Aico host Telford Priory Secondary School STEM club for educational visit

Students from Telford Priory Secondary School STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) Club recently visited Aico, the European Market Leader in Home Life Safety to learn about the business and how these subjects are utilised day-to-day in a work setting.

Telford Priory created the STEM Club to expose students to the various pathways that these important subjects can take them on. The club also gives them an opportunity to further refine the skills they may not be able to fully develop in their regular lessons. These subjects are routinely utilised at Aico by every department, which Aico colleagues were able to highlight throughout their visit.

The students received a tour of the building, introducing them to the various departments as well as Aico’s apprenticeship programme. They visited a timeline of how lifesafety devices have changed over the last 32 years, developing in technology as well as their visual appeal.

Pupils participated in an array of activities based on STEM subjects, such as a maths challenge and calculating the current, voltage and resistance within circuits. Aico also arranged some practical activities with their products such as wiring up their own alarm baseplates to ensure each wire was correctly connected to the corresponding terminals.

The visit concluded with a product development challenge where students were provided with an Aico product and had to develop their item to improve it. The teams produced a range of ideas including a Carbon Monoxide sensing camera, colour changing alarms, as well as enhanced call points to maximise safety; they were also able to develop their sales skills as they were tasked with pitching their ideas in a presentation to the rest of the group and receive feedback.

Aico’s Community Liaison Jane Pritchard who was on hand to oversee the day added “It was great to be able to welcome Telford Priory School’s STEM Club to Aico. All students who attended were so engaged and enthusiastic, giving our challenges a go and coming up with some very creative and innovative ideas. Aico look forward to further opportunities to work with and support their students in the future.”

The students really embraced the day commenting “It was very inspirational and influential; we enjoyed the activities.” and “Amazing challenges were set for us which helped us portray our competitive side.”

Find out more information about Aico’s CSR programme Aico in the Community.