Kent & Medway, Niab, and our university and business partners to make this happen. Together, we aimed to spark curiosity, build confidence, and help young people see new possibilities for themselves.

“At Canterbury Christ Church University, we embed sustainability and digital transformation in everything we do in education. Events like this bring that to life by showing young people that they can be the next generation of engineers, technologists and plant scientists driving sustainable food production.”

The event was funded by Growing Kent & Medway as part of their programme to inspire the next generation of skilled workers in the horticulture produce sector for 2030.

Simon Barnes, Director, Growing Kent & Medway, said: “Inspiring a new generation of engineers, technologists, and plant scientists into the sector is vital for the future sustainability and security of food production in the UK. We hope this stimulating day has changed the students’ and teachers’ perceptions of what careers in growing fresh produce involve; we are now more robotics and machine learning than wellies in fields!”

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